While Darling was gone for work last week, I rearranged my cookbooks again.  I threw all of my misc. papers/bills in this picnic basket (I’ll sort that part out later).  I decided to put the flower pots on the small ledge to prevent me from piling papers on there again.

I replaced these knobs again (I bought them at Homegoods.  All 8 glass knobs were purchased for $20).  The previous glass flower knobs broke immediately after installing them (just poor quality).  We haven’t had any pulls on this drawer in ages!   It is so nice to attend to small projects sometimes.

While Christian was in NYC last week I also cleaned off this counter top.  I thought I had better take a picture of it because it may not last long.  I realized that since I am in the kitchen a ton and in particular standing at the sink, looking at a clean surface directly in front of me is wonderfully inspiring.  My mind feels a lot less cluttered.

Did I show you this yet?  My disco ball (made from dismantling a spinning one from the basement).  I am copying Nester of course.  Not everyone is a fan of the disco ball.  But I don’t care.  I am loving it for now.  When the sun sets, I have magical polka dots all over the walls.  It makes me happy.

Remember this lovely creamer and sugar bowl I got in the fall?  I just found the matching teapot ($12.99 at Homegoods).  Put a bird on it!  LOL.  Are you watching Portlandia?

I threw away my rusty bathroom garbage can (yay!) when I brought home this lovely ($20 at Homegoods).   It is glass and so lovely.

This is our new door mat from World Market (I think it was around $14 shipped).  It’s so happy.

I threw away our old, hot pink bath mat (the kitties had peed on it about a million times before Totoro was diagnosed with diabetes) and purchased two of these at Marshalls ($35 total).  I am so happy with them.  They really make the bathroom look a lot more put together.

Here was my one real splurge.  New sheets.  My favorite!  They are light blue with tiny white polka dots (Ralph Lauren from Homegoods).  They are so precious and mix and match with all my other linens so nicely.  I just couldn’t resist.  I’m seeing a pink and blue theme today!

I know it seems like I have been to Homegoods/shopping a lot lately.  I kind of have.  BUT these pictures are really from the last couple of months.  I am missing garage sales and flea markets right now.  When I go to Homegoods etc, I try to keep it to a minimum and only buy one item per trip, just my favorite thing.  Sometimes this is difficult to do but more frequently I walk out of there with nothing at all.  I always use cash that I have made from my afterschool care or dog walking (extra jobs) so I feel good about buying these treats.  I love working on my home and I often feel like it needs constant updating/replacing of small things that are worn out, rusty, broken or just gross.  Right now I am on the hunt for a new kitchen garbage can.  We didn’t buy a diaper geenie or anything for Mila when she cam home, we just used the regular trash can (it is 7+ years old anyhow).  So yeah…it needs replacing.   Yuk.

Today I did some paint touch ups on my pink sewing cabinet and Darling caulked/fixed the gaps in the crown molding in our bedroom.  He also finished the patches/painting from where we moved the sewing shelves!  YAY.  These were small projects that have a big effect when all done together in one room.