#2 Office

Jerome is a Registered Nurse (RN) with an associates degree.  We knew even before he finished school that he would be going back eventually to get at least his bachelors.  After working 3 years in the hospital on a unit he loves, he decided to apply for a Nurse Practitioner program where he would earn his masters degree.  For this 3 1/2 year journey, he will need to study a lot and, while it may not always be practical for him to be at home to study, sometimes it will be necessary.  So, I would like to create a room that meets his needs for quiet and calm.

This room was the "office" when we first moved in.  When we were pregnant with Little Bee, I thought we were going to use the room for her nursery.  Hence, we painted and decorated a little.  But, as we neared her due date, we decided to have the girls share a room and make the office a playroom.  You know, try to get most of the toys out of the living room.  Just recently, we added a sunroom onto our back patio and moved the playroom out there.  So we now have a room that is part nursery, part office, and part playroom (there are always toys everywhere).

2.  Make office cozy for Jerome to study but neutral for future use.

 

Prep walls (remove nursery décor and patch holes)

Paint walls

Hang Jerome's art

Simple window treatments with a rolling blackout shade?

Comfortable rolling office chair

Twin bed

 

 

The Big List-bowski

This post is where I will keep references to all future activity on each of my 14 items.  Organized by priority and/or date needed.  Watch as I progress and cheer me on!

1.  Save for and buy queen and 2 twin mattresses with box springs (possibly just bungee (sp?) boards for twin mattresses).
Due by: ongoing...hopefully by early Fall 2014

2.  Make office cozy for Jerome to study but neutral for future use.
Due by: January 2014

3.  Add seating to living room.
Due by: anytime, but savings/purchase for this may push mattress purchase back

4.  Baby boy gift for Sarah.
Due by: EO March 2014

5.  Baby gift for Trisha.
Due by: June 2014

6.  Make roman shades for sunroom.  Need fabric and blackout material.
Due by: Summer 2014

7.  Rework nursery into older girls' room.
Due by: after twin mattresses have been purchased

8.  Make pallet couch for sunroom and use futon mattress for cushions.
Due by: after twin mattresses have been purchased

9.  Sell futon frame (and sell other unused/unwanted items around the house).
Due by: after pallet couches have been built and futon mattress used

10.  Pick color for sunroom and paint wall, ceiling, and {possibly} floor.
Due by: after fabric for shades and cushions have been chosen/purchased

11.  Christmas stockings for family.
Due by: EO November 2014

12.  Window treatments for living room and bedroom.  (Questioning whether I will actually get to this...2014 may be needing more fabric than I can afford)
Due by: anytime

13.  Make a quilt for my queen size bed using kit given to me by mom in 2011.
Due by: EO December 2014
14.  Read entire Old Testament of the Bible.
Due by: EO December 2014

Ok, so this may not be the order I will end up doing them, but the point of the Big List-bowski is to constantly keep in mind what I would like to do with 2014 and do what I can with any item at any given time.  Also, it helps me not to do other things this year...kinda like a budget.

The List

In no particular order:

1.  Make a quilt for my queen size bed using kit given to me by mom in 2011.
2.  Make roman shades for sunroom.  Need fabric and blackout material.
3.  Save for and buy queen and 2 twin mattresses and box springs.
4.  Make pallet couch for sunroom and use futon mattress for cushions.
5.  Sell futon frame (and sell other unused/unwanted items around the house).
6.  Pick color for sunroom and paint wall, ceiling, and {possibly} floor.
7.  Add seating to living room.
8.  Make office cozy for Jerome to study but neutral for future use.
9.  Baby gift for Sarah.
10.  Christmas stockings for family.
11.  Baby gift for Trisha.
12.  Window treatments for living room and bedroom.
13.  Rework nursery into older girls' room.
14.  Read entire Old Testament of the Bible.

So, 14 projects for 2014?  I may edit this list as the year progresses...obviously some of the items are simple and some will have multiple steps, but I will muddle through as best I can!

What It's All About

I am starting this blog in an effort to motivate myself to accomplish a few things in the New Year.  While everyone writes a blog to be read by an audience large or small, I hope to keep this blog for myself.  I want to make a list for myself here and chart my progress, hoping that by the end of the year I have accomplished at least the things I set out to do (and maybe more!). 

I have stashes of fabric and craft materials that I have either purchased (20%) or that have been given to me (80%).  I can't seem to say no to scraps of fabric and other people's unfinished projects.  At least 10 years ago my best friend's mom gave me 3-4 blue Rubberneck tubs of fabric...quilting, corduroy, various other materials.  I kept them for quite a while, but eventually got rid of a ton of it because it was just sitting there.  Some people know of my weakness and affinity for crafting and have specifically contributed to my stash.  Isn't that evil?  So, do I throw things out, keep them "just in case", or use them for purposeful projects?  My goal is the latter. 

Plus, my hubby is starting a rigorous schedule in a week of graduate school and full-time work, so I feel the need to be productive and somewhat busy so that I'm not too demanding of him.  He'll be a busy guy.

I'm working on my master list for 2014 and will back with it soon.