Cue the choir

It's a well known "Part of Being Overseas" fact that you are never done dealing with plugs and voltage issues. So you get some transformers from the Embassy, and pony up for some of your own. And you may even get some 220V appliances.

Another well known fact is our love/(mostly) hate relationship with the good ol' Drexel Heritage. That curio cabinet with the built in lighting, conjuring visions of properly displaying your precious breakables? Yeah, it's a 110V plug.

Don't even get me started on the whole lighting issues. There is never enough light; whether it's in that weird, how-do-they-expect-me-to-use-this closet or under the cabinets in the kitchen.

Cue the choir. *ahhhh*

I found an amazing DIY tutorial and the simplest, why-didn't-I-think-of-that lighting solution. They made a corded lamp cordless using LED ribbon lighting and a 9V battery! It makes me mad when I think of all the floor lamps I left in storage or dumped when I got frustrated with plugging them into a transformer.

But it gets better.

On the Amazon product page for the reel of lighting, there are pictures of people using this for under cabinet lighting!! Definitely squeal-worthy! The pictures have notes and everything! (ok, time to tone down the exclamation points) The ribbon base has adhesive on it and the end goes right onto a battery (9 or 12V) so you really can plug and play. I'm still investigating the details of this project, but it looks pretty straightforward and dummy-proof. I'm ordering this ribbon lighting and putting it under my cabinets. I think I'll also put it in my cabinets, and in my closet, and in the entryway . . . oh, you're still reading. Quit reading and go get some ribbon lighting! I'll show y'all the results; whether they be good or disastrous.

Not my kitchen, just the amazon example

Yup.

Watch out. I actually decorated for Halloween.

The bats? Courtesy of my fine skillz on the Silhouette.
Have I mentioned how great it is?
(really, how many times do I have to mention it
before they send me free stuff?)

How is your eyesight? Have you checked it recently?

Hook'd up

Slowly, but surely, the front hall decorating is coming along. All the hooks came and I've got them up. Of course there had to be the usual speed bumps along the way, but that was expected.

I changed my favorite from this (it's color was *exactly* the same as my walls):


To this:

Much better. Due to our walls being old, stupid and made of concrete, hanging them was quite an orchestration of power tools and colorful language. I couldn't get any bolts to go in all the way, so none of the hardware is flush with the hook, but they hold weight and that's what I wanted.



You see, the root idea behind this "Wall 'o' Hooks" began with the conundrum of this awkward entryway. People needed somewhere to put their bags, etc. when they come in. I have a shoe cubby and shelf, but it's got all of our stuff on it. So most guests would just politely stash their shoes or bags on the opposite wall, on the edge of the rug or somewhere. A coat rack would just be in the way. I love that this is wall decoration is both decorative & functional. I'm all about keeping things simple, so I'm always looking for the dual purpose in everything.

Yes, we did have cardboard boxes (with food storage inside) covered with a tablecloth for a side table in college. #1 reason: Because we were poor. But I see no reason to stop that habit (the frugal, penny-pincher) just because we're not eating Ramen noodles every day. (and we still have ramen noodles in the cupboards.)

Hook me up!

I have to be flexible with what I have. The walls change about every three years, so I can't make a wall grouping specific to that wall. Believe me, I'd love to. I just make sure all of my "decor" goes well together. I do have my "Middle Eastern Stuff" that I group together and can usually find a space.

I'm struggling with the front entryway/foyer. It sounds too ostentatious to call it the 'foyer' (i hear 'foy-yay' in my head whenever I say it) but 'entryway' is too small a word to describe it. It's bigger than the girl's bedroom. Also that monstrosity of Middle Eastern bling, a.k.a. the chandelier, is quite distracting. We walk through it multiple times a day; we cross it to go from the living rooms to the bedrooms, or bedrooms to the kitchen. The bathroom we use the most is also off this area. I'm slowly figuring out how I want it, but I need to get a move on, in just 7 days, we are nearing our 1 year arrival anniversary.

The long awaited hooks came! I didn't get a good picture of them all; little thieves absconded with a couple, in-between me laying them out on the floor, getting my camera, taking the picture, then realizing a few were missing. Oh well, it'll make the reveal all the more exciting.

