Pulling things together.....

Hello All!!

So I went by the house a few days ago and this is the newest outside shot! YAY!! Now all that's left is the garage, (and getting rid of the ugly UGLY porta-potty!!) and then it'll be HOME!!!

After hearing about the kitchen cabinets were completed, I HAD to go take a look. I went with a friend of mine and then I actually was able to meet some of my neighbours from across the way. They were really nice and I'm glad that I live across from some AWESOME people! I'll be drinking with them for sure! lol...

So after talking to my fun neighbours, my friend and I went into the house and walked up the stairs and saw THIS....

I literally SQUEALED because the cabinets looked better than my expectations!!! My friend and one of the workers laughed at me...but it's ALL GOOD!! Cause my cabinets look FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANTASTIC!! lol..

Here's another shot...

WHOO HOO!! IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII LOVE IT!!!

The downside to this was that my PDI was pushed back to 8 am on the holiday Monday...boooooooooo...but at least I get a PDI soon enough...moving right along...

AND (to the delight of many of my friends who have watched me go back and forth about this...),

 I BOUGHT MY COUCH TODAY!!!

I think it's a funky couch..kinda 60s inspired. I like the clean lines but it's also really comfy because you sink into the cushion, but you are really supported in the back because it's a tight back. I'll have to share the fabrics when I get a better shot of them but the main couch is almost like the picture but a little lighter brown with almost a funky tweed colour, and the accent cushions are this REALLY fun leaves pattern with black, gold, grey and hot pink leaves all over it. Very happy and very me!

So...I have completed these tasks at least, and now it's a matter of getting everything finalised slowly but surely and then I'll be IN MY HOUSE!!

10- TEN!!!!!!-more days!!  

Beds and Frames

 I went over to the site yesterday to take a look at the progress. This is what awaited me.

Now, while I'm happy to have SOME framing done (finally!), I am still a little disappointed because this is basically the same status that I saw last week and all the other homes around our block are almost at the roof stage, when originally most if not all of them were supposed to close after us. It just doesn't seem like they are very concerned with working on our block and it's more than a little discouraging...

BUT on the positive note, I went to Mattress Mart yesterday to do some comparison shopping. I had originally gone to Sleep Country and thought I had found a good deal on beds, but upon talking and comparing beds at Mattress Mart with my friend Shannon...actually more like joking and testing out the beds by hopping/flinging ourselves/bouncing on them, I upgraded to a better quality mattress and the total price was only about 200 more than Sleep Country. So I am cancelling my order with them and going with Mattress Mart instead. I am very happy with my buy now and can't wait for it to be delivered!!

Now if only the house could get completed already so that there's somewhere TO deliver...that'd be great! lol..

Triple-Threat Ottoman

I went to Home Sense on Monday (I swear that store is SO addictive!) and I saw this ottoman that I thought was REALLY nice, but it cost more than I had budgeted and I left it because I wanted to think about it a bit more....

Well..for the night and next day at work, I kept kicking myself for not getting the ottoman. The mental image basically taunted me all that time, because it was so perfect for me that I was a fool to leave it! So right after work, I went to the Home Sense, intent on picking it up. I made a beeline for the area where it was...to find that it was no longer there. I was really disappointed until I looked over to another corner of the store and THERE IT WAS!! YAY!! So I bought the ottoman and now I'm REALLY happy I did.

lol...I realise I'm talking about an ottoman like it's something substantial and life changing...but I REALLY liked it! Plus, from all my other posts, you should know by now how totally into the home experience I truly am! lol...

So my new ottoman has the same configuration as this picture, except the top part is puffier and smoother.

It's great because:

a- The top part is cushy enough to be used as a nice footrest.

b- The top part has lids that have wood on the other side so they can be flipped used as a table for drinks and snacks.

c- The storage underneath will be great for magazines and blankets etc.

AND it was actual leather upholstery so that was a nice bonus! Quite happy with my purchase if I do say so myself! lol...

Boxing Day Bonanza!!

So this year, because of the new house, I actually braved the Boxing Day madness and went shopping for electronics...all I can say is WOW!! I got out of bed at about 5:30 am..puttered around the house because I was still recovering from Christmas dinner, and then my sister and I set out, despite freezing rain, to the Merivale strip for Futureshop and Best Buy deals. The place was PACKED and I couldn't believe that THAT many people were out despite the time and weather...but then again, I thought, I'm currently one of those people so I can't exactly judge now can I?? Lol...

All in all, despite barely being able to keep myself upright and awake while standing in the line, I managed to get some good deals so overall I'm happy.

My new TV is 46" of TV goodness from Samsung. I cannot WAIT to watch Mike Fisher close ups on this screen with those beautiful blue eyes, dark hair and manly goodness as he plays for the Sens...even though he's marrying Carrie I-am-not-worthy Underwood...but that's neither here nor there...(Jealousy??  What's that?? lol!)

Now that that little tangent is complete, I also managed to buy a surround sound system for, again when I'm watching the man that is supposed to be MY husband, as well as the great action movies that I plan to be indulging in once I move. I totally plan on having at least one LOTR marathon day as well as the Godfather trilogy..maybe even the Matrix....you know it's a good theatre system when you're already imagining the movies and shows that you're going to watch once it's all set up!!! EPIC BATTLES AND AWESOME DEATH SCENES IN HD, HERE I COME!!

