My House Will Look Like Alphonse Mucha Barfed in it.

We're at the final stage of our house renovation. We should be able to start moving stuff over within the next week or so. I'm not holding my breath, although I have been slowly packing up anything that isn't essential for everyday living.

And now we really need to get our heads together as to what we want our decor to be. I've never really been in a position to consider this, but since we're starting all over, I've had to come to some sort of decision as to what I want our interior to look like. And all I can really think of is "blue french cottage." It kind of sounds like a bad cheese, and probably isn't a real decorating term, but then again, I'm not really the fancy type, so there you go.

Instead of trying to articulate my lactose-like description, let me show you some photos:

Small dining area inspiration:

Photo from Decor Pad

I love the idea of using a little settee to add more seating in our dining area. I want to be prepared for friends to stop by at any given moment and to have a place for them to sit. This fulfills every requirement I have- it's adorable, light hearted, with a cottage-like feel to it. And it's the perfect place to have a spot of tea. So if any of you see a small settee that would work, let me know!

Bedroom Inspiration- again, we're in a very, very tiny room. I think the bed will have to be shoved against the wall. And because there's so little space, I'm going to want to draw the eyes upward. Here's what I'm thinking:

Photo Inspiration from Country Living

While I don't have the benefit of being under an a-frame ceiling, or against a window, I can imagine a beautifully framed photo or picture or painting working. And anytime I can put curtains around my bed, I will. It reminds me of building blanket forts as a kid. So that will have to happen, one way or another. I love grey (or is this taupe? ...Graupe??) with blue, and I can really see this working in our space.

Living Room:

So the husband is intent on putting a 90" projector screen (I don't understand it either- but here's the deal: Whatever he spends on his little home theater project, I get to spend on my chickens). I'm trying to figure out how to make this work, and so far, I kind of like the idea of doing a theater curtain to hide the screen.

For seating in the living area, I've considered using patio furniture. It's inexpensive, durable, cleans easily, and when we get tired of it, it can be booted outside. Here's the set I've been eyeballing:

Image from a review at Home Depot

I've also been considering used furniture- I really love old Victorian and French sofas, and this will probably end up being a better deal in the long run. Instead of spending $1300 for the set above, I can spend $500 and get something like this:

Found this on Craigslist. Here's the Listing.

Whatever I end up with, I want it to be elevated off the ground so that light reaches underneath the furniture. This will give our area a greater sense of space than a more traditional American style sofa. I will probably cry harder though if (when) my cat decides antiques make fantastic scratching surfaces.

And before I wrap up, here's a photo of the space I'm going to miss the most when I sell our condo. This is my closet office. I love this little nook. It's teeny, tiny, and filled with everything I love.
I call it my beehive. Goodbye, sweet little hive! You've served me well.

Feeling Fowl

Before we put in our offer, I scoured my new town's chicken policy. And yep, chickens (hens only!), are allowed. I had chickens and ducks growing up, so it's not a foreign concept to me. Nothing beats the early morning enthusiasm of chickens who are ready to be fed. They are such silly, joyful creatures. And to be honest, I wouldn't have considered that house had it been in an anti-chicken zone.

It certainly doesn't help that I've found a few of my new neighbors who are also chicken-friendly. I've been living vicariously through Sinfonian's blog, and I'm pretty much in love with his chicks.

And 30 minutes ago I discovered Pam at The Blue Between. Check out her coop below:

Photo from The Blue Between

This coop really seals the deal for me. I doubt I'll be able to get my ducks in a row for this year with the renovation and other projects going on.. but I can't help but daydream. Perhaps 2012 will be the Year of the Chicken for us!

Seattle Tilth is organizing a Chicken Coop & Urban Farm Tour on July 9th. I hate to say it, but I'm almost more excited about this event than I am for Maui.

In our yard..

In OUR yard, we have Quinalt strawberries blooming.

Yes... I said "our yard."

And forgive me for freaking out, because this is the first time I've used that phrase in our nearly 7 year long relationship. And I've been yardless for nearly 10 years.

Our. Yard.

We closed on our house today. Our down payment has been made. The ink on our loan documents is dry.

All that is left to do is wait. We should have our keys Tuesday.

And then we shall BBQ. In Our Yard.

I'm probably jinxing it.. but..

...we actually put an offer down on a house.

Volunteering

I'm come to the conclusion that I need to start giving back. I am so blessed, I have everything I need in my life and I'm healthy and happy. Now that I'm at this point, I really want to start giving back.

What would I do? Not sure, but my contenders so far:

1. Salmon - It may sound weird, but salmon have always been linked closely to my life. They're a sacred fish to me- they remind me of my family and of my life. There's a group that gets together once a month to help clear known salmon runs.

2. Teaching English as a Second Language - This requires a lot of thought, as the commitment is a big one. Twice a week for at least a year. But it's something that could really change someone's life- helping someone to be able to communicate with the people around them... It'd be a wonderful thing.

3. Local Library - We have a new and gorgeous library being built 2 blocks away. It'd be nice to help them out.

4. Purrfect Pals - The hubs and I want to use our professional quality equipment to help a nonprofit organization find homes for abandoned felines. They were able to help us when we had no other options... We owe it to them to give back. We have already been in contact with them, so this volunteer project is officially on its way.

5. Community Garden - There's a community garden in Redmond that donates food to the hungry. I desperately want land so I can grow my own food, but realistically this isn't going to happen anytime soon. I can use this urge to play in the dirt for good, and not just for my own stomach.

So there you have it - 5 things that have been weighing on my mind. I want to make this year a good year, not just for myself but for the people around me.

The Mazda 2

I got to see my mom today! It's weird that we live in the same state yet see one another maybe 5 times a year.

And because I got to spend more time in my car than I usually do, it really reiterates the idea that I really want a new car. Maybe not a new, new car... but maybe just a different car.

So I've been looking around and daydreaming. You know how much I love little cars, right? I can't get over small, efficient vehicles. While I was in Europe I could not get over how awesome all of the cars were- they looked tiny on the outside, but had plenty of room on the inside, and lots of pep. Nothing like going 90mph down a freeway in something that looked smaller than a Geo Metro!

And then I saw this: The 2011 Mazda 2.

Photo from Motor Trend - Great Article & More Pics Here

Shhh.... did you hear that??? That was the sound of me squealing with joy.

It's a small car, yes, but it still seats 5, and starts at under $14k. And do you see that giant grin in the grill? How can you NOT be happy looking at that thing? It's too darn infectious. I might just be in love.

Alas, my love may have to wait. I generally do not believe in buying brand new cars. They depreciate so darn fast, it just doesn't seem like a wise investment.

But all the same, it doesn't mean that I can't test drive one and wax poetically over it. And who knows? Maybe I can make an exception to my rule. It might be worth having something I can actually see out of and want to drive.

Hard Decisions..

..are hard.

It was a decision kind of day. It was the kind of decision that you make because the alternative ending will inevitably mean more pain in the long run.

Lack of sleep is fogging my brain. More tomorrow.