Re-Posting: Pimp My Ride!

Today, I'm re-posting from Trade Me Out of Debt

I know this guy from college.
His now-wife lived two floors below me, and cracked me up. I guess we had kindred spirits, because through facebook, even though she and I didn't know each other very well, we've kept in touch. I can't remember where her husband saw this concept, but you can read about it on his blog.

Remember that game you played as a kid - Bigger or Better? We did that a lot at church get togethers, sort of as a scavenger hunt. So, basically, Matt is doing a grown-up-version of Bigger or Better, to attempt to trade himself out of debt. Pretty unique idea, and I really hope it works for him!


The reason for my post today, though, is this unbelievably colorful van.



He tells the story on his blog, but this is a recent acquisition of his on the way to trade himself out of debt. However, his wife is refusing to cook for him until he paints this sucker (to which I say, "Amen, Sista!"). I was thinking about my undying love for RustOleum and all of their products, and I know they make a product line for automobiles. I don't know if anyone who follows me now has any tips, but I thought it would be worth sharing. It's a great story, and it'd be great if anyone could help Matt figure out how to "pimp his ride" so his lovely wife will cook for him again ;)

Check it out:
trade me out of debt: Pimp My Ride!: "It is what it is. Let me rewind a little bit and take you back in time to a land far far away. It all started in Arizona in an unknown city..."

Not Quite Resolution

So, unlike my amazing friend, Susan, I am not so good at resolutions. I do, however, have...umm...aspirations? for my near future. I decided to make a graphic to go with my ideas. Originally, I was going to work from the top down, but I don't know that I'll be able to actually do them all in order. I can, however, at least write about them in order. Here's my graphic:

And here's a bit more information on the first of my plans.

Hair
My hair and I are in a love-hate relationship. Of epic proportions. I have thick, frequently unruly, usually frizzy, unmanageable hair. It's the kind of hair that would have done really well at the height of all the 80's fashion hoopla. Every time I seem to figure out "the trick" to managing it, it changes tactics, and I'm left with messy ponytails (which I love occasionally, but not always), headbands, ridiculously long styling/taming sessions, etc. If hats would fit or flatter my big 'ole head, I'd resort to those as well :) However, those times when I can get my hair to do what I want, it rocks. Really. I am trying to get better about appreciating things that make me uniquely me...and my hair is one of those things I am learning to be grateful for.

Now, here comes the part where I can actually do something to improve our relationship- thanks to Morgan's Deals, I got what might turn out to be the most amazing deal ever! A $300 value, I got a Keratin Treatment for only $99. Possibly one of the best uses of birthday money I've ever made.

When I get to actually use the voucher, I'll post before and after pictures. But here are a few sample before and after pictures I've found on the worldwide web:







Now, I don't want to get my hopes up too high, but I can't help but think, if people usually spend $300, this just might work. At least for a while. The site says it usually lasts for about four months. Who knows what I'll do after that, but four months is better than no months at all!

I also have a mad hope. When I was a junior in high school, I got a perm. Worst. Decision. Ever. I had moderately curly hair already, but didn't know what I was doing...and I decided I wanted curly hair, so I got a perm. Ever since then, my hair has been...um...unique.
Read unique in this context as: poofy, frizzy, voluminous in an overpowering sort of way, and sporadically curly/wavy. Logically, I know that all the hair that was on my head at that point in time has long since grown out and been chopped off. But, I can't seem to shake the suspicion that the perm was what changed it all. My mad hope is that this will do the opposite of what the perm did, meaning, change my hair permanently for the better. But I won't hold my breath.

More on the other goals to follow soon.


I have to go work on my lesson plan for art class this week. I'm up for a review (possibly a raise - not sure how much, but I'll take what I can get), we're doing a promotional class to try to fill the class to maximum capacity, and I'm being observed. No pressure :)

One of Many...

Oh, sheesh. I haven't posted in a while. And I have so much to say. Unfortunately, it'll have to wait. I don't have time tonight to post a long and involved post like I would like.

I will leave you with these adorable pictures, and I want you to pay close attention to what is in them:

Did you figure it out?

That's right! My sweet little doggies killed poor Shack the Shark. I woke up the other day to a strange tearing sound. It was the demise of poor Shack. His jaw was torn, and his stuffing was strewn about everywhere.

You can read here about how I discovered Tuffy Toys, and which two I picked up. Shack was a 7 on a tuff-scale from 1-10, and it took my dogs two weeks to tear into him on any sort of substantial basis.

