Projects Undone – The Old Pool Deck

4 Oct

We have now had our house for 5 years, it’s crazy how fast time flies!

We’ve made a lot of changes in that time, some revising what was here already and some adding our own touches. But this summer has focused on finally cleaning up the projects we have undone, making our yard more visually pleasing and safer for the little ones running around (our friend’s kids) and hopefully, our future furry one.

The previous owners had a small deck for the pool steps, similar to the ones we have now, but on the opposite side of the pool. It served its purpose, but was starting to show its age and wasn’t to our liking, We usually get out to the backyard through the French doors in the living room or from our bedroom – on the opposite end of the house. On top of that, while we we do have grass in our back yard, it didn’t grow between the pool and the house due to a lack of sun when we moved in, so we tracked in mud every time we came back in after being in the pool.

The previous pool steps (picture taken from realtor.com)

So Chris did what he does and started tearing it down. Getting the boards off was the easy part. The hard part was dismantling the concrete blocks that had cement poured in the center and then bolted to the ground. We tried sledgehammers but they were no match – they simply bounced off. We talked about getting a back hoe and burying them or renting a jackhammer to break them apart, but thought it would take days and subsequently several hundreds of dollars. So they had been an eye sore for about 4 of the past 5 years.

Finally, during the hottest summer I can ever remember in Florida, my husband did what he does and searched on Amazon for a solution – a jack hammer for about $200 (a rental is about $80/day). Knowing that it would physically hard work and guessing that he’d only be able to stand the heat for 15 minutes a day, this would be a tremendous savings if it worked out. Our only hesitation with it was knowing that it would not be the same quality as the commercial rental.

The packaging is nice with a case to hold everything and make sure the pieces don’t end up scattered across the shed. But the quality of the jack hammer is even more impressive. It’s obviously physically straining, at 54 pounds bouncing back and forth against cement and concrete, but the blocks just started tumbling off, and it was even quiet enough for him to continue while I worked in my office without my those on the phone complaining about any background noise.

XtremepowerUS 61117-XP Jack Hammer w/Chisel & Shovel Bits from Amazon

Now that the old pool deck is FINALLY gone, that side of the yard is cleaning up nicely, although still in need of some work. We got rid of the tree as it was effecting the foundation of our house and now that strip has filled in with some nice grass.

Such an improvement!

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission at no cost to you! When you purchase through the links provided, you will be supporting Brittany Bower and helping to bring new content to the site!

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4th Birthday

30 Sep

One of the things I looked forward to most when we bought our house was the opportunity to host events and have a place we’re proud to have our friends and family (when they visit) come and hang out at. And I think we’ve been successful in that after three Christmas’s, a rehearsal dinner, a 4th of July party and now two birthdays.

Both birthdays have been for our friend’s daughter, Felicity. Last year’s theme was mermaids and this year’s was dinosaurs. While we reeled in the party plans a little, I still really enjoyed decorating and took the opportunity to try to do better than last year.

But, first things first. If the weather’s nice, it’s always a pool party at our house, which meant the deck steps needed some attention.

We painted them last year before the wedding and we’ve just gotten some much rain this summer that the paint started chipping off and left Felicity covered in specks of blue paint last time she was over. So it’s time for a fresh coat, but first Chris power washed them to get off all of the flakes.

With the pool freshly painted and looking new again, I could now move on to the rest of the decorations.

Balloon garlands have been all the rage over the past few years, and I always think they look so nice and add so much to the décor without having to spend too much. I tried tying the balloons to each other like I’ve seen in some videos, but it just didn’t work out very well last year, although I was happy with what I was able to create.

Mermaid Banner and Balloons from Amazon

This year, I saw this tool I apparently overlooked because I found extra in my party supplies, but it made all of the difference, especially since we decided to put the garland over the door instead of moving our painting to put it above the table.

The directions are easy enough to follow, but don’t advise as to the spacing for the balloons so I originally tried filling every space in a very logical order, but it was just too big for the space and I had no way to attach it to the wall.

So, I rearranged them to be in every other space, simply removing those that were extra and then moving and adding balloons as needed. The spaces in the decorating strip were the perfect size for push pins to hold everything in place

My Version vs. Amazon

I think there’s some improvement.

The birthday girl playing with her new bead jewelry set. We had fun making rings, necklaces, bracelets and headbands.

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission at no cost to you! When you purchase through the links provided, you will be supporting Brittany Bower and helping to bring new content to the site!

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Closet Refresh

28 Sep

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission at no cost to you! When you purchase through the links provided, you will be supporting Brittany Bower and helping to bring new content to the site!