Again...pulling myself back to this version of reality..here is my sound system, also by Samsung, with a blue-ray system, 4 tall-boy speakers, one larger speaker and a sub-woofer:

I also got a Panasonic Microwave for a good price...and those 3 purchases basically completed my electronics list, since I am not sure what I will be doing for my computer equipment. ONE MORE GROUP OFF MY LIST! YIPPEEEE!!! I also went to Homesense and bought two mirrors that will go perfectly in my main and master bathrooms thus completing the set up for those rooms as well.

It's kinda cool to finally see more checked items on the list than things that are still outstanding, and with only 121 (but who's counting??) days to go, I'm starting to climb that peak into the excitement zone all over again. I have not been to see the house site in a while, as the last handful of times have yielded no change, but I'm hoping that very VERY soon in the new year, all that will change.

Next...Furniture...Oy veh! Stay tuned!!

Awesome Appliances!!

I went to the Brick today and chose my appliances. I'm pretty sure that I'll keep these choices, but I still have some time to change my mind just in case.

And without further ado.......... my appliances!! lol...

This is my LG Dishwasher. I liked this one because it was a nice clean front with the integrated controls at the top of the dishwasher. The handles also match my range as well, which is good because they are different brands and it all worked out for the best. One of the nicest features I found on this one is that the steam from the cycle doesn't vent to the outside but to an inside vent, where it condenses and goes down the drain. That is supposed to be good for areas with hardwood because it doesn't affect the humidity. Since my house is all open concept as well, I wanted a really quiet dishwasher and I've heard that this one is one of the quietest out there so I'm quite happy!

This is my Kitchenaid Gas Range. I really liked the clean lines on this stove, and that the controls of this range are at the front. I'm so clumsy that I thought controls at the front were a good idea so I don't accidentally set myself on fire or something..lol. It is a slide-in so it'll be really nice to have it look 'integrated' into the counters. A bonus is that this range has a warming drawer which I think is a nice lil' feature, and Kitchenaids make very good gas ranges so I'm happy to know I have a quality product. Plus..it's just plain purrrrrrty! lol...

And last but not least, this is my new Samsung Fridge. I had originally wanted an LG fridge, but I was convinced of this one because it actually fits the height and width of my fridge space perfectly and it's counter-depth, which was something I was looking for, but didn't think I would be able to find.  It's a good sized, stainless steel fridge with a bottom-mount freezer pull-out, and the finish resists fingerprints fairly well (I actually touched it all over a million times to test this!) so it'll look clean for a while yet.  I also like the clean lines of the fridge- the handle is a groove on the side- and the cool digitial readout at the bottom of the fridge is nice too. AND most importantly, it's big enough to hold MY meat, which let's face it, is the MOST important criterium of all! lol..

I bought this set a while ago, but it's a Samsung front-load washer and dryer set. The set came with the pedestals, which is really beneficial because it brings the whole set up to full height so I don't have to bend down to do my laundry. I had originally wanted a silver set that I saw of the same set, but then I saw an episode of Sarah's house with this beautifully sunny, and inviting laundry room so I decided that the white ones can suit me just fine! lol

SO! Those are currently my appliances which I think will be very nice in the house. AND the best part was, yet again, I came in UNDER my original budget....WHOOOO HOOOOO!!! I don't know how it keeps happening, but I LOVE it!! Now I can focus on paying everything off...oy! lol...

Mirror Image

I went shopping (again) this weekend, and bought a new mirror this weekend that I am very excited about!! I can't wait to hang it up in my foyer. It kind of looks like this one here, but the border panels are more offset so it looks like a prism with more refraction. It's beautiful!!
WHOO HOO!!

Let There Be Light (Fixtures)!!

Canadian Tire has been having a sale on Light fixtures for the past week, so I've now chosen and picked up all the fixtures for my bathrooms. The mental images of my bathrooms are pretty much complete now. And of course, as with everything else I've done house related, I wanted to share!

So without further ado................

This is the fixture for the powder room. It should go well with the other brushed nickel fixtures I have planned.

This is the fixture for the guest bathroom. It should go PERFECTLY with the browns and bronzes that I have planned for this bathroom.
This is the fixture for the Master Bath. At first, I wanted each bathroom to have a completely different light, but I liked this style so much that I just made my bathroom have 4 lights instead of the 3. I'm really glad I did!

Well that's everything for now. Nice to know that I have at least some of the rooms complete. Now I have to worry about furniture and appliances. Although, I got an awesome deal on a Samsung Washer and Dryer set so that's off the list, PLUS a deep-freezer for all the BBQ meat I intend to have on my wee deck soon enough. YAY house!!! :D

Range Hood

I got a great deal on a range hood today! Checked it out yesterday at Costco and then actually picked it up this afternoon. It's a nice and simple stainless steel range hood that should fit perfectly in my kitchen, PLUS in doing my research I've seen rangehoods in stainless steel range from about $500-$1000 and I got that for a fraction of the price!! It's ALL about the deals!! lol..

