OUR HOME // exterior before + after

I was hoping to write this post much sooner, but hey, house projects always take longer than anticipated, right?  Honestly, our garage still doesn't have any siding on it after 6 months, and you can still see the scaffolding up on the left (still finishing some trim paint), so we're definitely not done, but it'll happen.  Someday.  But!  For all intents and purposes, we're basically done with the hard stuff.

When we were looking around for a house, we were looking for a project, mostly because we wanted a cheap house.  Like, really cheap.  And in Tacoma's housing market, that's not too hard, especially if you're ready to put in a little elbow grease to get the most out of your cheap house.  We had looked at the house behind the one we ended up buying, but the interior was awful.  It needed to be completely re-done.  The exterior was fine, but the interior was pretty bad.  We decided to pass on that one and as we walked home, we saw the house we ended up buying.  It looked like a dump.  The exterior was in sorry shape.  We didn't even bother looking at it because we figured with an exterior like that, there was no way the interior was decent.  Well, we were wrong, and the interior had been completely remodeled.   Unfortunately someone had done a terrible job of keeping up the exterior shingle siding and  had done the worst paint job I've ever seen on a house. they barely even masked off the windows and doors and sprayed a thick coat of paint right over paint that was already peeling.

So in January, we ripped it all off.  After looking into some construction companies around town and getting some estimates, we ended up just doing it ourselves.  My Dad and Uncle came down from Alaska, along with my brother, who was heading back to college after being home for Christmas break, and then my cousin and other brother drove up from Portland to help as well.  My Dad and his brother worked with my Grampa for years doing construction on houses, so it was almost a reunion tour of my Grampa's old construction business, Auke Bay Builders!  It actually felt really cool to be able to work alongside my family like that.  Anyway, Dan & I did all the demo before they showed up, so when they arrived we got right to the siding... after hauling 600 lbs of old shingles to the dump.

It took about two weeks total.  There were a couple snafu's to fix after taking off the old siding.  The front porch had some weird off-kilter-ness to it, so my Dad squared it up.  But many hands made light(ish) work, and I was so thankful to have the expertise of my Dad and Uncle available.  Replacing the old shingle siding with new shingle siding would've been too expensive, so we went with HardiePlank Lap siding, which is nice because it's not actually wood, it's fiber cement material.  This makes it fire-resistant, among other things, which is nice.  Plus, you only have to score with a knife and then snap in order to cut pieces, rather than sawing each one, which saved a ton of time.  I love the look of shingles, and it fits the style of our house, so we decided to do cedar shingles in the gables, which I think looks super sharp.

We decided to paint it a dark charcoal.  After seeing some darker colored houses around town, I thought it looked both modern and classic.  I figure there are so many houses painted "safe" colors like beige, I wanted to do something more unique and bold.  We tested a couple shades of charcoal and ended up with a near-black shade, but after painting the whole house, I'm in love with it.  I feel like we've got the snazziest house on the block!

Since the interior of our house isn't in need of immediate renovation, our next project (well, other than finishing the siding on the garage to match the house...) will probably be fencing in our side yard in front of the detached garage to give us more enclosed, private yard space.  I got

these patio tiles

at Ikea the other day from the As-Is section (35 tiles for only $1 each!!), so I'm excited to start installing them soon!  I'd like to make some more raised beds to expand our veggie garden, too.

I'm so proud of the work we've done in less than a year.  I always get sad seeing all the run down craftsman homes around town that obviously used to be so beautiful.  When we were looking for a house, I wanted to be able to revive one of those homes back to it's former glory, so it's been really fun actually getting to do that.  Our house had sat vacant for years before we moved in with no one taking care of it.  Thankfully the interior hadn't fallen into disrepair, so we've been able to focus all our energies on fixing up the exterior.

my fitness routine // the results

I was really bad about taking before pictures when I started Insanity.  I took some in November, but they were mirror iPhone pictures taken at night, and weren't that great.  But I did want to see the difference in my body, and I figured since I do take daily pictures of myself, it would be relatively easy to find some before pictures.  I didn't plan this, but it turns out I took these pictures exactly one year apart!  So the "before" is actually a few months before I even started working out regularly, but still probably an accurate representation of my "before."  
I never felt overweight or anything, and that's not really why I started working out, but I definitely feel better, both in terms of my physical fitness, strength, and cardio, and also in how that's manifested in the way my body looks.  I feel more "me."  I was always a very active kid and teen, doing track & field, basketball, and riding horses.  And in college I really loved being able to take fitness classes regularly, such as pilates, weight training, ballet, and ice skating.  But after college, fitness wasn't something so easily accessed.  I started rock climbing, which does provide a good workout, but doing more regular, longer, intense workouts is something that I needed to return to the level of fitness that I had when I was in my teens/early 20's.  


