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Hey ya’ll! So I mentioned before that Chris and I have done a few renovations since we bought our house, some of which have worked out and others…not so much. This past week, I embarked on a new one, my craft room.
I had been doing fine with it in its current state for the past few months, but recently it had gotten out of control. Between using the items in storage – scuba, for starters – and acquiring more tools and products for making the wreaths (my brain has been on overload lately with LOTS of ideas, and I have bought more than I’ve had time to put together), I got run out of the room.
I’ve been run out of my own room
So, now it is time to do what I have wanted to do since we moved into this house – redo the room. But, as Chris has told me that this is MY project, it had not been going very quickly – it took me a week just to move everything out.
I’m about half way there
However, I do have a strict deadline of November 2nd to have it completed (our new couch arrives that day, so I will no longer have free reign of the living room). This week, all I have gotten accomplished is the moving of all of the things out of the room.
Now we’re getting somewhere
This week, I will start laying down the carpet protector, because the current carpet is staying, and will begin the actual renovation process. Stay tuned to see how it turns out.
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!
When we first found our house, it looked like it had 3 bedrooms. This was one of my wish list items, along with 2 bathrooms and at least 1200 square feet. Upon further research and learning about real estate, we learned that that the third room can’t be classified as a such since you have to go through the second to get to it – it doesn’t have its own access to the rest of the house – so it would instead be considered a bonus room. This was okay, it just removed the question of which room would be the guest room and which would be the office, no big deal.
The previous owner’s Second Room – now our Office
When we moved in, we started by focusing all of our efforts on the master bedroom and getting it ready which ended up taking 3 months to finish. In the meantime, we lived in the bonus room. Once we officially moved into the master bedroom and essentially into the rest of the house, we found homes for the majority of our things and started to realize our own needs. The master bedroom was the master and the second room became the office as planned, and we stored our items without a designated home, although very disorganized, in the bonus room. Realizing the cost of setting up a guest room for as much as it would be used (we’ve now been in the house for 2 years and have yet to have overnight company), we realized that dedicating an entire room to this purpose might not be the most practical or financially efficient, so it was now a room without any real purpose.
But, towards the end of last year, it finally started to find one when Chris suggested and highly encouraged me to finally buy a sewing machine (I’d been wanting to learn how to sew my whole life). Once we got it, I obviously needed a place to put it along with everything that goes with it, so Chris and I compromised. The Florida room would be his room and used for his gym and I would take the old “storage room” to be used for my own purposes, whatever they may end up being.
Once Covid hit South Florida, Chris was staying at work due to needing to maintain the buildings 24/7 for his entire work week, leaving me without much to do. I am not good with entertaining myself and TV only goes so far, so I started doing jigsaw puzzles again. Thomas Kinkade is my favorite artists, so I did several of his, starting with The Nativity, which I had bought on Amazon around Christmas and never got to, and continued with as many as I could find.
Fast forward a few more months, add an obsession with a podcast and Chris mentioning the idea of making the wreaths and the purpose of the room was clearly defined – it was now the craft room and the storage room…the stuff still has to be stored somewhere. But more changes will be coming, so stay tuned!
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Okay, okay, so it’s not real snow. But a girl can wish, although the only time I miss the snow is on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.
Finished Merry Christmas Wood Letter Sign
I wrote before about using the acrylic paint with a thinner consistency on the wooden Merry Christmas sign and how happy I was about it. Now, I have taken it a step further. For an ever Christmas-ier feel, I have added a snow effect using Aleene’s Glitter Snow from Amazon.
Chris had suggested the spray type, like the Santa Snow Spray that you can also find on Amazon or in the craft stores. However, after reading more about it, I found out that it is not suitable for the outdoors and comes off surfaces fairly easy. It’s better suited for inside windows and trees. If my tree wasn’t already white, I’d get it to add the snow effect. Since the sign is intended for a wreath, I needed more versatility and durability.
Using the same paint brushes I had already bought for the acrylic paint, I was easily able to build up the Glitter Snow to the thickness I was looking for by allowing it to dry overnight in between session. And for a first try, I’m pretty happy with how it came out and cannot wait for the holiday season to officially begin!
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 I’ve been learning about how to paint wood signs for the wreaths, and it’s been quite the learning curve. I’d like to be able to hang my wreaths outside and needed a good, safe paint for it. Doing some reading at the craft store, it looked like acrylic satisfied these needs while providing a good variety of colors to choose from.
