February is Done. Did We Have Fun?

Some blog news for the month: you might have noticed that I am approving blog comments now.  I was hit by a rash of almost comically inappropriate spam, so it became necessary.  There is no word verification or registration needed to comment, because I love hearing from you folks and want to keep it easy for you to chime in.  I try to go through and publish them whenever I have the chance, so don't worry if your comment doesn't pop up right away.  Speaking of blog business, thanks again to whoever nominated me for the Apartment Therapy Homies!!  It's always so thrilling to get votes, so a HUGE thanks to everyone who voted (and anyone who thought about voting).  You don't even have to scroll too far from the top to see little old me! 

In other news this month, my Mom and I re-launched our Etsy shop!  We added my Grandma to the shop so now our selection is even more eclectic and new inventory is added more frequently.

Speaking of family, Hubby's family visited in February so we did some local sight seeing and I couldn't help but get distracted, thinking about home decor instead of history, first at the Canadian Space and Aviation Museum . . .

. . . and even at the Diefenbunker!

I gleefully showed off my finished embroidery project (even though I finished it in Hungary).  I can't wait for it to magically become a pillow!

In terms of projects, we spent big this month.  Ouch.  We replaced our ceiling fans when we spotted a good deal.  Did I tell you there were only three left of the brushed silver?  Lucky us, because that's exactly how many we needed!

Of course we spent our Family Day hanging up those fans!  Did anyone else do any home improvement projects on Family Day?

On the high end of the cost scale, we also sprung for custom framing to preserve three 1960s posters from communist-era Hungary, that I bought while I was there.  These are real gems - a piece of history - and I'm happy Hubby likes them too.  I got the one about guys and hats just for him. 

If you're looking for sweet kitchen art, I rounded up some fun Pyrex prints.

Because we spent big on fans and frames, other projects had to be seriously thrifty last month.  I gussied up a 25 cent teak tray with a little teak oil, and still can't believe how it came back to life (can't get thriftier than that)!

For another thrifty endeavor, I dyed a beige dress, that I just wouldn't wear again, a rich navy hue that is guaranteed to get it a heavier rotation.  The dress wasn't cheap (well, for me), ringing in at $50 at Winner's, so I'm happy that spending a few more bucks on dye prevented this from being a wasteful purchase.

On the subject of money, we shared our tips for getting rid of student debt faster. 

Folks have been asking for more cleaning tips!  Other than revealing that I stress clean, and sharing my tip (and rounding up 11 others) for cleaning those teeny tiny bud vases, I have yet to deliver.  I promise March will have a couple more ideas for keeping things "townhouse-tidy".

I was happy to let a reader shine last month, and shared a super sweet, paired down version of my Expedit hack.  I love how uncluttered it is:

I also revealed an upcoming DIY: a stylish dollhouse.  I'm still in the planning stages, so I shared a bevy of gorgeous, wallpapered rooms and dollhouses that will serve as my inspiration.  This will be GOOD.

Making it Lovely

In March, I'll be showing off the insanely affordable laundry room lighting I found (after it gets a little tweak), plotting a large scale DIY art project, sharing a wintry jewellery project, painting the laundry room, picking a bold colour for the floor, adding more goods to the shop, talking budgets, and lots more.  Did you notice in my list of things to do that I plan to brave the basement?  I'm not going to lie, there are hundred-legged deterrents lurking . . .

What are your plans for March?