So Matt needed some lacrosse gear and we took a drive over to Modells in Freeport.  That store bores me to tears. I can take about 15 minutes and I have to escape.  Luckily for me, there is a Pier One Imports a few stores down.  I can seriously get lost in there with a plethora of pillows, tableware, decorations and furniture to get lost in.  But, I came to a sudden halt just as I walked in the door…the perfect leather chair was right in front of me.  I cringed as I turned over the price tag but suddenly brightened – $895.  Ok, I could handle that. With cats, I was not dropping $3,000 on a chair – no way.  But now, I could start picturing this chair in my den.

I try never to buy anything full price.  Pier One always has sales so I bided my time. Sure enough, the Roan Club Chair popped up on sale for $589.98! I immediately ordered it online and had it shipped to the store for free shipping. A week later it was in, we picked it up, brought it home and Dan assembled it (which was minimal). I found a beautiful crocheted afghan hidden away in my closet which would fit my picture of this cozy corner and it was perfect:

Just what I wanted! Don’t you love when a vision can come to fruition? Just needs me with a cup of coffee!

Perhaps you just bought your home from the original owners who thought having a microwave made the kitchen “updated”? By the way, that was us – we bought from the original owners and my kitchen was a laminate nightmare, with absolutely no counter space! Whatever the reason, there comes a point in time when a home owner needs a new kitchen.  The choices can be overwhelming and if you don’t select the right designer, you could very well spend thousands on a kitchen that does not suit your needs.

The folks at Bath & Kitchen Creations have been designing gorgeous kitchens for over 30 years to suit every taste.  Featuring Neff Kitchens, a cabinet manufacturer unparalleled in quality, durability and aesthetics, Bath & Kitchen Creations use state of the art computerized design tools to create the kitchen of your dreams. The beauty of working with Bath & Kitchen Creations is that they are a full-service remodeling contractor so they can handle all aspects of your kitchen makeover from demolition, drywall, framing, electrical, plumbing, paint, cabinetry, and countertops. Just look at this before and after:

One of the biggest headaches can be installing a new kitchen in existing construction. Sometimes you just never know what is hiding behind that wall. That was exactly the problem we faced. We expected to eliminate a soffit in its entirety, not realizing that pipes were running through it. We ordered cabinets with gorgeous crown molding that was supposed to be attached to the ceiling.  When my husband demolished the soffit, the pipes were an obstacle that caused us to modify our plans and unfortunately discard costly molding. Had we worked with a kitchen designer like Bath & Kitchen Creations, perhaps this expensive mistake could have been avoided.

I just love looking at their showroom and gallery photos of kitchens from every trend, from traditional to contemporary. While I am not a contemporary style afficinado, the contemporary designs by Neff Kitchens in the gallery are beautiful – clean lines, pleasing to the eye and extremely functional. I would happy bake cookies in any one of those kitchens!!!

Updating a kitchen is probably the biggest value upgrade you can do to your home. And, as a capital improvement, it may provide substantial tax benefits to do so. Have you lived through a kitchen remodel? Are you considering one? What was your experience?

One of the biggest things I am battling, besides the clutter monster, is soap scum.  This crap is just impossible to get off!!! Even elbow grease doesn’t do the trick!  I hate seeing that gross film on the shower tub and enclosure.  Hell, I can’t even see well through the glass at this point.  Yeah, I know that is pretty gross.  Well, I’ve been trying different products with no luck. Some of them stink so bad, I nearly passed out before I escaped the bathroom and, of course, the soap scum remained.  So I was perusing Pinterest the other day and of course, a fellow soap scum hater came to the rescue That is how I found Jen at Life, Crafts & Whatever with her magical soap scum killa recipe.

Pretty easy too: White Vinegar (magical stuff really) and Blue Dawn Dishwasher Detergent…heated up.  Spray it on that disgusting soap scum and it magically disappears.  Seriously.  That is it.  I am going to try it and post my results.  I don’t know if I am brave enough to take “before” pictures though.  Take a look at Jen’s “before” pictures – mine would be not much different.

Let me know if you tried her recipe and your results.  Do you have your own recipe or trick to getting rid of this stubborn problem?

First, it was the buds on the trees.  Our months of barren sticks is coming to an end!

Then, the crocuses’ green shoots pushing up in the gardens that line our path. How I love to see the bright colors ranging from yellow to purple. By Matt’s school, I noticed Daffodil shoots and tulips coming up as well.  I know I have flowers coming up from bulbs I planted some past autumn.

Last, and the most telling, the red robin I saw this morning. He wasn’t very trusting and I don’t think appreciated me sneaking up on him so please forgive the lack of clarity. But you can see exactly what he is – the harbinger of spring.

I’m looking forward to all the bright pastels, airing out the house and decorating for Easter.

Have you noticed the signs of Spring? What are your favorite Spring activities?