10 years ago, Chris outdid himself with my Valentine’s gift. I have to preface this with gifts for me are not about how much money they cost, but what kind of value they bring to my life or what meaning they have to them. With that said, his amazing Valentine’s gift was a box of pink velvet wrapped wooden clip hangers from a yard sale. It cost him $10 but it was something that I had been wanting, in the quality I wanted and in PINK! Everything else that I found was the plastic type like they have in the store that always gets tangled with whatever’s around it.

These have been amazing. With the wooden structure, they’re as thick as the metal clips, preventing them from getting tangled with other clothes and hangers. And sturdy enough to stand up to Chris or I pulling our clothes out of the clips instead of doing what we’re supposed to and using the clips properly. However, it has now been 10 years, and we have lost a few to normal wear and tear. So while I am not getting rid of my pink hangers, we do not have enough to manage both my Chris and I’s wardrobes, so it is time to get him some of his own and maybe a little less girly 😜.

I found the ones below on Amazon in the Mahogany color. They do have the wooden structure and and metal clips, but I can tell that mine are sturdier. But for $1.50 per hanger, we might be able to sacrifice a little quality and replace them more often. Makes me curious as to how much mine cost 10 (+) years ago though 🤔.

Chris’s new Hangers

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Expanding Our Family

26 Sep

At the end of last year, I was approached with a job offer that I had actually proposed years before, and had always thought to be a long shot.  But as we all know, COVID changed the corporate landscape and ideas that were once thought to be impossible, like working from home, not only became a possibility, but a reality for thousands. When my chance finally came, I jumped for it.  December was an adjustment period rearranging my office to make it more conducive to accommodate both my work and my personal projects.  But it also brought up a conversation that Chris and I have been having for years – the possibility of getting a dog.

We’ve always been in agreement that we want one, but had two major barriers.  We first wanted to own a house with a yard (especially important since we want a BIG dog, an Alaskan Malamute to be specific) and we needed to be home.  We bought our house 5 years ago taking care of the first barrier, but we had still been working long hours focusing on climbing up the corporate ladder.  Having a remote job finally took care of the remaining challenge.

We began looking immediately and I was excited!  I’d have the new puppy to keep me company while I was home and working while Chris was away at work. We found one that we were excited about but ultimately decided it still wasn’t the right time with just starting a new job in an environment that was so different from what I had been used to.  We thought it would be wise to give me more time to adjust and then reevaluate after a few months.

I continued searching, and finally found another possibility in July, although it still was not the best time due to other circumstances.  But it was the closest I had come so far.  While some of the other searches presented challenges with the distance to travel or their restrictions on where a potential owner could live, this one was not concerned about our living in Florida and had accommodations to make the travel manageable. While it is disappointing that it again did not work out, it did make me focus more on what we need to do to get our house ready for a possible addition – the cords in my office still need to be tidied, things need to be better organized around the house, the yard and pool need some work, and a million other little things.

So a furry addition is still a possibility for us, but it looks like we have some things to take care of first.

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Hollywood Date Day

7 Mar

Thursday was date day for Chris and I, the best part of my week. For as long as I can remember, Chris and I have only had one day off together per week, and it’s a day that’s sacred. We usually do a couple of errands, picking out items to go with our new design idea for the house or picking up something for one of our hobbies. Thursday’s errand was picking up some ribbon to finish a wreath and then we went down to Hollywood.

Trips to Hollywood are always a little nostalgic for me now after we lived there for 4 years. It was where we found our first apartment after moving back to Florida from Michigan, which was really just a tiny studio that had just a sliver of a kitchen. It was where Chris surprised me when I came one day to find out we were moving to an actual one-bedroom with a separate room big enough for each of us to have a desk and a kitchen we could actually cook in. We had success in our new careers with multiple promotions, we got engaged, and I finished my Bachelor’s degree, all while living in Hollywood.

Now, we just go down to the Broadwalk to visit a few shops, go for a bike ride, or grab a bite to eat on occasion. While the food was severely underwhelming this time, we had a wonderful time re-visiting the Anne Kolb Nature Center which expanded greatly since we first visited 8 years ago now.

The only wildlife we saw was an iguana and some fish
The added boardwalks wind through the woods
Nice views of the intercoastal from the boardwalk
Port Everglades’ crains in the background

They now have 2 main trails with lookout points along the way. When we were there 8 years ago, the only thing I remembered was the observation tower. Views up there are amazing, with Sunny Isles Beach to the south, downtown Fort Lauderdale to the north and seeing as far west as the Hard Rock’s Guitar Hotel. The only wildlife we got to see this time were a few fish and an iguana that scared me half to death! They’re currently in the process of doing several renovations but it’s probably one of the nicest Broward parks we’ve been to.

