Can't get no....storage satisfaction

We've lived in 4 places in the last year but now finally we are settling into our home and trying to solve the problem that is lack of storage. Specifically our bedroom closet is not big enough for both of our stuff so it's time to buy an armoire. These seem magical as a kid, a standing wardrobe big enough to hide in but I'm just finding that it's challenging to find one that isn't too big as it'll be taking up precious floor space and that looks good. Oh yeah, and at a deal as we are house rich, cash poor these days.
The PAX wardrobe system from Ikea seemed like an option but man is it BIG. Too big for us.
Scouring craigslist is a part time job these days.
We are also looking for storage shelves for our garage. We found some good ones at Ikea but they were and are still out of stock. We clearly aren't getting much satisfaction on the storage front. Crossing my fings that the perfect items are just around the corner.
Any ideas are welcome...
smile, leigha

It was good knowin ya...

I was driving to work this morning from my new home in the valley. My office is located in West Hollywood, my old hood. It got me thinking about the relationship I've had with the city of WeHo these last...hold on I'm counting...6 plus years. That's a really long time, almost the whole time I've lived in Southern California except that first year we lived across the street from the beach.
It feels like a meaningful relationship in my life has ended. One that needed to end but still, it's worth mourning over a little. I guess it would be harder if I didn't have to come back to work here. I can still have lunch at my usual Jaunts and stop by my old go-to stores on my way home from work. Driving down the streets near my old apartment feels extremely comfortable yet entirely changed. These aren't the streets I walk up and down on a lazy Sunday to the farmers or flea market anymore. I don't circle looking for parking on them and I will never serenade the neighborhood drunkenly with my sister again.
We've been so busy setting up our new home that I've barely thought of our old neighborhood, but like the other significant places of my past, I can always picture them in my minds eye. I loved you old neighbs. Thanks for being so good to us, for having nice restaurants, colorful & festival parades, good shops and lots of clubs.
It'll be awhile till I forget how hard city living can be - not to mention expensive. You are always on your toes and never have enough space to spread out. Outdoor living is limited and traffic is a constant. I'll wear my time here like a badge of honor, made of rainbow thread and glitter!

Super people!!

This weekend was an extremely high functioning weekend. All the months of not being able to project or improve our environment were made up for this weekend! Friday night we moved all of our things from my mom's where we've been staying for the last 4 months while looking for a house to buy. So basically with the help of a Uhaul truck and our good friend we moved in our bed and needed belongings. We actually SLEPT in our new house. It was magical I tell you!
Saturday we got some breakie and headed to Lowe's for appliances. We ended up with a fridge and washer/dryer from another store and it's going to be delivered tomorrow. Our first NEW appliances! So excited and slightly holding my breath in anticipation that they actually fit.
Yesterday the movers showed up with all of our stuff that had been stored and wow, do we have a lot of shit. It all seems so unneeded now.. Goodwill is going to be loving us soon!
Thanks to our awesome family we got sooo much done. Most of our things are in place ~ the tree is up (fake) next year the real thing.

I can't wait to share pics but now, I gotta make that money so we can pay our mortgage!

more to come....

Zephyr's Bench

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous in LA. A little windy but that just added to that wonderful feeling of being alive. Feeling nature gust around you, it really shows you just how precious life is and that we are really not the ones in control. Nature in my mind is without a doubt in charge, best to acknowledge it and try to live in communion with it.

I was off work a little earlier than usual yesterday so we went on a hiking exploration. C’s been wanting to find a way into the Beverly Glen Canyon reservoir for a while and yesterday we found our way. We parked in a cul de sac and made our way up a steep, grassy hill. At the top was a trail and spectacular views for 360 degrees. You could see the city, the valleys between canyons and the huge reservoir. It was breathtaking. We hiked around and came upon a bench overlooking the whole reservoir. On the bench, we found a pouch with a journal and pens. The book and bench were placed there by a guy named David who use to come to this spot with his dog Zephyr. In 1996 he buried Zephyrs ashes under the bench he brought there in his memory. He’s on his 12^th journal now that people who’ve been lucky enough to come across this spot have written in. I live to find magical places and experiences like this.

