Category Archives: rental houses

newspaper as a {creative wall covering}

  By Karah | March 19, 2013 - 7:08 am | , , , , , , , ,
59 Comments

Hello, hello!!  If you happen to follow along on Instagram you saw a little sneak peek of a creative wall covering idea I worked on with my bff at one of our rental houses in Maryland. I’m going to start by saying that I am seriously in love with how this little experiment turned out.  A $6 upcycling idea that I worked on for 2 hours with my bff and had no idea what to expect for a result … when something like that works out in the end what’s not to love, right?!?!

KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway {and 2 amazon gift cards, too!}

  By Karah | March 14, 2013 - 7:08 am | , ,
11 Comments

This giveaway is now closed.  Winners are: KitchenAid Mixer – Cindy B $100 Amazon Gift Card – Brandy B $50 Amazon Gift Card – Wand B Happy Friday Everyone!  Man, did you pick a good day to be here.  I have been convinced for a long time that I could become a master chef if I only had a KitchenAid mixer.  I don’t even know what I’d use it for, but it would look darn good sitting on my countertops, right!?!?  And today, you have the chance to not only win one in our KitchenAid mixer giveaway … but you could be the lucky winner of a $100 or a $50 Amazon gift card, too!! The rafflecopter entry form is at the end of this post.  But first, I thought it would be fun today to do a little Instagram synopsis of my two week trip to Maryland.  If you’ve been here before you might know that we lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland before we moved to Curacao (We’re now in Key West … confused yet?!?!) and here, my friends, is how I spent my two week action packed, all work and some fun vacation.  (To be read in quick succession, kind of like those Old Spice commercials … “I’m on a horse, now I’m in the Riviera …”)

our first do it yourself kitchen

  By Karah | February 28, 2013 - 7:08 am | , , , , , , ,
33 Comments

We’re going to be gearing up to make some major changes in the kitchen of our new house, what they will be I can’t even get my mind around yet, but I’m back in Maryland now trying to wrap up some things with our rental houses.  Seems like a good time to me to take a look back at our first do it yourself kitchen we tackled in the house we call “The Tank”.

a brief moment of panic, but i’m over it, i think

  By Karah | February 23, 2013 - 7:08 am | , ,
24 Comments

I tend to pride myself on being an even-keeled, take-it-as-it-comes, what-will-be-will-be sort of gal. But I have to tell you, I had a brief moment of panic the other day. This whole living in transition thing might just be wearing us all down.  Just look at Marley all sad-faced laying in front of the door to ensure we don’t leave this hotel room without her.  Poor puppy.  :( On the other hand, Mico seems to think the big bed and cool temps are just about perfect.  Ignorance truly is bliss.  ;)

open cabinets {with $32 wood slat backs}

  By Karah | February 4, 2013 - 7:08 am | , , , , , , , ,
38 Comments

Back in December, when I was on my little DIY trip to get some work done on rental properties we have in MD, it was freezing! Well, it actually wasn’t freezing outside but it was down right frigid in the house.  (You can see more of my lovely cold weather DIY outfit here.) That’s where I’ll start to explain that I really did think I had taken some better pictures.  I guess the foggy mess I saw on the camera wasn’t just my breath … but a not-totally-focused or properly exposed picture as well.  Sorry about that! But that doesn’t put a damper on my excitement of the transformation I was able to make in this worn little kitchen in about a week. We started with the counter transformation, then we updated the cabinets … and left most of the cabinet doors off, and then updated the hardware on the cabinets we kept AND then we backed the newly open cabinets to give it a wood slat look on a $32 budget. Let’s remember what the cabinets looked like before …

oh cabinetry, oh cabinetry {rustoleum cabinet transformation}

  By Karah | January 28, 2013 - 7:08 am | , , , , , ,
37 Comments

Thou cabinetree most fair and lovely. But, let me tell you, the cabinetry was not always that way. Yowza! Thanks to one of our tenants we found ourselves with light pink cabinets in the kitchen at one of our rental properties.  No really, thank you previous tenants.

my favorite paint tip

  By Karah | January 23, 2013 - 7:08 am | , , ,
29 Comments

Really … serious question here. What makes someone a friend?  Or, even a good friend? Do you consider your family your friends? Have you ever gone 5, or even 10 years without talking to a friend? Do you have a lot of friends? I’ve always said that I’m definitely not the person to give the shirt off my back to just anyone…but I would do absolutely anything for a select few. Now, I’m not going to go divulging who those select few are … I don’t need them getting all needy all of a sudden.  ;) But, here is some criteria I like to use as a guide when determining who are my good friends.

my application for dirtiest jobs {rustoleum transformation}

  By Karah | January 17, 2013 - 7:08 am | , , , , , , , ,
47 Comments

Note: The girls and I have arrived safely in Key West and I’ve already started the house hunt!  If you want to see some of my first impressions and pics out and about check us out on Facebook, Twitter and our brand spankin’ new Instagram account.  As Annie would say … “I think I’m gonna like it here”.  :) So, they say the rooms that make the biggest impression on a person are kitchens and bathrooms. Do you agree?  I think I do. I mean, there are so many ways to make a statement in a kitchen or a bath.  Appliances, a fancy motion activated toilet, a rain shower.  You know, the big ticket items. But what do you do when you’re trying to get the most bang for your buck and aren’t really in the market for over the top amenities?  Heck, what if you’re starting with this?