Halfway through the year… So, where am I with those resolutions?

Hi All!

With the milestone of the mid-year approaching I thought it best to look back at what I set out to do at the beginning of the year and gauge how far I’ve come.  Yikes!!  I’ve definitely got my work cut out for me in the second half of the year!!

How are your resolutions coming along?  Are you still plugging ahead or have we “amended” a few of them?!?!

Anyhoo, I just love how Young House Love gives shows us their lists of to-do’s and checks them off as they make progress!  I’m sure you do too!!  So, I’m totally going to copy their format as, what I hope will be taken as utter flattery – ’cause it is!

A recap of my 12 New Year’s Resolutions for 2014:

1.  FINISH THE MOTHER ONCE AND FOR ALL – 80% Complete!

Don't you love how there are 3 books up there?!?
Don’t you love how there are 3 books up there?!?
  • Find those darn hinges and get the doors on!
  • Find and install gorgeous hardware.  This has been a challenge!!
  • Make holes for the shelves and install the shelves
  • Organize the bottom cabinets
  • And the Hardest Part – Stage the open shelving into utter perfection!

2.  Finish up the whole dining room make-over – 5% Complete.  There were plenty of casualties with the installation of The Mother, so new to-do’s have been added to the list!

  • Touch up red wall paint, after patching, sanding and priming
  • Repaint the ceiling (This is one I was not planning on!)
  • Repaint the moulding in the room… fingers crossed I can get away with only painting that room.
  • Maybe do a cool ceiling treatment???
  • Get a rug happening
  • And a light fixture!  I’m over using a lamp for special dinners!
  • Find/Hang some fabulous wall art
  • To treatment the window or not to?  That is the question…
  • Change out the light swtiches
  • Organize/Clean out the buffet and spruce it up (with mirror, perhaps?)
  • Wish list – find an amazing settee like the one I’m in love with at Restoration Hardware for a steal!
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I’m still loving these shiny red walls and blue chairs in my inspiration photo!

3.  Clean out the garage and organize my tools – 10% Complete.  Wait, I’ve actually started doing this!!  But alas, the organization of my dreams is still a ways off… but closer with the tools and supplies separated.  Here’s what I have planned…

  • Get two more upper cabinets installed for tool storage
  • Hang 1-2 light fixtures – I need more light!
  • Get rid of two ginormous mirrors hanging on the right wall – Any takers??
  • Make a shoe change/storage area so the kids have a place to put all their gear!
  • Go through ALL the gear and totally purge!  Then put what’s staying back in some ordered fashion.
  • Paint the door and trim going into the house.  I want to feel welcome when I pull into my own garage, please!
My Garage, at rock bottom.  A dumping ground for all our crapola.
My Garage, at rock bottom. A dumping ground for all our crapola.

4. Stencil the family room wall in Summer Palace – 10% Complete.  Really, really close to starting this darn thing… if only I was 100% sure about how it would look.  Decisions, Decisions!!

  • Finish cutting stencil #2
  • Decide on paint colors and
  • Get on with the stenciling!

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5.  Paint the exterior of the house – 0% Complete.  This is definitely going to be an end of the year project and probably one best left for the professionals!  But we’ll see…

6.  Update the entryway – 0% Complete.

  • Paint the front door.  This needs to be done, Badly!!
  • Figure out something with the plants and pots blocking the walkway.
  • Update or change the bench that’s currently there
  • Get a new mat for the door – the one we have is waaaaayyy too puny.
  • Add an art piece??  If I can think of something that’ll work!
What an elegant entry!!
What an elegant entry!! Drool, drool!

7.  Participate in the next 6 week challenge and redo The Pool Bathroom – 100% COMPLETE!!  Finally, I can check something off!!

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8.  Inject personality into the hallway – 0% Complete.

  • A cool runner would be nice
  • Lots of art or photos or both!
  • Maybe, new lights…hmmm…
Bare Naked Hallway

9.  Build some picture ledges for the family room wall – 0% Complete.  Seems pretty self-explanatory, but I just haven’t gotten to it yet… Probably need to finish that darn stencil first, huh?!

Inspiration!!
Inspiration!!

10.  A sprucing of the laundry room is definitely in order – 5% Complete.  So, far, all I’ve done is remove a bunch of tools and junk from the drawers and cabinets.  But I’ve got some big plans for this small room off the kitchen and garage.  Right now it’s a boring little pass-through that needs serious personality and storage!

  • Deal with the stained and ugly formica countertop
  • Sand and paint the walls, trim and door
  • Install a show stopping backsplash
  • Possibly put in a beautiful wallpaper on the ceiling
  • Sew a valance for the window
  • Add storage above the window
  • Construct a cart for the side of the washer for soap/etc.
  • Fix-up some messed up tiles on the floor
My sad little laundry room, kinda cleaned out.
My sad little laundry room, kinda cleaned out.

11.  Get the floors in the house professionally cleaned and sealed – 40% Complete.  In my original post I only mentioned the hardwood, but since then I decided a full undertaking was in order.  I’ve sealed the marble in the master bath, and the tile in the kitchen!  Not easy feats, but oh my, clean grout and tile is like… well, it feels like new tile all over again!

  • Seal and clean the hardwood in the house
  • Fix the chipped grout in the kitchen
  • Seal the grout in my twin’s bathroom

12.  Modernize the fireplace with a new flame source, glass and spheres – 100% COMPLETE!

DSCN2333

I’m doing the math… is that right?  2 out of 12 ONLY?!?!

I need to stop blogging about it and be about it!  HA!

Please send me good vibes as this is my last preggo week on this beautiful Earth!  By next week a new little monkey will be joining our posse and we are all just so excited… and in denial!  Ya, there’s a lot of denial going on… like the idea of getting sleep still seems like it’s in my future… rrrrriiiiiggggghhhhtttt.

Tootles for now and Happy Creating!  Jessica

Jessica

5 comments

  1. Your house sounds like mine — livable, but oh, so unfinished. Keep congratulating yourself on what you’ve accomplished so far — once you set your mind to something, your results are GORGEOUS!!! How about tackling the laundry room for the next ORC? I love your idea of wallpapering the ceiling and I just may steal it for myself!

    1. Hi Laura! Actually that’s a great idea… but I’ve already started some stuff in the laundry room!! I guess I’m just in crazy mode to get some of those to-do’s checked off! Maybe I’ll do my family room with the wallpaper for the challenge? And if you do wallpaper, please let me know!! We can discuss!!

      1. That stencil idea is brilliant — but daunting. I look forward to seeing how it turns out. As for the wallpaper on the ceiling, we’ll see. I guess it has to be something non-directional, so I don’t get dizzy when I turn around and look up! I’ll let you know if I find anything I like, but feel free to weigh in if you see anything wonderful. I used a really fun wallpaper in my powder room, called “Marco Polo” by York (since discontinued). It makes me smile every time I walk by . . . .

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