As you can see from the picture from Part 1, there are also different consistencies for the paint. The green I chose for Merry Christmas was thinner which allows the wood grain to show even after multiple coats. Blessed and Family were done in a paint with a thicker consistency and should provide a smoother looking finish. I like both, but it depends on the project.
The one challenge I didn’t anticipate, however, is trying to get to the space in all of the nooks and crannies. Merry Christmas is laser cut, which provides the darker edges and a more finished look, and I seemed to be able to control the paint enough to avoid any overlap on the sides with it, and Family isn’t too bad in this area. But when I tried to do the inside of Blessed, I felt it starting to look messy, even with the new paint brushes I bought for it. So an alternative method was needed.
Merry Christmas in thin consistency acrylic paint Blessed and Family in thick consistency acrylic paint
While spending way too much time in the craft store and loving every minute of it, I found pour over paint and spray paint. Chris had mentioned spray paint before, but I didn’t know what I thought of it. It always seemed kinda messy and smells when it’s sprayed. The pour over paint looked interesting, but messy and possibly wasteful. Knowing an alternative was needed regardless, I went with my fiance’s idea of spray paint.
It ended up being easier than I thought and the acrylic doesn’t have any noticeable smell – I also leave it outside for about an hour after to dry, so maybe that has something to do with it. Trying it out, I sprayed the wood letters outside on wrapping paper – like this from Amazon. We used it to protect the tile floors when we painted other rooms in the house and had some left over. Choosing a flat surface protected from the wind, I sprayed it from various angles to ensure all of those pesky nooks and crannies were gotten as well as across the top.
Thankful in Punk Lak Gloss Acrylic Spray Paint’s Dark Wine
Although the Dark Wine color didn’t work out so well for what I intended it for, I do like the end result and even with the dry time, it only took an hour at most. I spent at least that just fighting with the insides of Blessed alone, and only got halfway. I think Chris was onto something 😉.
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I am so excited about my newest wreath!!!! Every time my friend and I go craft shopping, we have talked about wanting to make a mermaid wreath – it’s the theme for her daughter’s nursery, and with both of us having grown up mostly in the Florida Keys, the love of all things sea related is simply instilled in our DNA.
I had thought about finally making one for her daughter’s birthday last month in August, but I wasn’t able to get the concept to come together in time or decide on a style. Buying Little Mermaid fabric was the farthest I got with the project 😕
Going shopping on my own, colors are always the biggest question, so I used the Little Mermaid as inspiration, sticking to purples and greens….and green just so happens to be her favorite color 😉. Christmas themed items being in some of the stores in town since July has been amazing and helped with this project, giving me idea of a mermaid ornament and also made possible the coral fan branch. Passing the Mermaid Crossing sign in the nautical section and the ombre scale ribbons in the sewing section just brought the whole idea together!
Mermaid Crossing Deco Mesh Wreath
This is the newest favorite amongst my girlfriends and I. Chris thinks it needs more embellishments…maybe Pearls next time. What do you think?
On Labor Day, Chris made plans for us to go to lunch at The Breakers West Palm, a resort originally built by Henry Flagler. It has been one of my favorite hotels since I first found it and learned of its history. Growing up in the Keys, you learn all about Flagler and how his presence and railroad impacted South Florida. Seeing the places he built brings a piece of that history to life for me.
The drive up was perfect and relaxed, driving along the beach on A1A, and everyone was so gracious when we arrived and as we explored the grounds. It was just as beautiful as I had imagined and had seen in all of the pictures, and then some!!
Mediterranean Courtyard at The Breakers West Palm
We found the Seafood restaurant and promptly passed (Chris doesn’t eat seafood) and wandered over to The Italian Restaurant, which was closed and we plan to make another trip to try. Striking out for a second time, we checked out The Beach Club Restaurant, where we were told that non-guests can only dine at Seafood Bar, much to our dismay 😐.
Valet made up for the confusion, so with service recovered and views beyond expectations, Brunch at The Circle and dinner at The Italian Restaurant remain on the Bucket list for must dine at restaurants in South Florida….although we may have to wait a while due to Covid. At least we got to visit the resort!
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!
I finally took the plunge. Chris (my fiancé) and I have been talking about wanting to get me certified for SCUBA diving for the 10 years we’ve been together (he’s now been certified for 20 years) and I’ve been interested for even longer. We recently had 2 days off together and decided to take the first steps.
