Recessionista??

This weekend while spending every bit of our money, well the pennies that we haven't paid contractor, for items for the house. I went out on Friday night with my mom to one of my all time favorite stores, HomeGoods, to look for a long mirror to go over our 2 single vanities in the master bathroom. Homegoods was my first choice of location for the mirror since I had a giftcard from there that was given to me almost 4 years ago, good thing they don't expire or loose value here. After perusing the aisles and finding lots that I loved and either (a) don't need right now or (b) can't afford right now, it was off to the mirror section. There it was a gorgeous wood framed mirror that would go perfectly with our vanities. I took some measurements and knew that it would fit the space correctly. Here is where the problem lies, I had no way to get it home with Scott's car (a Altima Coupe). Me being a budget consious shopper now, or I will call myself a Recessionista, wanted to look other places to see if there was a better deal to be had. We then stopped at TJMaxx, Bed Bath and Beyond, Pier 1, Marshall's and Target. Nothing to be had there. We headed home for dinner and I decided I would come back in the am with Scott and pick up the mirror.

We arrived at Homegoods the next day and got the mirror and loaded it up in my car then headed off to TJMaxx to look at a pair of shoes I found the night before. Walking down the aisle there was a table set-up that was not there the night before and upon. Upon closer inspection of this table there they were, the shoes that I had been longing for for 2 years but had refused to pay $325 for them and now they are sitting on this table for $59.99.

Problem, not in my gunboat foot size :-( I WAS MAD. I guess though it wasn't meant to be.

We then headed to the house and dropped off the mirror so that the contractor could hang it today before the electrician does all the lighting. So for shits and giggles I decided to stop off at TJMaxx near our house and no go there for me, they didn't even have them, and then off to Marshall's 2 blocks away and to what does my wandering eye see???

More practical for me since I love flats. Don't get me wrong I love heels but work is more laid back so these will get test driven more than the heels would for now. I picked them up and went to the register with a large smile on my face!

Call me a bargain shopper or call me a recessionista....I don't care. All I care is that I got these adorable shoes for a STEAL!

Still at it

Here we are, February 22nd and still at this home renovation. I know they always tell you to add in three weeks from your planned completion date till your "actual" move in date. Well that will hold true for us. We were originally supposed to be done with renovations on February 7th but with Christmas, New Year's and lots of snow this year we are OFFICIALLY moving in on March 7th.

This past Friday, I arrived at the house around 9am to meet the granite guys to install the kitchen countertops. Well I was actually there just to pay him....why else would a homeowner go to their house during renovation? You always hand out money right? Right. (I can't wait till that comes to an end). Here are the pictures of the granite in. The lighting isn't the best since there are no lights in the house yet and it was nearing dark.

Tomorrow, the electrician comes in for 2 days to hand all of the light fixtures and hook up the two A/C units outside. On Wednesday, the plumber comes and finishes all of the hook-ups that they have left (sinks, dishwasher, ice maker, etc.). Thursday and Friday the hardwood guys are coming to sand and refinish our floors. The floors will dry all weekend and on Tuesday March 3rd the building inspector comes to give us our Certificate of Occupancy!!!

This will be the last post until the house is 100% completed (before we move in though). I will do a before and after room by room of the bare house before we move in. Lots to do and only 2 more weeks till move in day!!!!!

Carpet is in!

We are slowly reaching our final finishing touches, which is great, except they take a little while to get done.

Yesterday the new carpet arrived for the upstairs!

Front Spare Bedroom-

Rear spare bedroom-

Master bedroom-

Other than that the kitchen & Dining Room are painted. We need one more coat on the bottom since that is just primer and one coat. The the chair rail and base molding needs to get painted white. I am unsure about the bottom color but we will see once there is a 2nd coat on it.

Below is the new dining room red oak floor that was laid. We are in the debate to go natural or to stain it. My vote is natural and Scott's is to stain. Let's see who the winner will be.

Move in day?

Nope, not yet. We are getting there though and here are some pictures to show the recent progress this week:

Here is the kitchen partially painted and base cabinets installed. The white on the walls is where the upper cabinets are going and the spaces in the base cabinets are where the appliances are going. All of the appliances are getting installed tomorrow so it will look even more like a kitchen soon!!!

Here is the office. It is all painted now and just waiting to get the floors redone and also the trim around the windows.

Here is the railing, now installed. View from the downstairs and then the railing at the top of the stairs. They will be getting stained next week with the floors.



The front spare bedroom is all painted and just awaiting carpet now.

This is the rear spare bedroom all painted and just waiting for the carpet installation.

The Master Bedroom is primed in a blue to help with the base wall color. The oversized shower is now fully tiled and completed. The walls were painted today and the vanities and faucets will go in tomorrow as well as all toilets.





The spare bathroom upstairs is fully tiled now and was being painted today also. The vanity and toilet will go in tomorrow.



Last but not least the shutters went on the house! It is starting to really look like a house and actually have some life with some color.