how to make your closet fancy unique designer closet with pink ceiling

Update on my spending freeze month

I’m halfway through my spending freeze month. I think it’s halfway, but I’m not really counting down the days because it’s going to change a lot this year and I have a post drafted to explain!

Anyway I’d love to share with you what I’ve been doing and how taking two weeks “off from people” except for the dentist and my facial lady and personal trainer has been wonderful! I am still seeing friends but I am not letting many service people go in and out because I want them to come and finish the same week.

Update on my spending freeze - flowers from the garden

I have a bit more time to slow down with thoughts and blog. No how to make money doing this again would be the question. It’s one of the things on my to-do list this year.

Meanwhile, I took a few days and wrote down two lists, a personal to-do list for me to handle like handyman stuff to fix and spackle and paint. The second list was the list I needed others to do, which also required setting up appointments which I would schedule after my two weeks “off from people.” A LOT has gotten done during this down time and it feels great getting those annoying small things checked off.

 

What I bought

But let’s get into what I did choose to buy – with gift cards or for whatever reason because it’s fun to talk about that. Yes, I am on a spending freeze but modified (read post here).

I used my $200 gift card (I forgot who gave it to me, I think my friend Pammy last Christmas), and I bought this vintage monkey candle holder on eBay. The reason I bought it was because the one I saw at Antique Gatherings on IG was already on hold. I took time to think about it but it was already taken and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I paid $55 on eBay.

I took my friend Brandy out to lunch for her birthday at Chelsea’s Kitchen (Ethan’s tacos are amazing) and we went to Scottsdale Marketplace to shop. Cookie the dog is not doing well you guys, and my heart is broken, I can’t believe the last time we saw him was in October… dogs just don’t live long enough.

Well my friend Kate gifted me a gift card to Scottsdale Marketplace and I found this pair of vintage Intaglios and I bought them! I am trying to recall if I got anything else with them because I think I did, two Christmas ornaments on clearance as I was packing up for Christmas anyway and tossed them in. They will be great for next year’s ornament parties and one less thing I have to think about.

Aren’t the intaglios beautiful? They have a black felted back and I love the round shape! They are in my living room.

vintage wedgwood serve ware cake cutter pie server spoon and butter knife

I bought this over the holidays on eBay, it was before my spending freeze but may have contributed to my idea that I needed a spending freeze.

It is this Wedgwood Jasperware set that is practically like new condition. It’s a cake knife, pie server, serving spoon and butter knife. No scratches, excellent quality from the 1970s and I paid around $165 for the set. It was more than I wanted to pay but for the quality of being this old, I couldn’t pass it up.

Now, I cannot leave that out when kids are around in case they drop it. But again, they are just things and meant to be used so I’m sure I’ll break my own rule at Easter. And so far, the kids have been so great coming to visit and not broken anything around!

What I’ve gotten done

Not to totally bore you with the checklist of fixing my “oops” around the house I’ve made, I’ll give you some ideas of what I’ve done because maybe you need to get to it as well.

  • Called alarm company to install additional motion sensors
  • Booked window tinter for the new closet window
  • Getting living room couch cushions stuffed to be more firm – don’t love how relaxed they are looking.
  • Requested custom curtain appointment 
  • Started listening to audiobook The Millionaire Mind (the second time I’m reading it)
  • Requested room measurements for new carpeting (in the future)

Let’s talk about my PB sectional I’ve had for over a decade that last summer I pulled the trigger to have a custom pleated blue cover made for it. Now it’s time to refresh the cushions. I’ve printed off some examples of how I want my front couch to look once refilled because it’s been a decade and the PB couch is looking too casual for me being in the front room. It looks like dogs have been sleeping on the top of the cushions and we don’t have dogs.

You can see how relaxed it is in here, which is ok, but I don’t love the laziness vibe. Reminds me of that RH cloud couch which looks like an unmade bed. I said it. It can look great for other people’s spaces but definitely not mine.

Oh but you look so comfortable you may be thinking. Yes, but at the same time, there are additional pillows on there for that reason, I want it to look tighter and those lines to match up better, so off to the upholstery store they go! Hopefully back in time for company and the entertaining we will be doing. 

Anyway things have been happening around here, it’s like time or space in my brain and no revolving door has allowed me to focus on tasks. I am meeting a friend for lunch tomorrow I haven’t seen for almost a year. I can’t wait to catch up with her.

Meanwhile so many house to do things are being scheduled, including cleaning the BBQ, and refluffing the turf in the kitchen garden! We are scheduling to get as much done with the house as we can in the same week!

 

I also decided to save $25 on an outlet cover that was on backorder and wallpaper over the outlet in my closet. I was staring at it realizing how unfortunate it was that it was on my main wall with the light switch and thought, hello, wallpaper over it and save some money.

Though the cost of this square piece of Lee Jofa Avondale wallpaper probably costs more than that outlet cover. In fact, I know it does.

But now you can barely see it right? Ah, magic!

Closet is 90% done, waiting on doors and such from the modular closet company, and 90% done with our contractor who needs to install the door and finish the trim.

I meanwhile also need to figure out how I am going to cover my window with what type of curtain or shade. I’m thinking of ordering the matching fabric Lee Jofa Avondale fabric which is the same print as my wallpaper in the closet. It’s so luxury that I think it’s what I need to do and I will probably go with a relaxed roman shade outside mount. See below for the inspo —

Inspiration this is Sister Parish fabric and wallpaper
how to make your closet fancy unique designer closet with pink ceiling

I can’t wait to show you the reveal though but it seems like I still have a bit to go, and we’re looking at end of February for a reveal, to be honest.

Can you believe it though, it’s taking that long and we started back in September. Kind of insane/ridiculous that the speed of everything has slowed down so drastically over these years. I am still not getting used to it, like a typical American I want things done right away and immediately but guess what, we’re still in the greatest country and I’m proud to be an American.

I’m excited to share with you about my upcoming plans for the “spending freeze” idea and it will help take funds to focus on other house projects that really need the attention opposed to filling my closet which as you can see is full enough! :) xx 

Diana Elizabeth is an author, photographer, and obsessive thrift shopper. You can typically find her in the garden wrist deep in dirt, at a local estate sale or planning her next creative themed party. She continues to blog weekly.

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