We started off looking around Fort Lauderdale, staying local but struggled to find anything that didn’t seem outrageously priced for a beginner and that I liked – it has to be pink! Chris took to the internet and wound up on Amazon – as we always do – and found a Mares set. While it wasn’t pink, the pricing seemed reasonable, having included the regulator, computer, gauge, and octo. However, we had the remaining question of size to figure out, so we took a trip to Diver’s Direct and found out that the one we were looking at was not a women’s BCD and would be WAY too big for me. I tried the Aqua Lung Soul in XXS and it fit perfectly….at a price outside of our intended budget. I then tried the Aqua Lung Pearl, which I liked the design of better and was available in a package, but they only had a XS and I was conflicted about the sizing – it felt big compared to the Soul. Not wanting to regret my purchase due to size, we found out that the Key Largo store had the XXS in stock, although they struggled with availability for the complete package due to delays from Aqua Lung related to Covid 😒.
The next day, we made a road trip out of it. It had been so long since we’d been down in the Keys, and even though I never wish to live there again, I am always excited to visit. With low expectations of the visit to Divers Direct, we decided to putz around and tourist for the day. We passed a local dive shop, Scuba Outlet, in Key Largo, and decided to check it out, even doing a circle to get back to it. It was the most organized dive shop I have ever been in and with an impressive selection!
The gentleman was attentive and knowledgeable, and understanding of a female’s needs, and listened to my desire for Pink :). For just a little more than the Aqua Lung Pearl package at Divers Direct, I ultimately got the Tusa Tina BCD with an Oceanic gauge and computer (a brand Chris knows and respects), and a Hollis Air2 (we’ve never heard of the brand, but it saved us from having to find the replacement for an octo). Chris even found a new computer for himself.
Starving from the drive down, we stopped for lunch at Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar, a restaurant right on the water that Chris had originally proposed as the location for our first date, that I still had never been to. The food was good and the views were even better. Being on the ocean, seeing the mangroves and palm trees, and boats in the water – nothing beats it, it’s just so peaceful.
After lunch, I was so excited that we went back home and I jumped in the pool to try my new gear and start practicing. I’ve started the book work through Padi and am excited for my new #divelife 🥽!
Got any good recommendations for dive sites around South Florida? Although Chris has 2 decades of experience, it’s almost all based in the frigid waters of Michigan. I know the Keys are littered with them, but where else should I check out? Let me know 🙂
Making wreaths has become a form of solace for me. My fiance and I have had our share of struggles as a direct result of the virus sweeping the world and its impacts on all industries.
Prior to it being discovered in the States, my job had me on a constant mental overload, and I loved every minute of it. I had never been so challenged in all my life and I was thriving in so many ways as a result. I am no longer in it now, and while I am still a standout in my current position, I was lacking the intellectual stimulation I so crave.
Instead of putting all of my time and energy into my professional work, I can now make time for myself and the projects I want to do…which has become my wreaths projects. I finished the Let It Snow wreath and now I have started 3 more.
I love the wood grain still visible under the green paint in the Merry Christmas sign 😊.
Let me know what y’all think and what projects you have picked up since the pandemic started.
Hi again everyone. I know it’s been a while, but like many, I now have much more time on my hands than I thought possible this time last year, and even more since my last post and the time in between.
It has now been 2 years since my fiance and I bought our house (I know, I know, we still haven’t tied the knot), but that’s a story for another time, possibly not too soon from now. Since then, we’ve made attempts at revamping parts of the house, but only a few have stuck. I had a promotion at work, then left and started a new job, much like many of you probably have had to do. I’ve reconnected with an old friend and our friendship is now a teenager (haha…things that make us feel good, but also remind us of our age and the fact that time seems to speed up as the years go by). And, also like most others, I have started a new hobby.
I have always wanted to be, and have tried to be, crafty. When I was younger, it was school projects. I tried crocheting but didn’t get very far. I did learn how to hand sew and have continued to hone this ability since, even going so far as to make my own masks during this pandemic. But the things I attempted have never made anyone go “WOW!” until this year’s worldwide Corona quarantine. While listening to a friend’s podcast which reads a Harry Potter inspired fan-fiction, I ran across Deathly Hallows inspired wreaths in the house colors.
Made by CraftVVitch
Thinking something similar might be fun to do for my house, I showed the idea to my fiance. Although he wasn’t as keen on the Harry Potter idea 😒, he still encouraged me to try my hand at it. While I will make one down the road for my own enjoyment, I decided to focus on my favorite holiday, Christmas! This is the first one that I have completed to my satisfaction and while my friends like it (they’re kinda obligated to), I wanna know what you think! So leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts 😉.
