Closet Turned Pretty Pantry

I can't even begin to tell you how this has been such a long time coming...we were in such dire need of a decent-size pantry. We'd been using one set of kitchen cabinets up to this point.

Our house is a little strange...no pantry, not a lot of kitchen cabinet storage...and this little in-betweener closet {Is it a coat closet? Supply closet? Pantry?} It just wasn't really in ideal condition to serve as any of those options...and I definitely tried my hand at all of them in the space. Almost five years later, this is what it was looking like:

Yep, one ugly catch-all concealed by a door. Not really serving the purpose it could be. I made the decision that I finally wanted to have Jake custom-build it out into a pantry.

First we started with removing those standard wire shelves. Jake went to his workshop and built a set of shelves and a couple of floating shelves. He then installed them and primed and painted them white. I also wanted to add some subtle color to the walls, so we went with the "Sublime" green paint we had originally used on our kitchen walls {though those are being repainted gray soon}.

As far as containers, I mostly used what I had around the house, and those blue ones are from the dollar store. And I've been slowly building my fresh food container collection. I already had those labeled with chalkboard labels in our cabinet pantry.

I created some labels for the bins.

And here she is in all her glory! It's such a nice change.

Eventually I plan on turning the back of the door into our menu planning central...post to come on that. And the wall to the right will  be used to hang our broom, mop, etc.

So what do you think? Please remember to "pin" it if you love it! xoxo

Update 3.25.13 - I've been asked as a guest on I'm Topsy Turvy's Closet Organization link-up for March...this is the post being featured.

Members of the Point of View:
Stephanie from Crafting in the Rain
Leanne from Organize and Decorate Everything
Amy from Ameroonie Designs
Jonie from Just between Friends
Ashlee from I'm Topsy Turvy
 

<a href="http://imtopsyturvy.com/category/link-parties/point-of-view/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8083/8417809377_8d43e6a6c6_o.jpg" alt="point-of-view" width="150"/></a>

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*View the parties I link up to here. Also, new parties I have found to link up to this week are:

Ways To Wear Emerald

With St. Patty's Day just around the corner, and emerald being Pantone's 2013 Color of the Year, I thought it would be great to show some ways to incorporate emerald into your wardrobe. I personally have never been a big fan of greens in my wardrobe, however, I love the tone of emerald if I am ever to start branching out with more green.

If you prefer just a pop of green, go with a scarf on neutrals:

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 Maybe try it on your nails:

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Or a fun statement necklace:

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If you look great in green, or are just looking to brighten up your wardrobe I suggest trying some cute skinny jeans:

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Or an emerald shirt or sweater paired with a patterned scarf:

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Have fun with it - hoping to see lots of the emerald shade this St. Patty's Day! I know that's what I'll be sportin'! xoxo

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Monday Musings: Hooray for DST!

Did y'all enjoy the extra hour of sunshine last night, or what?  I surely did with a glass of wine out on the back deck.

 

Oh-em-gee, let me tell you how long I have been waiting for DST...OK, probably don't have to tell you, but it's pretty much been since it ended last November.

But anywho, Saturday was a pretty good day...I started off the day with barre class, then the boys and I took a trip to the library and spent some time playing outside. It was a pretty nice day, I was able to air out the house by opening all the windows - love when I get to do that.

Later that evening, we got to go to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Los Arcos, to celebrate Jake's mom's birthday...had been a while since I enjoyed a margarita {I call them Morga-ritas..tee hee}.

I started out Sunday morning trying my hand at my own little recipe for protein banana pancakes. They turned out delicious and I will be sharing the recipe with y'all here on Thursday. Guilt-free pancakes, anyone? I think so. The kids gobbled them right up, so I knew they were a hit. I have been more conscientious about eating clean lately...even with all the exercise I do, I know that abs are made in the kitchen and you can't out-exercise a bad diet. Your body's tone is about 85% dependent upon what you eat.

Yesterday was a BEAUTIFUL day...nice temps here in Charleston, SC...so we took advantage and went to the play park.

 

 

I know what you may be thinking, but no, Breckin does not suffer from Tourette's...he's just always being loud and goofy like that.