I traced a paper shape of each hook and am playing with the arrangement. I'm a master at this staging process. I have two huge paper guitars on the wall in the living room, still waiting to be replaced by the real things. It's just that when you have concrete walls, the hanging process is more permanent. No changing your mind or backing down. Also, the whole drilling process isn't the easiest either. I have a cement drill bit, but the problem is the depth of the holes. It's very inconsistent, some can go as deep as I need it, other times I can only make a very shallow hole that won't hold the hardware I need to use. So then the whole arrangement has to be re-done. You can see why it takes me so long to commit to something. I have to have a couple of workable scenarios. Anyways, I'm at the paper shape stage. Let's see if I can get them hung before the end of Ramadan!

Art Ardor

One frustration I have with most art I like is that it is too small. I like big things on the walls; super big and small make good arrangements. Our house has *very* tall ceilings, so that helps feed my taste. But when you get around to putting things up on the walls, you find you don't have as much as you thought. Does that make sense?

Anyway, getting back to the original tangent that began this post, the trouble with art. I like it bigger than I can find it. So when possible, I make it. This is my latest production. I found a poster on pinterest, but I didn't like any of the colors or sizes.
12x24


This was also another "like it but i want it different" poster. It was a free printable, but I still didn't like any of the color combination choices or size. Just a bit bigger.....
12x16


I can come up with my own stuff. I made these paper doll art frames for the girl's room. And the dress is fabric modge podge'd on a canvas board.



I am in the process of making name buntings for all the kids. Once upon a time, I had planned to make one for each of them for Christmas. I made Eliza's in time for her birthday. I made this one for Grant in, like, 5 minutes. Mairyn's is still in the works, and there is *no*way* I am making Jacqueline's out of fabric. Her name is way too long.





So that's my anthology of 'Adventures in Art'. I don't think I'll ever be done. I wonder if I will get to the point when I can just open the boxes, unwrap the decor and throw it up on the wall? I don't know if I want to.

I'm hooked

I know I keep teasing with promises of vacation photos, but there are just so many shiny things in the world, I have a hard time concentrating on just one thing.

For example, *clearing throat* I have decided what to do with the giant expanse of white in my front entryway.

It's kind of like playing that game where the picture is all scrambled up & there's just one empty square; shuffling all the pieces around until it can all fall into place. Well that one space by the bookcase has been my 'problem place' until now. I have been scouring etsy for old, unique, vintage hooks. I began this train of hunting with the intention of putting together a hook wall in my room. But with all the cool ones I've found, I feel I just can't hide it away in the back room.



So I'm going to put an arrangement of hooks in the entryway; serving a dual purpose in A) looking really nice and B) someplace people can hang their handbags & jackets. It will look somewhat like this:



That's the 'visual area' it will take up and works very nicely in the Handy, yet Dandy category. And they'll be high enough up that the children won't be able to use them to drape any and/or all of their stuff on them. Sweet. Totally.

Ooo, pretty colors!

I picked out some colors!!
Though only accent colors for art pieces and maybe a closet door,
they will transform my slump!
I am *so* excited! Just 2BD per liter!
(go figure it out on xe.com)

Night Lights

Manama really went all out in the New Year decoration department. Their downtown lights were splendid! And it felt Christmas-y because Bahrain's national colors are red and white. Pictures only came out as a blur, so this video will have to do. Oh, and the kids went back to school today. Alham'dula-freakin'-llah! Sadly, it may take a while for the house to recover from 3 weeks of vacation. *sigh*

Obtained

It seems I'm a 'material girl' as of late. I want this. I got that. But I've had some of these ideas simmering for a while. This picture of Christ. I spotted it this last summer when we first got back. It was huge (too huge for me) and very expensive. Even to order just the print cost an arm & a leg. I hit the tightwad's jackpot in finding the first framed smaller version AND getting the employee to give me an extra 25% off. Just because I asked nicely. ;)

Here is it's "place" on the wall.

And here is the rest of the wall that needs other "things".

What $13 gets you . . . .

This is what $13 at Deseret Industries get you. A whole lotta good!

Deseret Industries, or D.I. in local speak, is a tight-wad's dreamland. It's kind of like a Goodwill store. They are nonprofit and accept donations. When I was too lazy to organize a yard sale, this is where I took 6 van loads of "stuff", i.e. out-grown clothes, toys, and assorted junk. Junk to me, but treasure to someone else. You know the saying . . . I have fond memories of D.I., we bought our first couch there for $35. I got a pair of jeans there for $3 that lasted me 3 years.

