Make Do, Renew Edition

 I don't strive for a posh life, just one that is fulfilling and hopefully fun. I like interesting and wholesome food, not the putz and bother of artistry though I can appreciate the talent that takes. I don't need or want a magazine ready home, even while I do get inspired when I see color combinations and textures that are appealing to the eye. With the appreciation of the finer things in life, yet the desire to have simplicity and organization, I dub this post the Make Do, Renew edition. Too many projects at once are colliding on my calendar and I am preparing everyone I talk to that will be at my daughters confirmation dinner next week to ignore the remaining chaos. They understand, most have been my family my whole life and the others for nearly 30 years. This is how we live, always something undone, house in a state of flux. 

I am becoming woefully aware of the rising cost of the bigger projects. The tile for the family room, even with the discount DH found will run just shy of $3,100.  New gutters also to combat the water problem, to be installed on Thursday, a whopping $1,100. While we have these dollars saved, I was unprepared for how much the tile was going to be-in my had I had it 1/3 less. Add these costs to the driveway done a few months ago and we are shelling out $9,200 for product and labor. We will need to buy a new couch or sectional-the old also had water damage, but I haven't selected one yet. We'll just have card tables and chairs for folks to eat next week. With these costs, I have even more reason to look at what we already have to fill in the decorating holes.

In cleaning out under the kitchen sink, I came across this old planter that my former neighbor had given us, with a plant that I have long since killed, for taking care of their cats when they went home to their native Boston for a week. On the opposite side is a red lobster.  While I am not going for  seaside look, turning the planter after repotting whatever kind of plant that is, in the container, adds a nice little touch to my dining room. I miss those friends, and the planter reminds me of them. She shared my love for coffee! The plant stand is one of two, the only treasure I have from my grandmother on my mothers side.  The gray towel tower, below, was white yesterday morning, a cheaply made $10 target purchase over a decade ago. the ply would was warping and bubbling, and the plywood was showing through. A can of spray paint in satin granite was used to cover all the white and the peeling and looks much fresher. Still flimsy, I bought some Velcro furniture pads that I can stack to stabilize the footings. Once I stack a couple brand new white with gray trim bath towels on them, plus a wicker basket that will hold assorted hand towels, it will update the bathroom.

I haven't been grocery shopping in nearly two weeks, other than milk and some farmers market produce,and supplies are dwindling.  I'll need the space for party food next Sunday so am trying hard to make up meal combos that use up what we have and only buy essentials like for DD2's lunches. Today will be some sort of bacon and egg dish, plus hash brown potatoes for brunch, and some sort of soup with a pasta dish for supper. We do have hamburger patties and I used them to make Salisbury steak Friday night with the last of the potatoes, but I have 8  more, plus  two pounds of sweet potatoes, so I'm thinking burgers and sweet potato fries. We have a lot of hauling to do to clear the basement for the tile guy, so I'll menu plan in my head while working. 

What's new in your world? Are you tired of your surroundings and channeling your inner thriftiness and renewing what you already have to create fresh looks? Anyone else pouring cash into keeping a roof over your head as we seem to be doing right now? Things are too gross to take before pictures.I don't want to remember the rooms this way. I'll try and remember to take some photo's of the afters.