Let It Snow in Deco Mesh
If you have any other ideas for styles or themes I might enjoy, let me know that as well.
Happy Engagiversary to my wonderfully amazing and handsome fiance! On this day two years ago my boyfriend of 6 years asked me to become the future Mrs. Chris Bower. He did it in his typical fashion of making sure to get me hot and mad before making me unbelievably happy while making sure it was special, spontaneous and that I looked my best. By the time it happened, our engagement had been something that Chris and I had been talking about for 4 1/2 years. We had had the perfect wedding set picked out for four of those years and in a single day on a cruise we picked a different one entirely.
My Dream Ring vs. The One We Had Previously Picked Out
When we finally had it paid off and in our possession, I was so excited. I wanted to put it on immediately and never take it off! But, Chris told me that if I put it on then that was it, we were engaged, and that he’d be off the hook. I was fine with buying it together and knowing when we got it, but I still wanted him to put in the effort and surprise me, and just to make it special. I wasn’t picky about how he should do it. It could be as simple as making us dinner at home and then getting down on one knee.
Chris and I had just made plans to start saving for a house about two weeks before we got it in the mail. We had decided that we couldn’t go to anymore decadent dinners with our friends, unless it was a special occasion, and then he decided that we should go to Juvia (a wonderfully upscale restaurant in South Beach with the best views of the city), and I knew something was up. It was exactly the restaurant we were trying to avoid with plans for our new endeavor.
Chris picked the date and kept forgetting that I had the day off. I broke my nail the night before and he suggested that I get it fixed during the day. With my heightened suspicions, I decided to get a polish change as well. Chris and I work at the same resort, which just so happens to be where I get my hair and nails done, and he always stops in to say hi when I’m there. That day was no different except that he changed what time I should be back to pick him up at at least three times in span of my hour appointment which only made me all the more suspicious.
When I got home, it didn’t stop either. I was under a deadline with school and needed to get a lot of reading done, especially if I planned to enjoy our evening and not be stressed about what I wasn’t getting done. He would push the time back and then make it earlier, with a new text coming in about every half hour. It continued even as I got ready. I finally told him just to text me when he was ready for me to leave. Of course when he did, I wasn’t ready quite yet, and he told me to take my time.
When I got to the resort, sitting outside his office, he kept me waiting another hour, giving me some line about the work they were doing running longer than expected. He told me we might not make our reservations and that we might have to go to Brio instead. I thought it was an intriguing idea. We passed it all the time and we had been wanting to try it. I looked it up and the first thing I saw advertised was take-out. Suddenly our romantic evening went from four-star Juvia in South Beach to take-out from Brio. Not quite what I had in mind.
When he came back to his office, he said we just had to wait a minute for one of his guys to finalize everything, but instead, the sprinklers had another idea and went off on their job site. Chris had to go. He had sweat right through his shirt and I offered to go home and get another. He didn’t know how long he’d be and hinted that it might be more than the hour that it’d take me to complete the errand. I told him to text me when he was done and then I’d come back. I didn’t want to just continue to sit in the car. During the past hour, I just kept thinking about how much reading I could have gotten done had I known I’d be waiting. I only drove about a mile away before he called me in a panic asking me where I was and if I could come back, so I turned around. He met me at his office with his golf cart and asked if I wanted to go for a ride and see what he had been working on.
I had been with him to other job sites in the past and I thought that was what we were doing. A sprinkler was spraying over the sidewalk and I teased Chris that he better not mess up my hair. The sun was going down and I saw one of the waterfalls lit up, but didn’t realize what was going on until we were on top of it. When it clicked I started crying and laughing at the same time. He had lit a pathway and covered it with flower petals leading up to the waterfall and had a bottle of champagne on ice in a bucket at the end with two glasses sitting on the ground below. He walked me up the path and finally did what I had been dreaming of for what seemed like forever. But he didn’t do it in the traditional way of asking of someone to become their wife. Instead he asked if I would become Mrs. Chris Bower, to which I joyously said yes.
Our life together has been a rollercoaster that everyone we know doubted would last, but we have beat the odds every step of the way and I know that is what we will continue to do forever. Chris Bower, you are the love of my life.
, which I had bought on Amazon around Christmas and never got to, and continued with as many as I could find. 
Brittany Bower 