Friday, June 19, 2009
Patience is a virtue, right?
Well, I'm lacking in that department! After much comparison shopping, I ordered a mattress for the twin bed, but it won't be delivered until the 25th! I'm so ready to take my "after" picture. It's killing me!
Bad news - OMG mattresses are expensive! I've only bought one in my life. Lucky girl that I am, I've been given 2 brand new Queen sets as gifts. I bought one twin set once, when I went home to stay with my Grandfather for 6 months. I bought it at Ikea, and got it very cheap. You can imagine I was in extreme sticker shock buying a mattress in Hawaii with no Ikea to go to!
At this point, my gratitude for my previous mattress gifts has increased dramatically. I had no idea.
Now for the good news - I did get one for a relatively good price. (Relative being the operative word there.) I stuck to my guns and went for a good deal, not the cushiest, most comfy thing out there. This will be my guest bed, but also my escape from awful snoring by the husband bed, so a cushy pillowtop was tempting. But I didn't do it! Yay for determination!
More good news - it's manufactured right here in Hawaii! Whoo Hoo! So my good deal is benefiting local jobs, benefiting the local economy, and cutting down on the wastefullness of shipping - all good things that make me happy.
I know it would be greener to buy used. But a girl has to have her limits. And this is one of mine. I could never sleep on it if it came used from a stranger. And I didn't know anyone getting rid of a twin in good shape.
I could have been greener too by buying organic. But that is not in my budget for a mattress - those things are super pricy! And, having to have it shipped in from the mainland would greatly reduce the overall 'green' factor anyway.
So there you have it. I'm not-so-patiently waiting for my cheap, made in Hawaii mattress. I'm scouting out bedding now. At least this delay gives me more time for that!
Bad news - OMG mattresses are expensive! I've only bought one in my life. Lucky girl that I am, I've been given 2 brand new Queen sets as gifts. I bought one twin set once, when I went home to stay with my Grandfather for 6 months. I bought it at Ikea, and got it very cheap. You can imagine I was in extreme sticker shock buying a mattress in Hawaii with no Ikea to go to!
At this point, my gratitude for my previous mattress gifts has increased dramatically. I had no idea.
Now for the good news - I did get one for a relatively good price. (Relative being the operative word there.) I stuck to my guns and went for a good deal, not the cushiest, most comfy thing out there. This will be my guest bed, but also my escape from awful snoring by the husband bed, so a cushy pillowtop was tempting. But I didn't do it! Yay for determination!
More good news - it's manufactured right here in Hawaii! Whoo Hoo! So my good deal is benefiting local jobs, benefiting the local economy, and cutting down on the wastefullness of shipping - all good things that make me happy.
I know it would be greener to buy used. But a girl has to have her limits. And this is one of mine. I could never sleep on it if it came used from a stranger. And I didn't know anyone getting rid of a twin in good shape.
I could have been greener too by buying organic. But that is not in my budget for a mattress - those things are super pricy! And, having to have it shipped in from the mainland would greatly reduce the overall 'green' factor anyway.
So there you have it. I'm not-so-patiently waiting for my cheap, made in Hawaii mattress. I'm scouting out bedding now. At least this delay gives me more time for that!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Almost done!
I wish I could say "Voila!" but I'm not quite there yet. But I am *almost* done. Rehabbing an old twin bed from my grandfather's basement that is. I believe it was either my mom's or my aunt's childhood bed, once part of a matching set. I'm making it beachy-blue-green, and I've been patiently applying coat after coat of paint. Tonight, I scrubbed the old metal bed rails, which will be getting a coat of bright white spray paint tomorrow morning. After that, it's time to shop for a mattress!!!
I still haven't decided what to put on it. A quilt? A bedspread? A comforter? I'm tempted to make a new quilt for it, but I haven't found a good quilt store in Hawaii yet, so I'd have to wait for fabric to be shipped. I'm so excited to put the whole thing together that I think that would take to long!
The thought has crossed my mind to hot glue a few seashells in one corner of the head board... or maybe paint a starfish on it. I just can't decide. I like plain things so much! But it would be fun to really make it feel like a bed in paradise for whoever visits me first. Still thinking on that, and not sure what I'll do, if I do anything at all.
So, this post is really for nothing. It's too dark outside to spray paint right now, and I'm itching to keep working on it. Since I can't, I'm musing about its current stage of exciting-almost-complete-ness. ;)
I can't wait to post a before and after picture of my recycled, free, and oh so cute guest bed!
