BEFORE AND AFTER

We are finishing up our stay at the beach and headed home to Atlanta today.  We got a lot done and if you think this was a vacation....well it didn't feel like it:)

There was about 2 days where I just sat on my butt.....the 31st and the 1st.  I can blame myself a little.....that curse of not being able to relax!

Anybody else like that?

I happened to be looking over at a brown cabinet under the TV and decided that it needed to be white.  I had already taken the doors off and tried to accessorize a little but just wasn't feeling it.

Here is the outcome....followed by the before pictures!

After.....

Now let me show you why I did it!

The waaaaaay before.......

Doors off....attempt at talking myself out of painting it:)

Nope....just not feeling it!

 It took 4 coats.....crikey.  

I was definitely re-thinking my decision.

So much better!

I found most of the stuff at Target, HomeGoods and a few thrift stores.

So much better right?

Our unit is listed on VRBO 68020 [where you can see availability and check prices] but if you want to save the new VRBO fees you can email my husband direct at dkhiggins70@mac.com

Of course while I was at Target they were scraping Christmas and  putting out all the spring stuff!

You might have seen some instastories....

Target went long and deep with the pink!

Amazing.....

Target you are such an inspiration!

And that is the truth.....

OK.....gotta get packed up and hit the road! 

Shabacktoreality

9

BEACHY RENTAL REFRESH

I made it home from the beach with chipped and broken nails but my spirit was still intact.  If you have been reading DI for a while then you know that we purchased this beach rental down on 30A at the peak of the market back in 2006.

Yeah.....it's definitely been a struggle but thank goodness it is finally breaking even with good rentals.  Whew.....those were some lean years for us.

I think I have mentioned before how much work it is keeping the place spiffed up as it sleeps 10 and that many people can be hard on a place.  Word of advice.....just rent.....it's much easier:)

The same furniture had been there for 11 years and lawd....it was not a pretty site.  Time for a refresh!  The last time I did one was here

I knew it was slim pickens down there for furniture shopping because everything is so expensive!  But I stumbled on a store called Stock and Trade Design Co and it was the motherload.  Reasonable prices and tons of merchandise.  

I got a sofa that was sunbrella AND slipcover. 

I purchased the coffee table and rug also.

The chair in the corner is so comfy and performance fabric also.

I have to tell you that I went in one store and asked the sales women if she had any sofa's or chairs in performance fabric and she looked at me and said "what is that"?  

Crickets......

I said you know "fabric that sings and dances"......what the heck.....are you kidding me?

We left.

Yes it drives me crazy that the sofa can't be centered under the window.....

I got that original watercolor picture a while back at a thrift store for 35.00

So this small table and chairs were purchased a few years ago from a flea market and then I stumbled across the place called Not Too Shabby  and bought this mirror!

I painted this Pottery Barn wood and glass console while I was there and I took about 5 coats and 3 full days.  Don't you hate when you start a project that you think will be so stinking easy and.....it's so not!

This piece is original [I bought when I first did the place]

I found this little occassional chair at a place called Retail Therapy.  Good deals in that place!

There are still a few things to do....but it's so clean we backed out of that place......call me done!

Got home Tuesday night and it's already Friday.  I could be a little happy about that:)

After Cami wined for 3 hours she wore herself out.  Traveling with that girl is not for sissy's.

Shaydoneforanotheryear

6

MY WEEK

What I really mean is last week.....the great clean of 2014.  It is amazing how dirty and worn a rental place can get in a year.  

I think because there are 4 bedrooms....it is perfect for 2 families so 10 people every week during the season will tromp all over that place.  

Don't even get me started on what constant sand will do to floors and rugs.

Now listen....some of you are thinking what a complainer.  At least she has a beach house.  Let me clear that up right now.  We bought at the height of the market never thinking there could be a recession.  At least not one like we just had.  So I am not even going to tell you the stinkhole that put us into.

Moving on.

I shampooed rugs and upholstery

Wiped down walls and baseboards [thank you magic eraser]

Washed all slipcovers and bedding and ironed.

Cleaned out every kitchen cabinet, organized it and replenished.  Why are there only 4 mugs left?  Why are there only 4 spoons left?

Painted a nightstand

Threw away skanky sleeping pillows.

Had the AC serviced

Had the bug man there

Went to HomeGoods, Marshalls, Walmart, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowes, Home Depot and Stienmart.

In 2 1/2 days.  Uh huh.  Thank you.

Started to leave on Friday afternoon and my husband was putting some of the drapery pins back in the holes on a traverse rod and pulled the whole dang thing down and broke part of it.

Oh good Lord.

While he was thinking we need to find the part [for a 10 year old rod...... good luck with that on a Friday afternoon] I rummaged through my tool kit and came up with a zip tie and some cork.  MacGyver baby.

Too late to leave.....open a bottle of wine.

Here are some of the changes.

This is how it looked....not really but for my pictures last year.  I could not get those stools clean.  Grungy.

So I grabbed 2 from Target and will get slipcovers made for the old ones later.  The pillows....again faded and dirty.

I ordered a new seagrass from Overstock.  Deal.  Pillows from mostly HomeGoods.  Stools from target.

  

I like the added color...... plus I only had 2 days to get er done.

Every year I say I am going to paint the console and every year I say screw it.

Had to stage this one a little.....because of course I did not have time to read a magazine:)

Love this tray from HomeGoods.

Can't have real flowers in a rental but thankful I found these just for some pretty.

This is pitiful....but I did it 5 minutes before we left.  I am so not creative in this department.

And this is the view Friday night after we finished.

So glad to be done for another year.  Oh yeah.....by the way we drove the new car down and had so much fun talking about it.  Goobers.

Is anyone coming in town for the Design Bloggers Conference?  I signed up for it cause it is 1/2 mile from my house.

Sahgyver

37