For the most part, my body has always been relatively the same size and shape.  I haven't grown much since 8th grade.  So weight and tone fluctuations are really hard for me to perceive in my body.  I have swung between ~110lbs and 125lbs at different times since 8th grade, but since I don't weigh or measure myself consistently, it's not something I really paid that much attention to.  But seeing these photos I can definitely see a difference, and I see why taking before & after photos is so important when you're trying to make a change.  The day to day changes are almost imperceptible and you can start to feel discouraged when you don't see a big leap in fitness, ability, or body shape.  But just putting your head down and plowing through the work, and then taking the after photo, you definitely can see it!  I've never seen visible results before (okay, granted, I've never really stuck to a workout plan before either), so I'm pretty excited that I can actually see the work paying off!  And I'm seeing results in my strength through rock climbing too!

featured sponsor // for elyse

Happy weekend, everyone!  Today I've got Amber Kierig, owner and founder For Elyse, here talking a bit about summer style and what it's like to run a brick and mortar and online shop along side one another.  If you're in the Chico/Redding, CA area you can check out For Elyse in person at one of their boutiques, but if, like me, you are not, then check out their online shop!  They've got a ton of awesome summery pieces in stock right now, and with the temperatures climbing here in Tacoma, I'm eyeing all of those hot-weather-friendly items right now!  

Delightfully Tacky: So, what made you want to start a shop?

Amber Kierig: I've always loved fashion. When I was 16 I worked in a little clothing store in the mall. I got a second job in a thrift shop that sold cool vintage pieces that I mixed with new things from the boutique. I loved the people I worked with and I pretty much knew from 17 on that I wanted to have my own shop one day. At the time I thought it would be more vintage clothing but when I was 21 my husband and I traveled to Thailand and Nepal and met a lot of people in the textile industry. I had some designs that I wanted to have made and thats really how it all got started. We had the few styles of dresses I had sketched out made and from there I started selling them at music festivals. Soon I had saved enough to open a small boutique.

DT: How did you come up with the name "For Elyse"?

AK: Our first little boutique was called Wild Orchid, when we picked the name I didn't realize how many other businesses had the same name. When the opportunity presented itself to move to a more prime location, we decided we wanted the name to have more meaning. I wanted it to be more personal, so we named it after our daughter, Elyse.


DT: You have two brick and mortar shops in addition to the online For Elyse shop. How is running an online shop different than running a brick and mortar? Do you prefer one to the other?

AK: There are definitely pros and cons to both. I really enjoy running my brick and mortar shops. I love being able to interact with customers face to face and see them in the clothes. I loved seeing you in our skinnies! I have had my shop at the Chico location for over 11 years and the Redding location for almost 6, so at this point I feel like I've worked out most of the kinks. I look at it like I've made a recipe that works for us and everything runs pretty smoothly. We're well established in our community and people know who we are.

The website, on the other hand, is a younger project that we are still working really hard to have people discover. We have a wonderful team of photographers, models, copy writers, and bloggers that I learn something from everyday. So the website is definitely more work than the brick and mortars but I wouldn't want to have to pick one or the other.

DT: Do you have any plans in the future to expand, or have any fun projects in mind for For Elyse?

AK: Yes we are in the middle of planning a couple different fun projects right now. We are teaming up with the Rotary Club, putting on a fashion show to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation. We are also working with the Humane Society to help place rescue dogs in good homes. I can't wait to see how that photo shoot comes out. I am a huge dog lover. As for future plans to expand, our main focus right now is making people aware of forelyse.com. After we accomplish that we may open a third shop but I like to keep my focus to one thing at a time;)


DT: What is your favorite thing about running a clothing boutique?

AK: My absolute favorite thing about my job is being a buyer. I love seeing whats coming out months in advance and anticipating what the new trends are going to be. I also love the relationships I have established with so many of my manufacturers.

DT: It's probably super summery in California by now, but what summer activities are you most looking forward to?

AK: Summer is definitely here! Really the best thing you can do to escape the heat is jump in the pool or go swimming down at the creek. We are too far inland to be able to hit the beach. I'm most looking forward to going on a summer road trip with my daughter. We decided to make it a tradition two summers ago. It's nice to be able to escape all the responsibilities of life and enjoy each others company for a week. Last year we made it all the way to Canada!

DT:  What is your favorite summer style to wear?

