Pretty board and batten office reveal
January 17, 2012
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It's time to move on to some details on my office reveal from earlier this week. First of all, I just want to say THANK you for all of the wonderful comments. I truly appreciate them and appreciate that you take the time to comment. It makes my day!
There’s a lot I want to share, so bear with me!
First, more about the layout. This room was tough for me because it’s like every other room on our main floor…very few full walls. The space is only about 11 by 11 feet, two walls have windows (which I LOVE), and two are cut off a bit by the angled doorway.
You might remember that for a long time, I had the desk and light on the left side of the room. First it was facing the doorway, then I changed it to face the wall.
It just felt weird to me though…awkward. So in the end, it was moved over by the windows:
For a while I had it angled in the corner facing out, but that was awkward too. In order to get around it to sit down, the table had to be too far out into the room.
One day recently I was cleaning the floors and moved the desk over a bit. I realized it worked great!:
I love it! And it only took forever to figure it out. :)
This way if I ever want a different view, I can just turn it the other way, and I’ve still got all that natural light!
Speaking of the desk, this was my third option for the room. It was EXACTLY what I wanted – a “real” vintage farmhouse table. I totally lucked out when a friend of a friend was selling it.
Unfortunately it was covered with lead paint. :) I had it professionally stripped down and then I painted it a very light blue. (Paint colors coming at the end of the post!):
I also changed the orientation of the desk so the legs went with the width. It is a HUGE surface and perfect for crafting or sorting mail.
Speaking of mail, I showed you how I figured out a process for controlling the paper that comes in the house here. All of my office supplies are organized in the Craigslist dresser (that I LOVE).
The mail and stuff that I need to go through goes in the box on top, then the papers that need to be filed in the basement go in the top drawer:
The other drawers hold lots ‘o stuff. Before I put a drop of paint on the walls a long long time ago, I did a serious purge of my office supplies. Did I really need four rolls of tape? Did I need ten packs of post its? Did I have to have 45 random pens and pencils?
No. :)
One drawer holds what office supplies I do use in pretty holders from HomeGoods:
The drawers are REALLY wide but very shallow, so these work great! I can fit a ton of stuff in there!
The next drawer holds my Silhouette machine, and all the fun stuff that I use with that, as well as my “junk drawer in a drawer” – it holds my go-to stuff like address labels, stamps, envelopes, my label maker and just STUFF:
When I sit down and go through mail, I pull this out and put it on the desk so I have stuff at hand.
The bottom drawer is dedicated to the kiddo – three more bins corral all of his goodies:
But most of his stuff is in the caddy to the left of the dresser:
And his sticker books, magazines, coloring books and Lego magazines have a spot in the book bin:
It was a Goodwill find years ago and used to sit in his nursery:
I put some castors on the bottom ($4 for four at Lowe’s) because it’s SUPER heavy and this makes it easier to move around the room.
The basket to the right of the cabinet used to house our little shredder and the cords:
We’ve since moved the shredder out to the garage, so now this holds bulky stuff like my tripod, camera case and laptop case:
Everything I need on a daily basis is organized in this room and I love it! I mentioned that I moved some of the bulky stuff to the basement (like the filing cabinet) and I’m so thrilled! (We already had one down filing cabinet down there so this way everything is in one spot.)
The printer/scanner is also in hubby’s basement office. This works great for us because he uses it WAY more than I do. It’s also wireless, so I can print from anywhere in the house, then file items right away.
At first I hid the modem and router under the dresser (you couldn’t even see them – YAHOO!), but when I moved the dresser I didn’t have access to the cable jack. So instead, I moved them to a spot in the house that has a free cable jack -- the guest room. :)
That room is hardly used, so it’s worked perfectly! (We have no problems accessing internet from anywhere in the house.)
OK, onto some pretties. :) The gallery walls around the room are probably my favorite part of the room, but they also took the longest. OH EM GEE.
If you can believe it, I already had every frame, but that’s because I had been collecting them at Goodwill for about a year. They were all different colored frames, which I liked initially, but it got to be too busy. And I wanted the art to shine!
So I sprayed them all white, which took FOREVER. I had to take the art/photos/glass out of each one, clean them off, prime them twice and then spray them satin white twice.
FOR.EV.ER.
And hate me, but I didn’t cut out paper the size of each frame (like I’ve seen in mags) to figure out where I wanted each one on the walls. I just piled the frames in the room, started at one end of each wall, then picked different sizes that worked here and there.
Yes, I had to move a few along the way, but it’s just holes people. Itty bitty holes. You can’t even see them, can you?:
Most of the art is the Bub’s or my photos.
I wanted to have something on each wall that wasn’t art and wasn’t white, so that’s where the clock, industrial “S,” mirror and the Modern Bird art (absolutely LOVE it) come in.