On the hike down I collected more pine cones and spray painted them gold at home to finish my Christmas wreath. Almost done with it! I really like how it turned out.

Have a great day and I hope you are feel the wind, snow, rain or sun shine down on you!

5 loves.

~ the thoughts, smile and sound of Maya Angelou
~ this season -- the food, sounds of holidays songs, family gatherings, thoughfulness we show eachother, cold evenings cuddled up close.
~ my husband. his touch, sound, smell, laugh and spirit.
~ voices of florence & the machine, mumford & sons, and adele who all play my heartstrings
~ the human spirit. our ability to rise & fall and rise again. to create, love, forgive, see beyond the bleakness and soar with hope and conviction.

The short story of finding our home and all the 3's that came with it!

3 months ago when I got the call from my landlord that they needed to move back into the home we had just finished moving into life sorta fell apart for me. I knew that I was lucky that it was just a move that was pulling the rug out from under me and not something tragic like cancer or divorce, it was after all just a relocation of us and our stuff but it was heavy. I was lost inside myself while I tried to find my grasp on how to make the most of it and turn it into an opportunity. Ya know, manufacture happiness. In the meantime, my body was in physical pain, I was ill. I couldn't believe it but I should have known it would happen. When there is a 'clause' in your lease that says they can, expect that they will. First lesson learned.
Luckily my husband was less fazed than myself and helped me see that this was the push we needed to start our house hunt.
It's been three months and 3 weeks since we received that call. 3 of those months spent living with my mom while we hunted and hunted. At times it felt hopeless, where was our house?!? Other times, moments of elation only to find out there was another offer on house after condo. 3 weeks ago we had 3 back offers on places that were just good enough but still not our 'dream'. We were in a state of settling. Manufacturing to much happiness but it wasn't natural, they weren't the ones. Then a chance spotting of a house that I'd been seeing on my web searches but hadn't made the push to see in person until we ended up on the same street looking at a different house. Out of the corner of our eye we recognized it and walked over with our agent who had her supra with her. Luckily the house was empty and she got us in then and there. Walking through the house we just knew. This was THE ONE. In our price range, totally redone, had the features the were at the top of our list...attached garage, en suite bath, washer dryer and backyard. WE'LL TAKE IT! Actually, we wouldn't. It already had another offer, a cash offer and they were moving quick. FUCK! Now what. That WAS the house. Like, the one.
Well if you know me, you know I don't take No easily. Our poor Realtor was doing her best to distract us. Took us out to see 20 (TWENTY!) houses a few days later and they were all No's and if anything just made it harder to forget about the house. The one that had YES written all over it. That was the one!.
We kept sneaking that house into conversations and subtly reminding her to follow up and call, just in case.
Well the next day I got a call from her at 8am. She'd never called us that early and I knew or maybe just hoped. Either way, I was too scared to answer. When I called her back it was true, the buyer had changed his mind last minute and we were in the front spot to make an offer. Moving with lightning speed we submitted our offer and it was accepted that day.
Today is 3 weeks later. We've had inspections, requested a few repairs, contingency's have been removed and tomorrow is our final walk through.

The house is ours!! The one that makes the last months all OK and worth it!!! I am more than thrilled that we get to live in the house that we wanted and that I have such a wonderful person to share it with.
We are so thankful of the family members that helped us out in our time of need. Especially my mom who opened up her home to us while we searched.

I look forward to blogging about out the process of owning a home and doing projects around it.

dreaming in kitchen...

 

and these are only a few of the kitchens i'm loving...

our new house is amazing and i can't wait to get in there

but until then it's impossible to stop thinking about decorating and the kitchen

especially keeps begging for new direction (pic below)

right now it looks a bit like a lawyers executive offer.

dark, wood cabinets and a very run of the mill granite.

i'm dreaming of an over hall which neither my budget or hubby will allow so until then

dreaming, dreaming....

i would love a farm sink, maybe white counters, open shelving among other things

but at first i'll have to settle for new hardware and some paint treatment on the cabinets

i love the idea of chalkboard paint somewhere in the house, maybe the dining area

THIS IS OUR KITCHEN: nice but fussy and too dark -- what would you do to it?

and i do realize that this is an amazing kitchen to even have but this blog is for dreaming and decor wishing...

not judging.