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One Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

5 Mar

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission at no cost to you! When you purchase through the links provided, you will be supporting Brittany Bower and helping to bring new content to the site!

If “one picture is worth a thousand words” as expressed by the Advertising Executive, Fred R. Barnard, then you could write a book on the difference that one Ring Light from Amazon has made in the photos for my website!

Just a little background… when I first started my website, BrittanyBowerDesigns.com 2 years ago, my friend Kat’s biggest critique was about the photos. I need more – something to be able to judge the size of the wreath against, more details, and better lighting. Well, at the time, I had done the best I could with had – settings and tools. I used our more professional camera, a Sony A6000 which Chris always was able to take amazing pictures with! Since they weren’t working out as well for me, I figured lighting was probably my biggest challenge since I was shooting inside and he always shoots outside. When I renovated the Craft Room, I installed the brightest lighting I could thinking it would give me the best advantage, and it has in many other ways, but it still wasn’t enough.

Fast-forward some time with Kat learning different marketing strategies and playing with her own business ventures, she discovered the ring light and insisted I buy one. Fast-forward another year and a half after taking time away from my site to focus on planning and executing a wedding, the recovery from it (which is no joke if you do it mostly by yourself and with a bunch of DIY) and other work-related changes and adventures, and I am back at it with the suggested light! And while I usually leave product reviews to my husband, JCBower, the difference is so significant, I had to do my own 😜.

Below are some of the before and after’s. The new pictures are lighter and brighter, and the glitter on the Jesus is the Reason for the Season wreath finally POPS like it should!

But I have to say the wreath I had the most frustrating time photographing was the Merry Christmas Deco Mesh Wreath. No matter what I tried, and how much color correction I did afterwards, it either came out super dark or it looked washed out and was clearly given away by the sign in the middle (bottom right).

Now, the greens look green, the reds look red and the sign can stay its true colors, and it’s not even the main focus of this picture!

While the ring light does have 5 color temperatures and is dimmable, so far the whitest and brightest setting has worked the best for me…but I do like the other options in case I end up needing them later. With the new pictures, all I have to do now is simply straighten and crop. Definitely worth the investment, and while I already knew Kat was brilliant, this is just further proof that I should take any and all advice she is willing to share when it comes to marketing!

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Breakfast at Tiffany’s

22 Feb

One of the best things about living in South Florida near the big cities is all of the amazing opportunities that arise! When Tiffany’s in New York announced it was opening an actual café where you could have “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” it ranked close to the very top of my bucket list! And while I have not yet made it to New York to experience the Blue Box Cafe, they did have a pop-up in Miami’s Design District for the months of December and January that Alia and I decided we had to see, with some Holly Golightly inspiration, so LBDs, pearls and gloves were a must!

Although I was expecting a perfectly curated Tiffany blue palette for everything, from the tables and chairs to the plates and napkins, Miami had to put its touch on it which included perfect pops of blush, and I was in heaven 👼.

We chose a table outside, because why would you sit inside when you can people watch? For as picky as I am about my coffee, the Tiffany Latte was on point and set the bar for the Egg and Cheese Sandwich. While a healthier option that the Butter Croissant I wanted in Holly Golightly fashion, it tasted as it. It started off well with tons of cheddar cheese wrapped inside fluffy eggs, topped with tomato and arugula inside a brioche bun, but it lacked flavor. Found out later, I should have asked for the garlic aioli sauce (tip for anyone else interested in trying at the next pop-up, hint hint Miami😉).

We couldn’t Breakfast at Tiffany’s without actually visiting Tiffany’s, now could we! So we took a stroll upstairs and found so much fun stuff! The hot pink stairs led to the 2nd floor with a mirrored hallway and a Neon Tiffany blue and pink sign that flowed into the bright jewelry store where we met Cici, who made us the once-in-a-lifetime offer to try on any Tiffany piece we liked. After perusing the store, I tried the classic Tiffany Heart Tag Necklace while Alia, with an eye for all things sparkly tried a gold and 12ct. diamond necklace worth $12K and a picture really is worth a 1,000 words!

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Get Ready for Spring!

3 Mar

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission at no cost to you! When you purchase through the links provided, you will be supporting Brittany Bower and helping to bring new content to the site!

Spring is right around the corner, and I am so excited for it!