After the play park, we went home to recoup and then headed over to my friend, Suz's house to play with her kids, Max and Ava. I love spending time with her and her kids because our kids are so close in age and play well together, while also occupying each other, so Suz and I can catch up and have some adult conversation! {Usually I work full-time outside the home, but haven't for the last month and a half, so I definitely understand one's need to get out and be with adults!}

We then went home and Hubby served us tilapia with a side of steamed veggies and it was delish. A great way to end a weekend. Of course with above-mentioned wine on the back porch.

Hope y'all have a great week! I'm starting off today working the opening shift at the gym and then barre class straight after. I'm loving this new schedule of barre class on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays...I definitely feel the burn in my core, buns and thighs! Bikini season, here I come!

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Friday Five

Hey y'all - Happy Friday! Cheers to the freakin' weekend, right? Man, it's been chilly here in Charleston! It was so windy the other day, a triangular sign stand flew into my car door at the gas station and I had to squeeze my way out of the car. {Luckily no vehicle damage, but sheesh!}

This weekend is supposed to bring some low 70s temps here in the Lowcountry...I'm thinking Sunday is a definite beach day provided it still looks to be clear and sunny. It is March, OK? I mean, I am done with this winter shit.

Anywho...here are some fabulous finds for my Friday Five...enjoy!

One.

One of my fave style mavens, Emily Maynard, just launched a new lifestyle and fashion blog...can't wait to read it on the daily! Just love that girl's style and she is so dang cute. After all, she is the one that inspired my Minnetonka Moccassin Boots purchase!

Two.

This cute little clover charm...I think it would be perfect to sport on St. Patty's Day, or even just "for luck".

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Three.

Barre classes. Yep, started going to them again. My gym now has them for FREE. {I know, right?!} I work at the gym now until 8am on the mornings I work, and then there are classes at 8:15am, so I stick around and take them. I went on Monday AND Wednesday this week and I FEEL THE BURN, y'all. And I workout very regularly...so when I say it was brutal, I mean it. I plan on going tomorrow morning too. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays will be my new schedule with those classes for sure. I also still have a Living Social coupon for 4 classes at Barre Evolution, where I took my very first barre class last summer. Here's to a toned bikini bod! I recommend you try.

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Four.

I'm at no shortage for maxi dresses by any means {I live in them in the summertime}, but I am seriously considering purchasing this maxi dress for the beach...how super-easy it is to throw on and off...great for heading out to the beach bar for an afternoon cocktail right off the beach.

Five.

Lastly, I've been fixated on prepping my wardrobe for spring and summer fashion...looking to Pinterest for great ideas and seeing what I already have that I can use to recreate some of the looks...definitely think I need some sort of bulletin board in my closet to manually "pin" pictures of outfits too so I can look to it when getting dressed in the AM {lightbulb!} But here's an outfit I found that I just L-O-V-E:

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Definitely recreating that with my navy and white striped Gap tee and nude heels. Just need a great pair of nude shorts. And that Celine bag...actually, some might not like that I say this, but I read about so many style bloggers lovin' on that bag right now, but I sorta think it looks like a Lego man face...nice bag, but it's definitely staring at me.

Happy weekend, y'all! xoxo

 

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DIY Monogram Art

This was a pretty easy project that didn't cost a lot at all.

Supplies Needed:
Frame {Mine were a total of $4.00}
Fabric sized to fit picture in frame {About $7.00 per 1/2 yd cut}
Wooden Letter of Choice {I got mine at Hobby Lobby for $1.75 each, regularly $3.49}
Spray Paint for Frame {Optional - I had on hand from other projects}
Spray Paint for Letter {Had on hand from other projects}
Fabric Stapler {Had on hand}
Craft Glue {Had on hand}

Total Cost per Monogram Art {for me, considering I already had some supplies on hand}: $10.75

When I was at Goodwill a while back, I found two identical frames with some very old-fashioned art in them that I knew would be perfect to make some statement art with for the boys' rooms. At $2.00 each, they were a great deal, their overall size being approx 18" x 22".
 