AK: That should be an easy questions but there are so many fun trends I like to wear! I would have to say a couple of my favorites are maxi skirts and dresses. I love throwing a chambray top or jean jacket over just about anything, whether it is paired with a maxi or shorts. They are essential pieces of my wardrobe. I also love layering my jewelry, lots of different types of bracelets, bangles and necklaces.

DT: What are your personal favorite items currently in stock at For Elyse?

AK: Currently my favorites are the Lovebird and the Very Striped Maxi Dresses or the Pales in Comparison Maxi Skirt. I like pairing them with the Breakfast Club Jean Jacket or the Blue Skies Chambray Top.

DT: Do you have any advice for someone who's looking to start a clothing boutique, or just want to work in the fashion industry?

AK: I have never been very a giving others advice but I can say that it needs to be something you really love doing. I do not think I would be as successful if it was a side job. My life literally revolves around my shops but I can't imagine doing anything else!

Thanks Amber!  You can check out and shop For Elyse here, and make sure to also check out their facebook, twitter, and pinterest!

beat the heat

Yesterday I decided that I was going to suck it up and start painting the living room.  All our house was the same color scheme when we moved in: light tan walls, with dark tan trim.  Bo-ring.  And surprisingly dark.  It took 2 coats of primer to cover what seemed like a relatively light colored paint!  I painted the kitchen a few months ago, but have been in the grips of indecision when it comes to what to do with the living room.  So I'm painting it white for now.  I want it to be lighter in there, and perhaps someday I'll choose to put a nice bold color on a wall or two, but for now it'll be nice to have a clean slate.  For now I'm hoping some bold curtains will bring in some nice big slates of color.  I got two options from Ikea to try out, so hopefully one of those two options will look good.  I still have to finish the last coat of paint first, but I'm almost impatient enough to say "screw it" to that second coat and just put up the curtains right now.  Also, having the living room look like a disaster area is obnoxious.  Patience, patience.  

 

dress(similar)/bcbg outlet :: shoes(similar)/courtesy of modcloth :: belt + scarf/thrifted  necklace/courtesy of peerless charm :: shades(similar)/courtesy of lulu's It's been super muggy here lately, so I've been keeping my hair off my neck all week.  It always looks so cloudy and cool outside, so I put on jeans and a cardigan, and then by the time I'm done biking to the coffee shop I'm literally dripping in sweat and feel like a hot mess.  Clearly I would not do well in the hot, humid south.  I'm much more adept at dealing with sub-zero temperatures than the humid heat.  The only redeeming thing about having to live in the south would be that my hair, strangely, does not seem to frizz out in the humid air.  Which makes no sense to me, because every other curly, big haired girl I know gets crazy big frizz when it's humid.  My hair defies the laws of nature, apparently.   I actually got this dress back in '07 when my family was RV-ing around the country while we were in the hot, humid south.  I was in desperate need of something to wear that would accomodate the climate, and being an Alaskan, didn't really have anything.  We stopped at an outlet mall and I found this dress in the BCBG outlet.  I didn't even know what BCBG was, I just knew this dress fit and it would be perfect for beating the heat.  Ever since then, it's my go-to hot weather dress.  A white sundress is kind of like summer's version of the LBD, right?

my summer entertaining fab wishlist!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9

One of the big things that I'm super excited about for this summer is outdoor entertaining!  While we had a pretty big yard at our old place, it wasn't very entertaining friendly.  We've already had a couple parties at the new house and it's so great!  I'm hoping for many summer parties in the backyard.  We're still a long way from having our yard the way I want it to be, so window shopping is always a fun way to find inspiration.  Fab is a great place to find such inspiration because they're always rotating in new curated items that are unique.  For our backyard, I'd love to have a permanent seating area for outdoors.
Right now we just drag our kitchen table chairs outside, which is a drag, and then if people want to sit at the table indoors, they're kind of out of luck.  We've got a little fire pit, so having seating set up around that would be ideal.  I don't know if I'm the only one hung up on the idea of a rug outdoors, but I think that idea is so fun.  Instead of having a fancy brick patio, just put an indoor/outdoor rug down and voila!  Instant fanciness.  Also, non-breakable tumblers for outdoor beverage consumption?  Brilliant. Bonus that they are wood!  I've never seen such a thing!  Dan's big into beer, and is brewing a lot of homebrews this summer, so it'd be fun to throw some beer tasting parties, and a little beer flight set up would be perfect.  I'm pretty excited about summer, especially because us Pacific Northwesterners try to soak it up as much as possible before the clouds roll on in again and stick around for months.

*This post is in partnership with fab.com. Thanks for supporting those companies which help keep Delightfully Tacky alive and kicking!