Anywho, here is my new range hood...

I also went to the house site today and they were digging up a storm. I saw that they were also doing some burying of the large concrete posts so they are moving along quite well. I'll have to try to take a closer look this weekend because every time I go, they are still working and I can't get close enough for a good shot with the camera. I'm sure these will be just the first of MANY trips to the site before the house is finished...lol

Speaking of closing..today marks 5 months, 3 weeks and 2 days until closing day..or 174 days..however you want to slice it..lol! WHOO HOO!!

This sucks...and I LOVE IT!!!

Hello all!!

Well, I've recently gone on another spending binge BUT I did manage to get A LOT of things checked off my list which is a great feeling. I made a shopping trip down to Watertown, New York for Labour day sales and found LOTS of really nice bathroom and home accessories at Target, TJ Maxx, JCPenny and so on. I may have spent more money than I anticipated but it was all worth it!

And as if my shopping trip wasn't enough, the good times just kept on rollin!

For the longest time, I've been trying to figure out what vaccuum to buy because of my berber carpets. I'd heard a lot about the Dyson brand, but with pricetags of $500+ and my budget of about $200 maybe $300 if I'm pushing it, I had come to accept that Dyson would be out of my league and I just wanted to find a good vaccuum I could be happy with.

So yesterday, on a fluke, I went on a jaunt to Future Shop to get some quotes on appliances. Basically dreaming about the kind of appliances I want, and confirming reality regarding the kind of appliances I can afford.... when, while drooling over a dishwasher, I glanced a for sale sign near the vaccuums. I didn't pay much attention until I saw the name WITH the sale sign...Dyson. As I moved closer... I swear that I heard angels..but I didn't dare to celebrate just yet. Then I saw it. One of the Dysons, which was nice, compact, light, had the cyclone technology, beater brush control, and the ball axis- just generally PERFECT for my home- was on sale...AT ALMOST $200 OFF!! AND there were only TWO left.

So what did I do???

Well, after I finished pinching myself to see if it was a dream, and then finished my little happy song and jig, I yoinked that Dyson right off the shelf and purchased it before anyone could realise their mistake and my good fortune. SO! I now have my desired vaccuum BRAND NEW at almost HALF price!!

Everyone, meet my new DC24..Dicey for short. =D lol..

Happiness and Joy people!! Never have I said 'Well that sucks!!' and been so happy about it!!! I felt like that IKEA commercial where the woman looks at her bill and starts a run/walk while yelling 'START THE CARRRRRRRR!!!!'.... except I couldn't do that because I was the one driving..but still...lovely (and comedic) moment!! lol...

More Shopping!!

So I went to HomeSense today and fell in love with this cabinet!! So I bought it because I've promised myself that I will only spend money on things that I LOVE! So...this is going to be my new cabinet for my master bathroom. I also bought a few knick knacks along the way including $7 for a set of 4 martini glasses. YAY ME!! I keep getting excited over littlest house stuff...but it's MY house stuff..lol.

Waiting....and SHOPPING!!

So I had a bit of a shopping spree yesterday and among my purchases was this folding shelf from Pier 1. It'll be great for parties and such because space might be a little limitied so people.... say hello to my new fold-out bar (the little one..not the big one...don't judge me...lol!!!)
lol..I find it amusing that I do not have my house, I do not have a sofa, I do not have appliances....BUT I have somewhere to stash my alcohol!! Guess MY priorities are straight! =D

I also went to Linen Chest where they were having a really good deal on glasses. An 18-pc set for 10 bucks!! So I scooped up two of those in a jiffy and of course, I can't go to Linen chest without a stop at Ikea a.k.a Blue and Yellow Heaven. I found a lot of things there that I liked, which is something that always happens. I got some plate sets that were a pretty good deal, and a few little odds and ends for my bathrooms. I also got this TV stand that I wanted priced out to give me a better idea of what I'll be spending once closing comes along. This feels good spending money on house things! And I figure since it's actually for the house and not some kind of personal blow out, I'm not ruining my budget cause this was my plan all along. Buy the small things bit by bit during the waiting period so that once I move in, it's not a lot of money all at once...yes...that was and is the plan...I also want to say that denial is a very POWERFUL thing...lol!!

Well on the actual house front, my Customer Care Coordinator told me that as it stands now, there are no black or green boxes on my property, which is a big relief because I REALLY didn't want any of those. I don't have a lot of room as it is so I didn't want it marred by a big metal box. I was also told that, as of now my house is still proceeding as scheduled which means construction should be beginning next month!!!!!! After all this time, construction is only mere WEEKS away!! Craziness! OH the excitement! I cannot WAIT! I also managed to virtually meet more of my neighbours and everyone seems so nice and cool! I have a feeling that our block is going to be a kick ass block for sure!

My Matrix Lamp!!

Rona was having a sale on Light fixtures this weekend! I originally went to look at a long crystal box type of chandalier but then I found this one instead. It's really cool and the inside has flexible arms that remind me of the matrix sentinel (hence the title). :) I'm quite excited and I think that it'll look perfect in my dining room. Happiness and Joy!