SNEAK PEAK 11.7.14

Hi guys, it’s me, that girl katie, I have a lot of projects going on in my house so, I thought I would share a behind the scenes “SNEAK PEAK” of a few of them.

I have been working on turning my kids playroom into a craft room and the non furnished attached room into a media room + playroom

This is the media room + playroom in progress:

I am planning to DIY the armoire that is currently in our garage for toy storage plus I need to paint the T.V. wall and hang the wallpaper I have for behind the couch. I have 2 chairs that are getting upholstered as I type and then there is all the styling and accessorizing to take place.

This is the craft room in progress:

I still need a table and chairs, pegboard for tools & a way to display artwork. I also need to purchase more craft supplies and organize all materials.

I have a feeling this space is going be really used while also allowing me to spend more quality time with my kids.

It’s so exciting for me when a space comes together but it’s also a test of patience that it doesn’t happen in 30 minutes like a decorating show. It’s a labor of LOVE.

I have a lot on my to do DIY list. What DIY projects are on your list?

Happy weekend!

KICK UP YOUR HEELS for DINNER AL FRESCO 10.16.14

Hi guys, it’s me, that girl katie I love traditions and Dinner Al Fresco has become a favorite of mine.

This year we hosted Dinner Al Fresco with our amazing friends Hunter and Molly who own the restaurant, E.Leaven.

Summers tend to fly by everywhere but even more so here in Jackson because of the short summer season due to mountain living. So we are making it an annual tradition to end the summer season enjoying good friends, great food, yummy drinks and of course the beautiful Tetons.

Having 4 of us to divide up the work was perfect because we were all able to really enjoy the evening. Hunter, Molly & Matt took care of the menu while I took care of all the décor elements + my homemade ice cream.

It was a perfect night and we definitely KICKED UP our HEELS.

What dinner party traditions do you have? 

DIY CHORE BOARD 10.9.14

Hey guys, it’s me, that girl katie, I recently became a little obsessed with the idea of a chore board for my kids and the more I talked about it the more excited they got about it.

So, I did some research and really liked this chore board. But if I was going to make one I wanted to make sure it was something that would work in my family. So, I needed to tweak Sarah’s amazing design a little to fit my family’s needs.

My Chore Board requirements: 1. Conveniently located – it’s in our kitchen 2. A reward system that was visual and not about money 3. Easy to update and make changes

Chore Board Steps:

1. Buy Supplies 2. Attach molding – Glue + Nail 3. Chalk & Sand Corners 4. Prime – Frame + White Boards 5. Paint Frame 6. Varnish Frame 7. Paint White Boards 8. Print Font + Chore Graph 9. Add Font + Chore Graph 10. Hammer Boards In Frame 11. Add hooks + Paint Cans 12. Add Stones

Supplies:

- Plywood - Frame Molding - Wood Glue - 3 boards - Primer - Paint (Regular Paint + Dry Erase Paint) - Clear Semi Gloss Varnish - Small nails (for molding) - Finishing Nails (for white boards) - Hanging Material - 6 Mini Paint Containers - Vinyl Font & Chore Graph - Stones - Popsicles Sticks + Sharpie Pen (for extra chores + rewards) - Dry Erase Pens - Cricut Explore

Chore Board Rules:

All 4 chores must be completed per day to get to 2 stones. If you act poorly a stone is taken away. Extra stones can be earned by doing the extra chores. Once the bucket is full then a reward can be chosen.

I am sure the rules will be tweaked over time.

Tips:

- If you live near a Home Depot have them cut all your pieces to size. You will save a lot of time - I wet sanded a few times in between coats of the Dry Erase Paint - I painted at least 6-8 coats of the Dry Erase

Please Note - I am not sure how the Dry Erase will hold up over time because this is the 1st time I am using their product

Source: - Font - Paint Buckets - Chore Board Graph

Do you have a chore board or something similar for your kids? Since every family is different I would love to hear what works in your house.

QUOTES 10.3.14

Hi guys, it’s me, that girl katie, If you have been following along you know that this year has been the hardest year of my life.

I had many friends tell me “Katie, you have a lot on your plate". I could hear what they were saying but at the time I was just doing what I needed to do which felt like being on a moving sidewalk putting one foot in front of the other trying not to fall down. But all the hardship I have experienced is nothing compared to my sister fighting for her life and having to saying goodbye.

Over the year quotes have really helped me and at times I held on tight to a few of them and still do. So, I thought today I would share a few that really ring loud in my ear.

And this quote I hold very close to my heart.

Do you have any quotes that ring loud in your ear?