I couldn’t be more thrilled with how it all came together. :)
That cutie little aqua table above started out as a table I found at my late father-in-law’s house. It was rickety and in bad shape – I took it apart, cleaned it up, tightened it up:
Because it was round, it stuck out into the room quite a bit:
So I used my jigsaw to cut it down, then reattached that piece with “L” brackets so it looks like a drop leaf table:
It saves us about six inches of space right there, and I’m all about that!
Whew!! Almost done!! :)
The drapes are a Waverly fabric I found from Joann’s forever ago. It is still there though. :) The striped fabric on the DIY memo board goes with it perfectly, and they were the very first picks for this room. The whole space was designed around them!
I made the drapes myself – lined and everything. ;) They aren’t sewn perfectly, but you can’t tell, right?:
Now I wish I would have picked a different fabric for the pendant light, but that was one of the first projects I finished, and I had planned on it hanging on the other side of the room away from the drapes. Oh well…I’m not touching anything in here for awhile, so it’s good. ;)
Here’s a rundown of a few ton more details…
Paint colors
Desk: True Value, Soft Hearted
Kid table: Valspar, Pond
Memo board
frame: Dutch Boy, Purify
Walls: Ralph Lauren, Sisal, lightened 25
percent
Ceiling: Dutch Boy, Purify
Sources:
Lamps, large basket: Target
Organizational items on and in dresser,
chair and pillow: HomeGoods
Binders: Nakedbinder.com
Fabrics:
Joann's
Dresser: Craigslist
Knobs on dresser: Hobby Lobby
Frames: Goodwill
Rug on chair back: IKEA
And here are links to the long list of projects that made this room happen!
Desk redo
Priming the formerly dark room
Painting
the walls
Installing crown
(I later chunked it up a bit by adding a piece of molding two inches down,
then painting in between.)
DIY memo board
(made from insulation board and a GW frame)
Board and batten
how-to
Organizing
the paper
Desk chair redo
(from a pleather parson’s chair to a no-sew covered chair)
Spraying
the board and batten
Pottery Barn art caddy
redo
How to make your
own printables tutorial
And if you missed it, the full reveal is here!!
Oh Sarah, I am so so so sorry. Losing a pet is just the worst. My heart hurts with you. :(
ReplyDeleteYour office is just stunning though.
I am so sorry for your loss. She was gorgeous. We lost 2 cats within 2 months of each other a few years ago. It really is hard. The home felt so different.
ReplyDeleteYour office looks great!
I'm so sorry about your kitty. They are such important parts of a family... :(
ReplyDeleteJo-Anna
So sorry you lost your cat, Sarah! I hope you're coping better today! : )
ReplyDeleteYour office is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about your kitty. Our pets leave us too soon.
Oh Sarah, I am so sorry to hear about your beautiful kitty. I can't believe what a long and happy life she must have lived! A couple years ago my 14-year-old cat went from perfect health to suddenly having a stroke that paralyzed her back legs...there was nothing we could do for her and it broke my heart. Even now the house doesn't feel quite the same. Thinking of you.
ReplyDelete(And that aqua table? Love!)
so sorry for your cat. i just hate that. it's got to be one of the worst things every. especially when they are inside & have been with you for so long. so sorry.
ReplyDeleteon another note, your office space is beautiful. i love your idea of the binders for toy manuals - great tip! also love that you incorporated a section for your little guy.
thinking of you.
kellie
I love everything about the office!! Share the paint color for the table?
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about your sweet cat... We have two lovelies and we wish cats lived as long as humans...
I'm so sorry about your kitty. I think my sweet girl will go in a similar fashion, she's had kidney failure for years. I'll be thinking about y'all, but try to remember that she loved you very much and knew she was loved. What a blessing!
ReplyDeleteAs for your office, it is SOOPA cute. I'd link to my own office, but then I'd have to explain the very complicated system (read: there isn't one) of our office still in boxes since we haven't replaced the bookshelves that broke in the move, sooooo consider yourself lucky.
Sad, Sad day. Here I was stalking your blog all day wondering where the party was and there was tragedy at your house. I'm so sorry. She was beautiful kitty!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your kitty! We just got our first puppy in May (I say puppy, but she's two) and even now we can't imagine life before her. I'll be thinking of you!
ReplyDeleteYour office is gorg, btw.
So sorry for the loss of your beautiful kitty. :( Your office is beautiful and I bet you are glad to finally be done with it. Love the table you painted and the artwork and photos that is all so meaningful and special. Thanks for hosting a great link up!
ReplyDeleteSO, so sorry to hear about your kitty. Hugs to you and I love, love your office. You executed every detail beautifully!!
ReplyDeleteYour office is amazing, but I am so taken by your loss. I am so sorry...
