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So we can't get started on the new year without seeing how I did last year, right? It's always fun to see if your December 2013 self was in tune with your January 2013 self - did I get anything done or not? So with that said, may I have the envelope please.

My 2013 goals were:

1. Entry Refresh - Wahoo! We are off to a good start. It may have taken me a while (I started in June and finished in...October) and I did have to redo the entire stencil, (sometimes I guess it pays to read the directions) but it turned out even better than I had envisioned and now it's fresh and bright and a jolly little welcome to our little home.


2. Sew something. Anything. - Bam! I rocked this one like a hurricane for the One Room Challenge in November. It is amazing what confidence a looming deadline will give you. I had just days to go before the big reveal and I was staring at a pile of fabric and no pillows, so I bit my lip and gave it a go. I will say that the intimidation factor is squarely on that damn machine. Actually sewing a pillow is pretty simple, its that blasted bobbin that gets me. Every. Time.


I even went ahead and made myself some pillows for my bedroom while I was at it. Overachiever.


3. The girls' room. This already feels like a million years ago, but I knocked this one off the list in February/March thanks again to the One Room Challenge. This was one of my favorite projects of the year and I'm happy to say the room still looks largely the same - just with the addition of a thick layer of clothes, toys and naked barbies strewn on the floor.


4. Bathroom Redo. This one is a mixed bag. Yes, I have updated the bathroom. Good homeowner. But I have yet to share the updates. Bad blogger. I did share a very small sneak peak a while back on Instagram but that is it. For shame! I promise a full reveal before we hand out Valentine's.


5. Open my little black door a little more. I just realized how...interesting that line sounds. But anyway, it was about sharing more about other aspects of my work, my life, and just putting myself out there more. And I did work on this. I shared some client projects here, here and here. I started a new series, Fess Up Friday and shared more of my crazy life on Instagram, which I consider like a mini-blog of sorts. I have more plans and more work to do this year, so we will call this one 'under progress'.



So all in all, not so bad for old Elizabeth. And I'll tell you, this has gotten me motivated for 2014. I'm ready to get working! And I'll share those plans tomorrow.

So how about you? How did you do with last years goals? Do you make any years goals for yourself, your business, your home?

Have I got a yarn to weave for you today. I've got my partner in crime Emily from Chez V over for Fess Up Friday today and we've got a good one for you. Freshen up your drink and enjoy. And Zuck, if you want to use us for a Facebook commercial, we're open to offers. Emily, fess up with Part 1...

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Week six is finally here and I have crossed the finish line. Picture me squirting gin water all over my face. Wahoo!

I've said it before but it should be said again - six weeks is not as long as it sounds and I was down to the wire on this project. It can be confirmed that I am a down to the minute girl.

But enough jabbing, let's get to the pictures. I won't do much talking today (as hard as that is to believe), I'll just show the goods. Oh, with one note - this is a basement AKA - NO light. And no matter how many 'learn how to use your camera' tutorials I pin, I just don't have the patience. So be kind. A professional photographer I am not...obviously.


As a reminder, here is where we started six weeks ago.


Here was my inspiration board for the space.





And here we are today.



The old office table from Goodwill and my mis-matched chairs have all gotten a paint job and are ready for lots of arts and crafts. The chalkboard was mine growing up and got a fresh coat of red paint (the girls' color choice).


Clearly I am not a chalkboard artist, but the girls are. The quote is my new mantra. I'm going to use it to justify my consistently messy house.



I planked the back of the bookshelves to coordinate with the plank wall and then filled them with my blue and white overflow and lots 'o books. The numbers on the left are old score board numbers I got at a church yard sale years ago and represent our anniversary - May 20.


I made those pillows. With a sewing machine. Its true. Not a big deal to most but a huge accomplishment for me. I am still amazed.



The old $8 chairs got white denim slipcovers (perfect to wash when needed) and look so very good. I am in love with their skirts. And they looks smashing with their Goodwill makeover lamps.




The dollhouse was made years ago by a family friend and was passed down to the girls when my niece went to college. The sign that hangs above is from my grandparent's farm. The same farmhouse where the 'homework chair' that sits over at the creative station came from.


The girls are big into photos (mostly of themselves) so I took an old metal tray and turned it into a magnetic photo board. Push pins often end up on the floor and then stuck in someone's toe (that would be mine) at our house so magnets sounded like a safer bet. Now we can switch, add and rearrange on a whim. And trust me, we have a lot of whims at our house.


