Sprucin' things up!

I just re-signed my lease for another year, and I love my little studio apartment for the most part. But if I could do anything differently, I would have a little deck to put an Adirondack chair or two and little table on, and I would have my bedroom be it's own room. However, sense I cant alter the structure of the building to add what I want, I will just spruce up what I have.

To make my studio apartment feel more like it has 2 separate rooms, I have the same basic colors (white, and espresso) in both spaces with red to accent the bedroom area, and orange to accent the living room.

In the past the main things that have kept these colors present in each space are the curtains. Now, I have added a painting above my bed that has the perfect neutrals in it, and a gorgeous red dress! My friend bought it for me as a thank you for helping her find all of the wall art (paintings, photo frames, and mirrors) for her new condo. She claims that if I were already an interior designer, she would have to pay me the big bucks to help her out, so instead she just bought me a painting that I pointed out while we were shopping. I love it, and I think it fits perfectly in the space!



A few weeks ago, I decided that while I don't have Charlie or Sheila around anymore, my place could use some more life. So to cheer me up, I bought this charming little tropical plant... the pot was more expensive than the plant itself, but it is a good fit for my decor. It is a tropical plant, that I don't have to water more than once a week, and it can go for 2 weeks without water, I just have to feel the soil so I don't over or under water it. I get quite a bit of light in my place too, so it gets all the sun it needs, and it gives the place a nice bit of life.



We'll see if these new changes are good enough to last a year, or if I'll end up adding more or less in the future. The next project is re-organizing and de-cluttering the place!

Mr. Charles Chooses the Chair

Recently I decided that I needed additional seating in my living room. Back in January, I was out 'Window Shopping' when I found a chair that I thought would be perfect, however, I wasn't going to just buy it... because truth be told, I didn't need the chair.

I went back to visit it a handful of times, and then in the end of Feb. when I was perusing the store it was at, I found it again... and it was on clearance!! So I decided that I could get it, as long as it would fit in my car to get home. Guess what.. I made it fit :)

The other day I was babysitting for the family whose house I set the fire alarms off at (remember that--they still have me back!), and the mom is expecting, so as she puts it she has been nesting. What does this have to do with getting a chair you ask? Well she has been buying chairs, and area rugs, and art, and all kinds of things to spruce up the place. When she got the new area rugs, I asked her what she was going to do with the old ones, and she said I could have them! Super cool!! So one of them is now living in my storage unit (I only have a small apt, and both wouldn't fit), and one is in my living room area.

With the rug in place, and a clearance chair that would fit in my car, I got to spruce up my palace! I love the chair, and wouldn't you know it, Charlie loves it too! He actually walks up to it, checks to see if there is anything in his way, then takes a few steps back and does a running, flying leap into the seat. Then he can either curl up in it, or perch up over the back, and peer out the window.


I'm glad he approves of my furniture choices.


Happy Dogs on Thursday!

Tiny Apartment Warming

That's what the invitations stated... as my apartment is tiny and cute :)

I invited a few friends over so that they could see my place, and I could have a reason to entertain :) I made enough food for everyone, and I found wonderful serving dishes at Home Goods to display the goodies on. My favorite was this poppy plate... the color is so perfect and it was hand painted.. I love all the little details, and especially that it has the little dip spot in the middle!

I made a veggie plate with broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, cucumber spears, radishes, and sugar snap peas, with a dish of herb and ranch dip in the center.


I also prepared a plate filled with vegetable pot stickers, spinach and feta empenadas, and chicken with roasted pepper sausages.. in the center of this one there was soy sauce for dipping the pot stickers, which one of my friends was bringing, because of course I didn't realize until the last minute that I didn't have any!


And of course I had chips and dip! These are my favorite tortilla chips, they are sesame blues by Garden of Eaten, they are blue corn tortilla chips cooked with sesame which adds a wonderful flavor and textural element. I served them with guacamole, and salsa.


Then we hung out for a while while everyone showed up, I made margaritas and rum punch, then decided to play catch phrase. The food and drinks were a hit, and everyone mingled well with each other which is always good... especially in a tiny apartment!
Amongst us girls (because although I did invite some guy friends none of them could make it), we decided to have rotating game nights and girls nights at each others places.