This may not be impressive to you...but believe me, it is SUPER impressive. They haven't made a dent yet in the tug-o-war toy, which is (obviously) even more impressive than the fact that it took them two weeks to chew the stuffing out of Shack. I threw out the stuffing that they had pulled out, will trim down the threads sticking out of his face, and let them at 'em for longer :)

I'll be baaack. And soon ;)

I Can't Help Myself

As I mentioned already, my brain is exploding with ideas for our new house. I went to bed, intending to watch TV or something, and drift off to sleep, and found myself making a photoshop document, and making a plan for improvements to the curb appeal of our future home.


Here it is at present:



Here is my computer-embellished dream of what it could be:


The paint looks a lot more gray in these pictures. It's actually more of an off-white. I doubt budget would allow it right away, but a clean, crisp white would be nice eventually :)

The front door will be black, not white, but you wouldn't be able to see it in the picture if I made it black. Here it is in larger scale.



These awesome lights would be great outside, and have pretty solid reviews. Not only that, but they're only an impressive $39.98 for both of them!
I have some friends who have some neat decorative details on their garage, and I went to google for some for ideas. I came across this, and figured I could sort of recreate the windows on our future garage with some sort of enamel or high gloss paint. Wouldn't that be something if it looked as good as I think it could?

Throw on some shutters, black trim around the windows, and build railing to close in the front porch, and I'd say the house would be GORGEOUS!!!!

What say you?



P.S. You know what's awful? I'm almost hoping that the tree without any leaves in the front yard is dead, so I don't have to feel guilty about wanting to rip it up and plant a Bradford Pear in its place. I love them, and they have THE BEST colors during autumn, but our dogs love to eat the little...um...pears?...that fall off of it. I don't think it's probably very good for them in mass quantities...so the front yard would be a better place for a Bradford, if we got to have one.

Then we'd just need to attack the flower bed. Probably tear out the existing shrubs, and try something like this, maybe some of these, or these, possibly these, definitely some of this, and hopefully one of these. And that's just the front yard! ;)

Okay. Brain, TURN OFF. NOW.
Goodnight!

Our Soon to be Home Tour

Here is our new-to-us, soon to be home! It needs some TLC, but I'm up to the challenge!
To start with, I'm just going to post pictures of how it is now. Once we actually get a closing date, I'll start posting my paint swatches, inspiration photos, mini-projects, and hopefully some photoshop enhanced sketches of what my plans are.
Obviously, once we move in, I'll be able to start posting actual progress shots! Woot!

I just have to attempt to get better at prioritizing, as well as being content to take things a little at a time.
(that will take some major restraint on my part)

But, here it is:

The Front

The Foyer

The Nook
(to the left of the front door on your way in)

The Hall Closet
(to the right of the front door on your way in)

Half Bath
(to the left of the hall closet)

Living Room

Living Room
(looking into dining/kitchen area)

Kitchen

Pantry
(on the left)

Utility/Storage Closet
(on the right)

Utility/Storage Closet

Utility/Storage Closet
(storage shelves)

Sink Area in Kitchen
(looking into the living room)

Living Room

Hall into Master
(downstairs, behind the living room)

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

Master Bathroom

Master Bathroom

Master Closet
(one of my favorite parts of the house!)

Master Closet
(:grin:)

SECRET PASSAGEWAY!!!
(oh yesh, my new house kinda has one)

Master Bathroom
(looking out from master closet)

Master Bathroom
Going Upstairs...

Looking Down...

Upstairs
(view from gameroom)

The Upstairs Nook
(just at the top of the stairs to the right)

"Panoramic" of the Upstairs
(gameroom on left, water heater closet in middle, hallway to additional bedrooms)

Hallway to Upstairs Bedrooms

Down the Hallway

Additional Bedroom #1

Additional Bedroom #1

Additional Bedroom #1

There are two more bedrooms upstairs, but I didn't get good pictures of them.
Basically, imagine "Additional Bedroom #1," only slightly differently.
And in different places in the house :)

Here's a "panoramic" shot of the backyard.
It's comparable to the size of our previous backyard, only there's less of a patio...so in some ways, it feels bigger (I'd have to either measure it or ask my husband to know for sure). I know it's hard to see here. I don't have a clue how to take a picture of a backyard. :#)

Anyway, that's (God willing) our new house! My brain is exploding with ideas, and I can't wait to get my hands on that house!