I still haven't decided what to put on it. A quilt? A bedspread? A comforter? I'm tempted to make a new quilt for it, but I haven't found a good quilt store in Hawaii yet, so I'd have to wait for fabric to be shipped. I'm so excited to put the whole thing together that I think that would take to long!
The thought has crossed my mind to hot glue a few seashells in one corner of the head board... or maybe paint a starfish on it. I just can't decide. I like plain things so much! But it would be fun to really make it feel like a bed in paradise for whoever visits me first. Still thinking on that, and not sure what I'll do, if I do anything at all.
So, this post is really for nothing. It's too dark outside to spray paint right now, and I'm itching to keep working on it. Since I can't, I'm musing about its current stage of exciting-almost-complete-ness. ;)
I can't wait to post a before and after picture of my recycled, free, and oh so cute guest bed!
Friday, June 5, 2009
She works hard for the money...
OK, well I really don't work that hard for the money! LOL! Since moving to Hawaii, I haven't found that perfect job. OK, OK, I haven't found any job that I'm willing to do. But I'm still working hard for the money, and here's how.
My husband and I celebrated our six year anniversary this month, and I wanted to give him something special without using his paycheck. Here is where frugality and living green can really come in handy. Of course I clip coupons and recycle all the time, but last month, I put in an extra effort to save every penny I could. Granted, that money technically still came from his paycheck, but it would have flown out the window if I hadn't been so thrifty and green!
Next, there was the problem of all the stuff I had brought from Virginia, cluttering up this tiny little abode in Hawaii. I teamed up with my bestie, and we participated in the most amazing yard sale I've ever seen in person. The money started piling up, the house started to feel less cluttered, and the landfills stayed full of other people's junk and not mine.
And Craigslist. Oh how I love Craigslist! Especially in Hawaii. Two times now, I have been given MORE money than I asked for. That's right, you read it correctly. MORE. Gotta love Aloha! We had made some purchases that were necessary for the move that we didn't want to keep in the house - like a Giant Sky Kennel for our biggest dog. It practically took up a whole bedroom! Adios outrageous dog crate!
Before moving, I had consigned some ball gowns that I felt were too 'east coast' for Hawaii, and that I'm determined to be too skinny for when I move back. I also donated some to the local Salvation Army. Lucky timing, that check came in just in time for our celebration.
All totaled, I *earned* close to $400! With that much extra cash, I couldn't decide what to buy the hubster, so instead, I sent my pirate at heart on a treasure hunt with clues and small gifts, leading him to the booty of cash in a paper chest. (And yes, I got that paper chest on clearance!) The thought of having free money, money that I won't harp on him about or dictate where it should go, made him so very happy. Giving it to him, knowing that it wouldn't affect our budget in the least and that it helped keep our lifestyle goals on track, made me very happy too!
My husband and I celebrated our six year anniversary this month, and I wanted to give him something special without using his paycheck. Here is where frugality and living green can really come in handy. Of course I clip coupons and recycle all the time, but last month, I put in an extra effort to save every penny I could. Granted, that money technically still came from his paycheck, but it would have flown out the window if I hadn't been so thrifty and green!
Next, there was the problem of all the stuff I had brought from Virginia, cluttering up this tiny little abode in Hawaii. I teamed up with my bestie, and we participated in the most amazing yard sale I've ever seen in person. The money started piling up, the house started to feel less cluttered, and the landfills stayed full of other people's junk and not mine.
And Craigslist. Oh how I love Craigslist! Especially in Hawaii. Two times now, I have been given MORE money than I asked for. That's right, you read it correctly. MORE. Gotta love Aloha! We had made some purchases that were necessary for the move that we didn't want to keep in the house - like a Giant Sky Kennel for our biggest dog. It practically took up a whole bedroom! Adios outrageous dog crate!
Before moving, I had consigned some ball gowns that I felt were too 'east coast' for Hawaii, and that I'm determined to be too skinny for when I move back. I also donated some to the local Salvation Army. Lucky timing, that check came in just in time for our celebration.
All totaled, I *earned* close to $400! With that much extra cash, I couldn't decide what to buy the hubster, so instead, I sent my pirate at heart on a treasure hunt with clues and small gifts, leading him to the booty of cash in a paper chest. (And yes, I got that paper chest on clearance!) The thought of having free money, money that I won't harp on him about or dictate where it should go, made him so very happy. Giving it to him, knowing that it wouldn't affect our budget in the least and that it helped keep our lifestyle goals on track, made me very happy too!
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