Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Instagram Roundup .205

style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger
Happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a great week so far! In case you missed on Monday, I shared out kitchen refresh... on a budget! We were able to transform our kitchen with a gallon of paint and a new light fixture. Go check out this post to see the transformation!

Today, I'm sharing an Instagram Roundup of my outfits from the past couple of weeks. I was unmotivated to get myself dressed for quite a few days and honestly, the days when I didn't put on "real" clothes, I wasn't motivated. Getting out of my pajamas, brushing my hair, and putting on some makeup just does wonders for my mood! Luckily, my whole wardrobe is filled with comfortable pieces that are perfect for living at home.

style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger


style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger


style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger


style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger


style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger


style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger


style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger


style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger


style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger


style on a budget, instagram roundup, spring outfits, spring fashion, nc blogger, north carolina blogger


Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a great day!

Monday, April 27, 2020

DIY Kitchen Refresh Part One

kitchen refresh, painting kitchen cabinets, diy, budget friendly diy, how to paint cabinets
Hey y'all! I hope you had a great weekend! We spent our weekend working on a DIY kitchen refresh and I'm so excited to share how it turned out. My husband and I bought our house over 11 years ago and we have never liked the cabinets in our kitchen. The house was new when we purchased it but it was already finished when we bought it so we didn't get to choose anything. Well, not long after we bought our house, we had Julianna then 26 months later, we had Olivia so we just got busy raising babies. The kitchen went on the back burner and we invested in baby nurseries instead. Well, now that we have had more time at home, we have been busy getting unfinished projects completed. I say we, but mostly Josh. I'm the creative director! He's painted our upstairs hallway, the girls' bathroom, the laundry room, and he repainted our bedroom. This weekend, it was the kitchen's turn to get a refresh and he wouldn't let me sit out on this one! We tag teamed this project and we couldn't be more proud of how it looks now. We haven't stopped talking about it! Also, this refresh was super affordable. We spent under $200 for everything and that includes a couple of energy drinks that supposedly just fell into the shopping cart, according to Josh!

Below, you find the BEFORE picture. Our cabinets were a basic tan color. Everything in the room just felt very monochromatic with the tan floor and tan back splash. The kitchen gets good natural lighting but this room just felt dark to me. Now, let's answer some of your questions!

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DID YOU SAND THE CABINETS FIRST?
No, we did not sand the cabinets. I think it's also important to note that our cabinets are not made of solid wood. They are cheap, man made wood and honestly, they aren't great quality. If we had a big budget, I would have totally replaced all of the cabinets but that's just not going to happen so paint was the next best thing.

DID YOU USE A PRIMER?
Nope! We didn't use a separate primer. We just cleaned the cabinets and went for it!

WHAT KIND OF PAINT DID YOU USE?
First off, I didn't even realize that we could paint these cabinets given that they were fake wood so Josh chatted with the paint expert at Home Depot to find out the best paint to use for this project. We went with Behr Marquee Ultra Pure White Satin Enamel Interior Paint and Primer in One

WHAT KIND OF FINISH DID YOU USE?
We went with a satin finish. One of our main requirements was that our cabinets be easy to clean and I personally didn't want a glossy finish so that's why we went with the satin. It was the finish that was also recommended for this particular project.

HOW MUCH PAINT DID YOU USE?
When we purchased the paint, we got one gallon plus one quart, just to be safe. We weren't really even sure how much it would take or even how many coats we would need to do. I would describe our kitchen as "medium size" because it's not huge but it's not tiny either. I have no idea the exact measurements but we have 21 cabinets, a bar, and 8 drawers. Everyone is super surprised to find out that we only use one gallon of paint for this project! When I went back to take the picture of the paint can, it actually wasn't even empty. We still have some paint left from the first gallon to do touch ups! I couldn't believe it myself! This is really good paint because we did a total of three coats (rolling) and then touch ups (brush). 