The art pulled out rather easily, just bending a few staples. They were actually cardboard-like, so I used them to put my fabric on.

I laid out the picture backward on the fabric so it wouldn't show through the fabric on the front. I made sure it laid evenly and then pulled back the fabric tight and secured in place with my fabric stapler.

{Please don't mind my hairy carpet, the remnants of Siberian Husky are hard to get rid of...with time it will happen, lol.}

To paint the letters, I used this paint:

I didn't have to prime them before. As you can see, the red was a paint and primer in one. I lightly sprayed two coats on each, letting dry between coats. I then let them each sit for an hour before applying to the fabric.

This is a picture of the fabric I used for Breckin {I won't be showing his final piece because I am working on his wall gallery and will reveal all then!}

For Tanner's frame, since I chose to paint his white, I used one coat each of these:

After the frame was dry and the letter was set with craft glue onto the fabric, I put it all back together and this is what I got! It was exactly the look I was going for with Tanner's monogram.

What do you think? Please "pin" it if you love it! xoxo

To view the parties I link up to, click here. And also these that I found this week:

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My Latest Post on www.skinnymom.com

Hey Loves - With all that has gone on this past weekend, I completely forgot to include this tidbit in today's post!

Please go check out my latest post on www.skinnymom.com! It's 8 Moves for a Hot Post-Baby Body!

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Monday Musings

If y'all read my post on Friday, you know that this weekend was pretty difficult for me. We ended up taking Tundra to the vet to be put to sleep. After speaking with the vet, we were just told that of the few options we had, the chances were still not very good and with her already suffering just to breathe every day, we knew it was the right thing to do. To our surprise, the veterinarian and a vet tech of hers offered to take Tundra and try some things, but that involved us relinquishing our ownership of her to them. She said her chances would be like 20%, but they really wanted to try. So we figured at least this way it gave her any possible chance she had. So we did not have to put her to sleep. The vet is going to make her comfortable while trying everything they can, and if in the end it doesn't work, or they can't do these things while keeping her comfortable, then they will humanely put her to sleep. It's been strange...it seemed like things just went from bad to worse so fast with her...and it was so awful to know I did everything I could for her from the day I adopted her 5 months ago, yet it wasn't enough for her. On Friday I just balled and hugged her. This is one last shot I got of us together...it's eery looking at her, it's almost as if she knew.

We went to Charlotte that evening to visit Jake's brother's family and to meet our new niece, Peyton. I guess that helped keep my mind off things...but coming back to a dog-less house was hard. I walk around and expect her to be right at my feet. I miss her so much, but feel comfort that she is still on this Earth right now, and that every avenue to save her is truly being tried.

We're talking about getting another dog soon...and I actually found a Siberian Husky on Craigslist, but hubby is hesitant. We will see...I have a soft spot for huskies and they are hard to come by, so I almost thought it was meant to be that one was posted the same day. And we have all this dog stuff and no dog...and Breckin loved having a dog.

Speaking of Breckin, this guy got a big boy haircut. I went a bit shorter than last time:

And before hitting the road to go home yesterday, I made hubby take me to IKEA. I got a few fun things to get some projects completed with around here and can't wait to show you. I definitely plan on making time to go there every time we go to Charlotte to see Jake's family.

Anyway, I'm ready to take on this week, move on from the sadness of losing my pup, and just try to stay positive. Starting bright and early with a shift at the gym at 4:30 this AM and then a barre class afterward.

Have a great week!

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A Solemn Day and a Sad Goodbye

Not much to say today...my heart is breaking right now. I let y'all know yesterday that my Siberian Husky, Tundra, has been sick with breathing issues since her heartworm treatment. I have only had her 5 months...and I've done everything I can to try and save her. I wish she had been taken care of because no dog deserves this...and I was duped into adopting her thinking she had a clean bill of health. But I do not regret knowing her...she is a good puppy and I'm glad she didn't die alone out on the streets...I'm glad I could give her a nice family and lots of love. She has taken a turn for the worse and I know she is suffering and that this life is not quality for her, so it is with a heavy heart that I have to take her to the vet today to say goodbye. I will be back here on Monday...

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