Holiday Giveaway: Fuller Glass Document Box

We are excited to have connected with First of a Kind for a special holiday giveaway. Residing in both Santa Monica, California and Staten Island, First of a Kind focuses on providing discounts of up to 75% off on some of the world's best brands for home. They handpick unique and beautiful designs from around the world - statement pieces! 

One of those pieces is the Fuller Document Box - the epitome of classic style and sophistication. The clean style with the vintage brass borders and hinges creates a timeless piece that you can cherish for a long time to come. If you are in the tri-state area, be sure to visit their showroom.

Value $156
Dimensions: H: 3" W: 12" D: 10"

Please use the Rafflecopter widgit below to enter. This giveaway is available to residents of the United States. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is sponsored by First of a Kind.

The Never Ending To Do List

When you go through the process of buying your first home you have this grand vision of what you want to change to make it "your home". Well, we just surpassed our one year anniversary and it seems like we can never check anything off the list.

We bought an 84 year old home that was semi-flipped. What does semi-flipped mean? Semi-flipped means that they focused on the areas that would make them money including the kitchen and bathroom, refinishing the floors, new windows and roof, halfheartedly neglecting to focus on detail (FYI - this lack of detail, or sheer laziness, cost us to have to call a plumber because they washed tile grout down the bathtub and it hardened in the pipes). When buying a home, do your research and keep your eyes peeled during inspection. No matter what is found, you will always find more once you move into the home and start "using" everything.

Ok, off my soap box! So, we decided to make a list of all of the projects we wanted to do with our home partially to keep track of everything we wanted to do and honestly, isn't it a great feeling to check items off your list?

Here is our list, with accompanying pictures. We hopefully will be able to update periodically, you know, with all the free time we have.

(Disclaimer: Please disregard the mess! We have a 2 year old little monster. You sympathize, right?)

Front Yard/Porch

- Sand, repair and paint the wood trim
- Remove the bush and replant something more appealing
- Paint the trim around the front door
- Repaint the floor of the porch
- Seal any cracks in the walkway
- Replace exterior light near driveway

Entrance

- Strip molding, sand and paint

- Fix cracks and uneven walls, patch and paint

- Paint the trim around the front door
- Replace the exterior light fixture

- Build a bench for the seat with cubbies for baskets

- Paint the bathroom door

- Remove the pocket door and replace with a double sliding barn door

- Change light fixture

Half Bathroom

- Patch and skim coat walls

- Strip, sand and paint molding

- Paint the vanity
- Fix faucet

- Install shelving above the toilet
- Replace towel holder

- Hang artwork/decor

Living Room

- Hang artwork, pictures behind the couch

- Build remaining radiator cover near Avery's play area

- Build and install built-in's flanking the fireplace
- Repaint the ceiling
- Cover the archways with natural wood detail

- Hang curtains
- Get a larger circular coffee table

- Build long, thin table for behind the couch
- Install crown molding

Dining Room

- Finish painting the wainscoting

- Update the light fixture

- Find and refinish an old sideboard

- Install crown molding
- Hang artwork/decor 

- Hang window curtains

Kitchen

- Paint cabinets

- Paint the walls and trim

- Hang artwork/decor

- Replace backsplash
- Build a radiator cover
- Replace the basement door
- Add window coverings

Stairs to Second Floor / Upstairs Hallway

- Remove carpet 

- Repair, sand, stain and seal stairs

- Strip baseboards

- Paint the walls and baseboards

- Add carpet runner

- Refinish the handrail and affix with new hardware

- Hang artwork/decor

- Remove ceiling fan and patch

- Replace light fixture

- Close the hall closet opening and open/rebuild from the guest bedroom

- Refinish the banister

- Sand down all of the doors and repaint

- Change the office door to open from the other side

- Remove the pocket door to the guest bedroom and replace

- Hang artwork/decor over stairs and in hallway 

- Change hardware on all doors

Master Bedroom

- Strip baseboards and paint

- Patch and paint room 

- Hang curtains

- Build radiator cover

- Find vanity and refinish

- Refinish long dresser

- Maximize space in closet

- Replace the attic door and casing

- New bed frame

- Rug 

- Hang pictures and artwork

- Refinish Ikea dresser

Avery's Bedroom

- Remove bookcase 

- Add thick wood shelving on that wall

- Add crafts table

- Hang curtains

- Add artwork/decor to walls

- Add some paint color to the walls

- Maximize storage in closet

- Change light fixture

- Get him big boy sheets

Office

- Paint

- Install organization system on back wall for crafts

- Fix closet and maximize storage

- Add window treatments

- Install new light fixture

Guest Room

- Paint

- Move bed frame from Master (get mattress)

- Install new light fixture

- Replace carpet with hardwood floors

- Paint radiator cover

- Hang window coverings

- Hang artwork/decor
- Open up wall closet/close off hallway closet

Backyard

- Install gate

- Build two garden beds

- Remove concrete walkway

- Lay down patio

- French drain in the back

5 Steps To Make Your Own Dried Oregano

This past spring, we decided to take a crack at the whole gardening thing.We built two garden beds (more on those another time) and planted a variety of herbs and vegetables we enjoy. Being this was our first time caring for a garden, we have a lot of key learnings to apply to our next spring beds. We neglected to think about overcrowding and had to move plants around, we over watered and under watered, we put plants in partial shade when it needed direct sun - you name it, we did it!

However, we were successful in one area - herbs. We bought and planted the herbs we thought we would use the most including sage, basil and oregano. They were all fairly low maintenance, often regenerated and are super delicious!

When the first week of consistent cold weather came I knew I had to start storing my herbs before they died from the low temperatures. Here are five steps to make your own dried oregano.

1. Get Your Materials Ready

All you will need is a pair of gardening sheers, twine or string and the oregano. Simple enough, right?

2. Cut the Stems

Make sure when cutting the plant to cut closer to the bottom. You can do this throughout the summer and your plant will often regenerate. Once the stems are cut, place them in water until you are ready to tie and hang.

 

3. Hanging the Oregano

Bunch the oregano together and tie the twine around the base of the bunch. Find a dry location to hang the bunch and leave it there until dry. This bunch took just about two weeks. 

4. Removing the Leaves

Once the leaves are dry they will be easy to remove. Hold the stem from the top with one hand, pinch the top of the stem and run your fingers all the way down. All of the leaves should flake off. If not the bunch needs more time to dry. 

5. Grind the Leaves

The last step is to grind the leaves to a powder. Take the leaves and put them in a food processor (I simply used the Magic Bullet and it worked perfectly). Once at the desired consistency, put in a pretty little jar and use as needed.