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO PAINT?
Well, I've never painted anything myself (besides artwork or spray paint) and cabinets were a first for my husband as well. We didn't really know how long it would take to do the painting but all he knew was that he wasn't doing it alone! He removed the hardware and taped off the kitchen in advance but we did all of the painting in about eight hours on Saturday but that was both of us painting together. 

WHAT PARTS DID YOU BRUSH AND WHAT DID YOU ROLL?
We started by rolling everything with a small roller. We got as close as we could and did three full coats with the roller. With the brush, we went back in to get the edges, corners, and small areas that we couldn't reach with the brush. We also used the brush to do some touch ups. We used a medium sized brush for the brush work. The smaller the brush, the better for getting the small areas. I personally liked painting with the brush better because it felt more controlled but rolling the larger areas helped us given even coats, much faster.

DID YOU TAKE OFF THE DOORS AND DRAWERS TO PAINT?
At first, I thought we were going to have to take the doors off to paint the cabinets and remove the drawers but it wasn't necessary. We were able to leave them on (which saved a lot of time) to do all of the painting since we didn't need to do any sanding! Just be sure to tape everything off first.

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And... this is the AFTER! Doesn't it look like a brand new space?! The white paint instantly brightened up the room and really just made it feel bigger, too.

kitchen refresh, painting kitchen cabinets, diy, budget friendly diy, how to paint cabinets

kitchen refresh, painting kitchen cabinets, diy, budget friendly diy, how to paint cabinets

We had considered changing out the hardware but it was more budget friendly to keep what we had plus I really liked the way the current hardware looked with our appliances. The finishing touch for this kitchen refresh was adding this mini pendant light above the sink! I am obsessed with light (just ask my husband) and I really wanted more light over the sink. I also just really love pendant lights and vintage bulbs, too! I feel like the new lighting was just the icing on the cake!

kitchen refresh, painting kitchen cabinets, diy, budget friendly diy, how to paint cabinets

IS IT HARD TO CHANGE RECESSED LIGHTING TO A PENDANT LIGHT?
Honestly, this question would be best answered by my husband because I had zero to do with the installation of this light. Again, I'm the creative director, lol! But, I was there for moral support so I can share from my point of view. We have recessed lighting in our kitchen and there was a can right above our sink. I knew it was possible to do a pendant light there but I just wasn't really sure how to go about it. Well, we got the light fixture and got home, thinking it would be a simple switch. Nope, you have to have a recessed light converter kit so Josh had to go back out to get one. He's not an electrician but he was able to follow the directions and successfully install the light. There were definitely some frustrations along the way but it wasn't super complicated; more tedious than anything. It took a couple of hours total to figure everything out and get it up. He's so proud of his handy work and I love how it gives the space even more light!

kitchen refresh, painting kitchen cabinets, diy, budget friendly diy, how to paint cabinets



kitchen refresh, painting kitchen cabinets, diy, budget friendly diy, how to paint cabinets



Thanks so much for visiting! Let me know if you have any more questions!

Friday, April 24, 2020

Currently Loving .180

mom style, style on a budget, currently loving, nc blogger, north carolina blogger, spring style
Happy Friday! I hope y'all had a great week! I had intentions on blogging a couple times this week but I forgot just how busy we are when the girls have school work to do. School work + house work + working from home + trying to work out occasionally = one tired mom. Who knew you could be so busy and so exhausted being at home every day?!

Today, I'm sharing my weekly roundup of what I'm Currently Loving, including some comfy cozy items that are so good for all of the time we are spending at home. Home = comfort, am I right?! This week, you will find the best leggings, a great deal on scrunchies, super comfy and super affordable lounge shorts, and more. Stay comfortable, friends!

mom style, style on a budget, currently loving, nc blogger, north carolina blogger, spring style

Which of this week's picks is your favorite?!