The coffee table got a fresh coat of paint and a new plexi glass - aka unbreakable - top. And I'm madly in love with the indoor/outdoor rug. It feels great, looks great and takes a beating like a champ.


So there she blows. All done and being trashed by the girls as we speak. Just as it should be. I'll be sharing more details, sources, and tutorials over the coming weeks so be sure to stay tuned. And thank you all for following along. I hope you had as much fun as I did.

A special huge thank you to my dear friend Linda for including me on this fun adventure, and to all my fellow challenge mates. Excellent work ladies!

One. Week. Left. I only have one week left to get everything finished before the big One Room Challenge reveal next Wednesday. (catch up on weeks 1 - 4 here)

I'll keep it real people, my progress from last week has been almost non-existent slow and I am burning the candle at both ends to get this, as well as some other big projects, done on time. So I'll keep this short and sweet.


I thought I'd share a few sneak peeks to hold you over while I work on final touches. With seven days to go, here is what I have left to cross off the list. (plus a few dozen non-list items)

- Rip up gross carpet (floor and stairs) and replace flooring
- Paint and plank walls and bookshelves
- Recover estate sale chairs - at the upholsterers 
- Create some sort of art station for the girls
- Paint chairs and table
- Repair and paint coffee table
- Create toy storage that doesn't involve the words 'pink' or 'plastic'
- Get some art on those walls
- Find rugs
- New Lighting

Before I jump in on Week 4 progress, I want to thank everyone for your sweet comments on the HGTV Magazine feature. It wasn't totally real until I could share it with y'all and I'm still on cloud nine. Actually I'm kind of hoping that euphoria will carry me through the next few weeks because I feel like this project is growing. The list should be getting smaller at this point right? My design ADD is killing me. (catch up on previous weeks here.)

Now that the painting is done and I'm ready to get going on the meat and potatoes of the room I wanted to take this week to share some details on what will be sitting on those newly painted floors.

If you are new to LBD then I should let you know; I like a good bargain. And I love things that have a story to tell. (my furniture likes to talk almost as much as me) So when I can marry those two things and satisfy my 'thrill of the hunt' fix, then I am a happy girl.

For those that follow me on Instagram, these might look familiar but let's take a tour, shall we?


The couch. I found this beauty at Goodwill and loved it right away. Then the 'do I or don't I' debate started and I decided I would walk away and check back tomorrow. If it was still there it was meant to be. I thought about it all night and couldn't wait for the store to open the next morning. I rushed in and paid the $30. That's right. $30. I picked it up the next day in a surprise (and severe) snow storm with it hanging out of the back of my car for the 2 miles home. Zero visibility on the roads but 100% happy with my find.


The chairs. My friend and I go to an annual high school garage sale every spring and we usually come away with something great. The lines are long, we have to go super early and it is pure madness when we get in. We love it. This past spring we went and came up with a big fat nothing until we headed toward the exits. I saw these chairs and said to her that I had no more room for armchairs in my house (I have 4 extras in my basement), but don't they have great lines? And then she said the best thing a friend could say - "They are $8. Get them!" (thanks Becca). And so I did. They won't look like this the next time you see them, but they are again in excellent condition and I love their shape. And that's $8 for the PAIR by the way.


The lamps. Both were from Goodwill. Separate trips but equally ugly. :) Big plans for these. They were $8 for both.


The table. I knew I wanted something for the girls to draw and create on, but I didn't want to spend a lot since...they wold be drawing and creating on it. I saw this one at, wait for it, Goodwill, and emailed my lovely Linda to see what she thought. She assured me I could find some way to paint over that veneer and I pulled the trigger. $20. The dust was free.


The chairs. The green one was my dad's 'homework chair' growing up and the other chair has sat in my parents basement for 30 years. I come by my furniture hoarding honestly. Best part - FREE.


The coffee table. Snatched it up while at a retirement home sale with a client (they had great stuff). My monkeys girls' broke the glass top during an illegal dance party so it needs to be fixed and spruced up. She is the perfect length though and I love her height. $15.

So now the plan is take this motley crew and make them look cohesive and fresh. Less junky, more funky. Some of them have already been made over, some are still in process and some I still need to start (ugh!). Will I make it?!

- Rip up gross carpet (floor and stairs) and replace flooring
- Paint and plank walls and bookshelves
- Recover estate sale chairs - at the upholsterers 
- Create some sort of art station for the girls
- Paint chairs and table
- Repair and paint coffee table
- Create toy storage that doesn't involve the words 'pink' or 'plastic'
- Get some art on those walls
- Find rugs
- New Lighting