Lately, Chris has been challenging me to try different wreath styles and I have just completed one that is perfect for the change to come. Just as Winter fades into Spring, pink fades into white in this ombré flower. It gave me the chance to branch out from the deco mesh and tried my hand with poly burlap and, as an added bonus, I got to try out the wood burner I got for Christmas.

Pink Ombre Spring Flower in Poly Burlap

If you like it, go check it out in more detail at BrittanyBowerDesigns.com. And if there a color combination that you’d like to see, send me a message at brittany@brittanybowerdesigns.com

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Home Renovations: Craft Room, Part 2

13 Jan

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission at no cost to you! When you purchase through the links provided, you will be supporting Brittany Bower and helping to bring new content to the site!

So, as happens with most renovations (using my own experience along with the stories from just about every home renovation show on HGTV as evidence), mine did not gone quite as planned either. As mentioned before, and was the most important point for me to keep in mind, is that the carpet was staying – I would have loved to replace it, I hate brown! – but as this is not the Dream House, it just didn’t make sense financially considering the excellent condition of the current carpet. I know, we checked! So Chris recommended some sticky stuff that most contractors use – a self-adhesive protective plastic film – that we were able to get from Amazon. However, due to something (not sure exactly what) it would not stay stuck to the carpet, though it obviously works well usually since it has no problem sticking to itself.

Self-adhesive protective plastic film from Amazon

Since this didn’t work out, Chris suggested a tarp instead and that worked much better. With that settled, the next step was to take off the baseboards – these are being replaced (still on the to do list), thank goodness! It wasn’t too difficult, but since I did it myself while Chris was at work, I had to resort to YouTube for how to do it.

The tarp is down, the baseboards are off, and most of the loose paint has been removed.

So while it may have not been necessary, and I was told by more multiple people that I created a lot of unnecessary work for myself, I did skim coat and then sand all of the walls. The previous owners simply painted over a lot of rough areas without cleaning first and it was driving me crazy, some of which was previous wallpaper.

About 3/4 of the way through skim coating

Had I not paid such close attention to the walls, I may have missed this detail. Now, I have piece of mind and know a little more of the house’s history.

The previous wallpaper

Now the fun began – color could finally start being put on the walls!!!  And I gave Chris the sad news (only for him) that the project can’t be purely mine.  I still needed him for a few items….

Once the ceiling was painted, he installed the new fan I picked out.  Next to the wall color, this was the part I was most excited about. The fan portion of the last one had stopped working and the Craft Room gets pretty warm during the day. It also didn’t provide much light so I had to supplement. With new LED light bulbs equivalent to 100 watts each and 5000k for a more natural daylight look, I now have plenty of light without stray cords running down the walls.

A new fan and ceiling light

But, since it is ultimately MY projects and is MY room, I finally fulfilled a life long dream of having a PINK room and could not be happier.  (Inside story to this…at the store I thought it was too light.  Then, I started cutting it in and thought it might be too bright.  Although I was giddy about the prospect of my pink room, this thought still  continued as I covered the walls in the color and when I was finally finished.)

A girl’s dream of a pink room realized!

I have slowly been moving back in and arranging it to work better for me. It may have been extra work, but with smooth walls and fresh paint, I feel much calmer in the room and better prepared to work on my projects.

I’ve moved back in, but not everything moved back in with me 🙂

Note: Although this is a very late post, I did make the deadline of November 2nd to beat the couch delivery! And as happens with many projects, there are a couple of things still left to do. Curtains have finally been hung 🙂 but we still need to cut and install the base molding and replace the outlets and covers.

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BrittanyBowerDesigns.com is now live!

3 Dec

Hey everyone! I have some exciting news. As you know, I started a new crafting project making wreaths back during the summer as a way of mentally escaping the craziness of the world around us. This has been amazing therapy for me and (according to my amazingly supportive friends and family) I have finally achieved the “WOW” factor that I always craved with my crafts, and have decided to make them public for y’all to see and share in. The wreaths I have shared throughout the year are there with a few others. Go check them out at BrittanyBowerDesigns.com.

While the Let It Snow Wreath was the first one to get me really excited and think that I might be onto something, this candy cane wreath is my favorite! You could clearly see the theme even before I added the additional decorations and it seemed to build itself. It is the fullest and largest of the wreaths I have made to date.

Merry Christmas Candy Cane Deco Mesh Wreath – now available at BrittanyBowerDesigns.com

Now that Christmas is almost upon us, I will be shifting gears shortly. If there is a specific theme you would like to see (holiday related or not) please let me know, either on here with a comment or at brittany@brittanybowerdesigns.com.

Happy holidays!

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