The party was a success! And now my apartment is all warmed up for winter.. hopefully I conserve some of the warmth and use less heat! (wishful thinking, I know!)

It's Moving Day..

&& I'm so excited! I've been packing little things that I could go without for a little while for about 2 months now, and then last night it was like Christmas Eve, where you can't sleep because of all the excitement.. So I stayed up and packed my wardrobe, and then convinced myself into bed. All I have left to do is get everything from the house here, to my apartment! (oh, and sign the lease, pay my rent, buy the furniture...nothing big. lol)


Do I have too much or too little clothing in my wardrobe? I made everything fit into 1 small suitcase
1 medium suitcase
1 large suitcase
2 duffle bags
1 large tote bag
and
1 rubbermade however-many-gallon-bin (after being packed into 2 space-bags and having all the air sucked out of them)

So I can't quite decide, Should I never be aloud to shop again, or do I need more?? (I have a feeling it is the first option, but it's sad to even think it..though on my new apartment living budget... that I've made and gone over about a dozen times, I don't think I'll have any problem with spending my soon to be non existent funds)


Wardrobe aside, I think I should be able to move everything this weekend, and then just spend the next week setting everything up and putting things away. For those of you who are curious on the layout I chose, I went with the last one (#6), keep in mind that there will be a room divider separating the two spaces so they can be there own, and I also have in mind a few small ways that I can re-arrange the furniture from time to time, which surprisingly enough is something that I thoroughly enjoy! ... I will take pictures when It is all set up and photo ready.

Have a fabulous weekend! The Princess is moving out!

Furniture Placement Options

When I put the deposit down on my soon to be humble abode, I measured it and drew up a floor plan.. sense my class is now finished I have had some time to play around with some layout options. Here are some of my options...
1.
2.
3.
4.

Which one do you like better (if you click on the pictures, it will make them bigger so you can read the labels on everything)? In the last option, instead of using a large shelf or tv unit to act as a divider of the two spaces, I will have a panel system. The scale of these plans is 2 squares = 1 foot. The main studio area is 18'x10'10"
I have the stools for the bar, and the chair and ottomans already, so those have to fit, and other than that I just have to have a bed, and some sitting room. I have opted for this sofa bed for the living room, it is love seat size, so it works for my space, it doesn't have arms, so it has more room to sit (3 people, as opposed to the typical 2 that a love seat fits), and I can also use it for company when friends or family are visiting.
I have an option that I am leaning towards, but I want to hear the input of others before I state my choice.

What's your vote for the Palace?

And the winner is....

A brand new life! (Well at least a new chapter.)

As I have recently signed the next faze of my life into effect, I am feeling quite excited and trying to let the little irritations of the current life slip away....if only they were little irritations it would be great!

So I have signed the contract to my new job, which will start when I return to the East Coast in the end of summer.. according to my contract, my new title will be the "Assistant Head Teacher" (doesn't that sound fancy?!). Well I will be working at a day care, and learning facility working with babies and toddlers, but mostly helping out with the 2's. It will be a very refreshing improvement.

Over the weekend I signed the deposit info and credit check forms to hold my apartment until I am ready to move in. By the way, I chose the first one that I went to see... the one that is getting the counter-tops upgraded to Granite, and with a full bath inside my studio. The main living space is also much larger (18'x10'9").... and it has a breakfast bar, so there is no need for dining furniture! What more could I ask for of a cozy little place all my own :)



I also planned my drive across the country with my favorite Bora Bora. We are planning on driving my new car (yet to be purchased, and who knows what it will be yet) from Seattle to Boston (all on I-90... a strange fascination of Laura's) and then down to my fabulous new place in CT. We decided to stop every other night and camp and every other night get hotels. So we will be hotel-ing in Chicago and Boston, and camping in Gillette, Wyoming (or somewhere near there), and near Niagara Falls (on the Canadian side..we heard it was better), we are also hoping to beg some free dinner or gas off my uncle in Butte, Montana (if I can manage to get a hold of him). All in all it should be a great trip!

So it looks like the next chapter is set to start in:
65 days when I move into the new place
79 days when I have my last day with the Littles
89 days when I begin my Journey across the country
&&
96 days when I start my new job

Wow! That was a lot of counting!