I went to D.I. with a purpose; to find frames. I have a wall that is nothing but frames. My dream is to have a nice, unique collection of just frames. Actually, it's singular right now: frame. I saw this online at Ikea about a year ago.

I had such visions and daydreams about this frame. Such beauty and splendor would have a place of honor and nothing, n-o-t-h-i-n-g will be in it. This piece of art is the centerpiece. My wonderful sister-in-law, Chelsey, snagged it for my birthday last year. It was too cumbersome to ship and so it waited in her guest bedroom until we arrived in Virginia to collect it. And it was the sixth passenger in my van, carefully tucked out of the way of flailing feet. 'The Frame' was one of the first things hung up on the wall.



You know how frustrating it is when you have a vision, and you know what you need, but you can't find it? That's my problem right now. So, I dove into the Frame & Picture section at D.I and resurfaced with this assortment. Some may stay in their natural beauty, others will be altered. And one or two may not even make the cut. But at $2 a piece, I can afford to be choosy! I got some spray paint and, if one is painted, it will be in burgundy, black or creme. I'll keep you posted on my progress. Tomorrow is Saturday, after all. Time for the Weekend Warriors to rise! After we sleep in . . .

Jumping the gun

I have mixed feelings about when Christmas decor is displayed. First of all, I love it. I wish we had a larger time frame to have the place decorated. But it seems that stores just can't wait to get the holiday stuff out there. Maybe it's so blatant to me because I haven't been exposed to it for 4 seasons. I saw Christmas phrase plaques (Joy to the World; Believe; etc) at Sam's Club in September. Sep.tem.ber. I'll give them a little slack, though, seeing as how buying in bulk is all about 'being prepared'. But all the other stores? Mid-October, about the 15th, and all holly & berries break loose! Halloween things go on 25% off and early Christmas sales start. (backing up even further, I saw Halloween candy August 29th. Stuff that in your trick or treat bag!)



The reason for my mixed feelings? I kind of feel like Thanksgiving is getting shorted. I'll admit that November 1st, I listened to my all time favorite Christmas song, 'Silver Bells' by Elvis, just to feel a little in the spirit. But now my fall leaf garland and harvest themed wreath on the door almost feel out of place. I have driven by no less than 3 houses that already have lights up. And as I drove down Main street on Wednesday, there were wreaths on the lamp posts and a huge scroll-like garland thing strung across the first intersection. Really?


I know that in Canada, Thanksgiving is earlier; so Christmas festivities and decorations start sooner, like the beginning of November. But that's fair, no more holidays for them until Christmas! I guess I'm just an advocate for giving each holiday a fair chance. Though look at me, I didn't have one ghost, witch or skeleton gracing my porch. Halloween, I don't give it a fair chance. One, because I really really like a harvest theme; pumpkins, fall leaves, hay, and gourds. And two, I'm lazy. When I can decorate in September and leave it all up until Thanksgiving, who wouldn't want to?



But all this early Christmas stuff is really trying my patience. September to New Years; favorite time of year, hands down. Seriously, I am past excitement and moved strait onto giddiness over my Christmas decorations this year. I themed. Yes, I themed. So if I can wait until the day after Thanksgiving, everyone else can too!

The pretty preview

I Heart This Chair!

Faced with our upcoming move from Cairo, I am taking inventory of the actual furniture we own. It isn't much. We moved here with a crib, a twin bed and a toddler bed. And our wonderful La-Z Boy. We put our queen sized bed & a little table with 4 chairs in the company provided storage. **That's it. That's all, that's all there is!** Our place here is furnished. So, I get the enviable task of choosing furniture for the next place of residence. I've got a little folder in my "Bookmarks" tab labeled, "Stuff I like". Oh, I like, I like a lot! Some stuff, too much. So there's the "Reality furnishings" and "Dream Furnishings". This chair is borderline. Ideally, I would have my own powder room & walk-in closet. This little beauty would be in the corner just exuding awesomeness! But right now, I just don't have a place for it. So there it will sit, in my dream furnishings folder, waiting for the right time.






**name that song!**