Kitty Deschanel

Remember when our dream home was under construction and it was difficult to imagine how our white kitchen with brick backsplash was going to turn out?  With high, mirrored cabinets, was it going to look ridiculous? You can bet I had more than a couple sleepless nights worrying that is was. We have now been happily enjoying our home sweet home in the New Mexico mountains for almost 3 years. The best part? The kitchen! White Kitchen with Brick Backsplash I've had a reader email to ask about our wood ceiling and thought my other blog readers might enjoy having the same information. Here you go: Q.  What kind of wood is the ceiling in your house? It is beautiful. We are looking at rough-cut pine for a cabin that we are renovating. Debating on if we need to stain or seal it. A.  Our ceiling is actually just the everyday pine tongue and groove boards they sell at Lowes and Home Depot. The reason ours looks different is that we had them installed upside down so that the rough

You know our powder room in the hallway? It has turned out perfectly, with glossy TileBar tile and the alligator juniper vanity Sexy Nerd built himself. Little by little, accessories are added and edited out. Currently, the bathroom has a cheerful, springtime vibe. Still, something is missing. Our decorating style is rustic...farmhouse...glam...? Eclectic! Since moving in, I've taped at least 30 wallpaper samples on the wall behind the mirror. It's such a tough decision ! What looks perfect in November (so warm and cozy) is all wrong in February (so heavy and dark).  If I ever win the lottery , I'm going to pay someone to redo my wallpapers with the seasons. Also, for this to happen, I'll probably need to start playing the lottery. Fun Powder Room Wallpaper This wallpaper from wallpaperdirect.com, called Tian, was love at first sight. It's textured and looks like it is illuminated from behind. However, Sexy Nerd hates it. (Clockwise from up

Hey there, bloggy friends. In the interest of learning new things , I have a guest post today. Sexy Nerd and I have purchased homes, but still never knew what a reverse mortgage is and how it works . Is it like selling your home but still getting to live there?  Years ago, we had an elderly neighbor who refinanced her home with a reverse mortgage and we've always been curious about the details. Here's the answer: How Does a Reverse Mortgage Work? When retiring, lower income than what you are accustomed to can be a cause of stress. Just because you are retiring does not mean you need to compromise on the lifestyle that you have come to know. Although it is tempting to resort to drastic measures, such a remortgaging your house, or taking out a loan, both options come with major debt implications, and the monthly repayment expectations can be crippling. A reverse mortgage, however, is an excellent solution for those who are aged 62 and above, and can be a huge h

In keeping with the theme of the last 5 months, which deserves a depressing blog post of its own, I expected this Thanksgiving would be a disaster. A depressed person does not make a great party host. Still, we borrowed tables and chairs and made plans for a large family gathering. Menus were printed. I bought these plates on clearance at Macy's last year. Aren't they delightful? The little pumpkins are from Cost Plus World Market. This year, the menu doubled as a place card. (Side note: I put extras aside for next year...and just now realized they say 2019. Whoops!) Keeping an eye on the news, it seemed many people across the country were having their holiday plans affected by storms. We were no exception. Half of our overnight guests arrived. SN's parents were able to make it through the wintry weather but his brother and our sister-in-law had to cancel. The drive from Nebraska was too treacherous.  As far as an excessively wiggly Olive was co