1. L E G G I N G S | Let's be honest... I have been living in this leggings. For just being comfy around the house and for working out. They are the best because they comfortably hold you in! I'm 5'5" and went with the short length for an ankle length. Fit is true to size.


2. T O P | I saw a sweater tank similar to this last spring or summer and I didn't buy it but always loved it when I saw it on someone else. I'm loving this style! White/off-white/cream tops are my absolute favorite. I think this top would be so cute with denim cut offs!


3. T E E | I have this thing for gray tees. They are my favorite kind of tee! I'm loving the slouchy and relaxed fit of this one. It's so cute!


4. H E E L S | All of the heart eyes for these heels! Y'all know I love some leopard and I have been eyeing clogs this season. This combo is just perfection + they are on sale!


5. B A G | I'm currently really loving macrame and this bag is no exception. This backpack would make the perfect beach day or zoo day or any day kind of bag when you want to be hands free!


6. C A R D I G A N | I've also been currently living in cardigans because I'm always cold. I wear a cardigan year round and this one is so perfect for the warmer months. It looks so cute with shorts!


7. S C R U N C H I E S | Another item that I'm using a lot lately... scrunchies. My hair hasn't seen heat in over a month. Messy air dried hair and top knots is where it's at, right now.


8. S H O R T S | I just got these comfy lounge shorts in the mail and they are a $15 must have! The fabric is so soft. Great for hanging out at home or sleeping or whatever you want. I sized up one size for a relaxed, extra comfy fit.


Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you have a great day!

Friday, April 17, 2020

Currently Loving .179

style on a budget, nc blogger, north carolina blogger, style blogger, spring style
Happy Friday! I hope you have had a great week! This week has been a nice change of pace since it was Spring Break for my girls. I really needed a break from the distance learning and they did too! This weekend, we are planning to go on lots of family walks and we (by we I mean Josh) are going to finish up some painting upstairs. He finished the hallway last weekend so we have the hallway bathroom, laundry room, and our bedroom left. Our bedroom is painted a shade of blue right now that I used to love. We are going back to a neutral off-white and I'm so excited to refresh our space!

Today, I'm sharing my weekly roundup of what I'm Currently Loving! This week's picks are casual, comfortable pieces that will totally work at home or really, anywhere. I am personally living in comfy jeans one day and then leggings or lounge wear the next. I like to mix it up, lol!

style on a budget, nc blogger, north carolina blogger, style blogger, spring style

Which of this week's picks is your favorite?!

1. T O P | I bought this top last summer and wore it through the fall. It's such a classic piece! The fit is flattering and the quality is great. The fit is relaxed but I would say it's true to size. It's also currently 40% off. Such a great deal for a fantastic top!


2. S A N D A L S | I already own and love these sandals. They are budget friendly and perfect for wearing around the house or to the mailbox! I'm an 8.5 and I sized up to a 9 for the best fit. I would recommend sizing up for sure.


3. T E E | I am loving the little dots on this not so basic tee! It's a cute and comfortable piece to add to your spring wardrobe. Also... on sale!


4. E A R R I N G S | I am currently really loving all things macrame and these gorgeous earrings are no exception! How fun are they?! Again, on sale... and in my cart.


5. L O U N G E W E A R | We are living in lounge wear right now so it's time for me personally to upgrade mine. I am loving this cozy little set! It comes in this color and a rust version as well. Affordable and comfortable!


6. J E A N S | This style of jeans is my all-time favorite from Madewell. They are so comfortable and so flattering! Relaxed but fitted in the right places. Just perfect jeans. I personally size down two sizes from my regular denim size in these jeans (or one size down from your Madewell size). They are currently on sale for 20% off!


7. H E A D B A N D | Y'all know I love some leopard and I love headbands! They are such a fun accessory to instantly make you feel a little more put together. These are so comfy, too!


8. D R E S S | A linen button up dress?! Yes, please. This feminine dress is so beautiful and the fabric is sustainable so it will last forever. Another on sale find!


Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you have a great weekend!