Corners of My Home #8

Joe worked hard this holiday weekend replacing this with a new front door and storm door. All we have to do now is put in new molding and paint it. I really like it white, but am also considering painting it a deep red color.

Corners of My Home #7

OK, so it's been like two months since I posted about my home, but I just had to put this up because it makes me smile.



Leah and I love doing craft projects, and this is one of the most recent ones we did together. It's called a "stained glass window" and we found the instructions on this awesome weblog Kiddley. I am always so inspired by all the really cool craft blogs (Moopy & Me, SouleMama, Wee Wonderfuls and Kiddley).

Leah was so proud of her creation that she wanted it hung right in her bedroom window. I think it looks beautiful.

Corners of My Home #6

This is just a little glimpse of one of my favorite spots in my home - the bookshelf. It is overstuffed with some of my most loved reads and many books that I haven't even gotten to yet.

My husband and I are huge Harry Potter fans. Years ago, before Leah was born, I would read the Harry Potter books to Joe. It was a nightly ritual that we both really enjoyed. Since having our daughter, we haven't been able to read the last two books together (I read both on my own and Joe listened them on "books on CD" in the car). Along with all of our Harry Potter books, we have one entirely in Chinese. Joe and I found it while in San Diego about five years ago. We were shopping in a Asian market and when we saw it, we just had to buy it. Hey, maybe he should be reading this one out loud to me!

Corners of My Home # 5

OK, the only real reason that this is part of my Corners of My Home post is that it is brand spanking new! After many months of hard work, my husband has finished our powder room. I am thrilled with the results! Oh, and thanks Mom for making the beautiful curtains!

Corners of My Home #4 (Enter at your own Risk)!

I have been inspired by Jen, who so boldly showed her "not so picture perfect" bathroom as her first Corners of My Home post. The whole purpose of this weekly post, at least for me, it to introduce everyone to some of the most comforting, peaceful and nicest "corners" of my home. I do admit that I hate clutter and tend to be somewhat of a neat freak, but just this one time I will get out of my comfort zone and show you one of the more horrible parts of my home.

This is my bedroom closet:



Frightening, isn't it. For any of you who have ever lived in a 50's era split level, you know that closet space was not a high priority when building these houses. This is my ONE AND ONLY bedroom closet. Once upon a time it was an actual closet, with real clothes hanging in it. Then one day, about three years ago, we decided to spend lots of cash to have central air installed in the house. Before I go on, I do have to say that it was truly the BEST thing we have ever done to this house. Every summer when the weather gets hot and I turn it on, I fall in love again.

Anyway, the large metal vent in the back of the closet had to be put there so we could pipe the central air down to our family room. So we moved all the clothes out and in went the vent. We have since added a few decorating touches to the closet to make it extra beautiful: Leah's old crib mattress, old baby toys, even some of my maternity clothes in the plastic bins. And the chair, piled high with clothes, is the rocking chair my grandmother bought for us when Leah was born. I suppose we will have to move that back into the bedroom for the new baby.

Probably the only thing I do like about this photo are the curtains on my window and the yellow walls, which is the same color as the walls in my family room.

When will we re-sheetrock the inside of the closet and actually use it for clothing storage? I have no idea.

There, I now feel liberated. I guess maybe next week I should show you the multi-colored wallpaper in my bathroom. Now THAT would be scary.

Corners of My Home #3

A little over a year ago, this room was my master bedroom. It is clear across the house from our other bedrooms and after Leah was born we always felt like we were too far away from her. We decided to pack up our stuff and move upstairs to a smaller bedroom. My daughter has since dubbed this our studio, but in reality it is just an oversized office with a 3/4 bathroom attached. I love this space for one particular reason - the windows. It is bright and sunny during the day and just a nice place to sit and check out my friend's blogs.

This room was an add on to our home by the previous owners who needed an in-law suite. It has two huge windows that look out at the front yard and two smaller windows on the side. About a year ago I found an older women sitting in her car in front of our house. It turned out to be that previous owner. We brought her on a tour and she told us that there is a fireplace footing below the floor between the two smaller windows. Apparently they planned on eventually opening up the wall between this room and the living room to make a bigger space. I don't know if we will ever do that, but I guess it is nice to know that it is there.

Anyway, this is where I spend all of my time blogging and where my daughter likes to play computer games on playhousedisney.com. As you can see, the obsessive cleanliness I so worry about in my kitchen (see previous Corners post) doesn't really apply here!



Oh, and here is one of my two cats, Howard. He is sitting in one of his favorite spots, right in my face, In FRONT of the monitor. Nice.

Corners of My Home #2

This post is about one of my favorite rooms to be in - the kitchen. I love to cook and enjoy spending time with the radio on preparing a meal for my family. My husband Joe is a super handy man and built this entire kitchen from the studs up about four years ago.

As for appliances, I have the standard toaster on the right, coffee pot in the middle and the "what the heck is that" appliance next to the sink. That actually is a staple in many a Chinese household (along with the mandatory shoe rack next to the front door). It is a hot water heater that maintains water at the boiling point for tea. My girlfriend Nicole from What about Mommy loved the idea of instant hot water so much that she asked her husband for one at Christmas time. If you are a big tea drinker, it is awesome (you can buy them online at Amazon). If not, you could probably find better use for your counterspace.

I am a little obsessive with keeping my kitchen clean. I don't like clutter on my countertops and get annoyed when the stray glass ends up sitting in the sink all day. Is this a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder? Probably, but I'm not going to worry about it unless I start washing my hands a hundred times a day.

Corners of My Home

I live in a community where bigger is better. Where women drive their kids to preschool in their high-end convertibles. Nannies and maids are commonplace. Talk at the playground revolves around manicures and massages and which decorator you are using to re-do your living room. This is not me. My house isn't a McMansion, and I don't drive the newest model BMW SUV. I live in your run of the mill split level in a nice neighborhood in New Jersey.

I read about posting "Corners of My Home" on another blog (I would love to give credit where credit is due, but I can't for the life of me remember which blog it was). Sometimes, while living in the world of MORE THAN PLENTY, it is nice to reflect on your own little places in your home that give you comfort. Places where you can relax and forget about the world around you. I don't live in your house, but mine is pretty darn good. And I am proud of it.

So, here is my first official picture for my hopefully weekly post "Corners of My Home." There are a few reasons that this is one of my favorite places in my home. First of all, the couch is very comfy and in my favorite color - green. Secondly, the lap quilt that hangs over it was made by my Mother. It is made with fabric of different earth tones and is truly beautiful. The lamp gives just the right light when I want to read or knit. In the afternoons, I get full sun from the large window therefore making this quite comfortable for afternoon naps (not that I really get to partake in that)! Oh, and the crappy wicker ottoman that I bought from IKEA 8 years ago - it is the perfect height for my feet.