ReplyDeleteLove your new office! I linked up a couple of older posts of my craft room & library to share. I have your link in my sidebar all the time :)
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about your little kitty. I can't imagine how crazy and hard it's been. Thanks for having this party though!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to read about the loss of your cat. We actually just got a call from my husband's parents saying that their family cat was hit by a car and died this evening. We're still trying to wrap our heads around it. I'll keep you and your family in my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteYour office is absolutely gorgeous! I love everything about it, but especially the board and batten and the blue ceiling.
Sarah, so sorry to hear about you sweet kitty. It's so difficult to lose members of our furry family. Especially ones that have been around for so long. I hope you take some comfort in that she had a long, wonderful life with you and your family.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to put this linky party together, despite all that you've had going on. Your office is an inspiration.
I am so sorry to hear about your kitty! I have an old kitty too 18 also and I am dreading the day she leave us. I love your office space it looks so organized!
ReplyDeleteI'm so, so sorry to hear about your kitty. We went through exactly the same thing with our 5-year-old dear dog over seven years ago. It was heartbreaking. She was our first baby, and we still miss her so much.
ReplyDeleteYour office looks amazing. Hoping mine will compare someday!
I'm so very, very sorry about your cat. Losing a pet is always so hard :( I do love the room redo though, especially all the great touches (personal photos, sign from your late FIL's shop, table from him too, etc.) that make it really special for your family. Hugs to you!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE everything about this room :)
ReplyDeleteI dream of one day having my own craft room!
http://barnyardchic.blogspot.com/
Sorry about kitty :(
ReplyDeleteYour office is SO organized! Thoroughly impressed. I think my favorite is where you put your tripod and camera bag! I may have to borrow that idea from you for my office....
Becky B.
www.organizingmadefun.com
Organizing Made Fun
I am so sorry about your beautiful kitty. We had a very similar passing of our 18 year old cat on Halloween night.
ReplyDeleteKerry at HouseTalkN
Aw, sorry about your kitty. She looks like my sweet little Kit Kat, right down to the white paws, that we've been missing for almost 2 yrs now too. It stinks. :(
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry about the kitties. Pets are such an amazing part of the family and to loose two in such a short amount of time will take a toll! Especially, as the last death was so sudden. Sending good thoughts your way.
ReplyDeleteSarah, thanks for hosting such a fun party!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about your sweet cat. That made me choke up! I can only imagine how you and your family are feeling right now. Huge hugs to you from Texas.
I love your new office!! Love love love it. You did an amazing job. I'm always blown away by your decorating skillz. You rock the house girl.
Sorry for your loss!
ReplyDeleteI know you are so happy to have the office done and it looks so soothing.
ReplyDeleteHad to chime in and say I understand completely about your cat...been there and it's so hard...I think because they are so dependent. :(
So sorry about your kitty. Sending lots of hugs your way! Losing a pet is hard, they're part of the family!
ReplyDeleteWow! Lots of details in this post...must have taken you forever to write!! I just got a dresser off of Craigslist this past weekend, I still have to paint it, but I'm loving it!! It's in my living room, next to my cloffice & I'm planning on using it the same way you are utilizing yours. I need to a spot to store my Cricut machine, scrapbooks paper, etc. The bottom drawers are deep,so it should work perfect!! So sorry for the loss of your Cat!! She certainly was beautiful!
ReplyDeleteSarah...my heart is with you. We lost our 16 yr old boy-cat Sam to renal failure last Aug. We miss him so...it still hurts . But it does get better, now we can also smile and remember all the funny crazy things he used to do. What was your cat's name? Hugs to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I'm sorry for your loss. I've got my 2 kitties lying next to me and I'll be sure to give them extra love in honor of your baby. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteWe just lost our family dog of 12 years...it's always the day after that is the hardest...
ReplyDeletexoxo
I'm so sorry for your loss. What a sweet, sweet girl. Big hugs.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for what you went through yesterday. I lost my "been with me through all the hard times and purred me to sleep every night while my dad was dying" kitty in Nov. It happened so fast and I never could bring myself to write about it on my blog. I carried on like nothing had happened. Kind of like you are doing?
ReplyDeleteI do love your office. ~ Maureen
='( I am so very sorry to hear about your sudden loss, It's hard loosing a pet at any age for any reason. My one girl is only about 6-7 years old but it seems like we just got her just yesterday and there are times when I can't help but think about how she's not getting any younger and think about loosing her. I always had cats growing up but I lost one who was very dear to me, as weird as it sounds to most people we had a connection. I was an only child and she was like my best friend and sister, she would cry for me and wander around the house if i ever slept over a friends house, she slept on my pillow with me every single night. If I was upset or crying she would be right there beside me. Loosing her and all of my other animals in my life has been devastating.
ReplyDeleteShe was so well loved and taken care of and so happy and you can see it in every picture. Hugs and prayers go out to you and your family <3
On a brighter note.. I LOVE your office/craft area. I want to do something with my room we have the computer and craft stuff in now but we plan on moving this year so there's no point in doing anything yet. I can't wait to get settled into a new home so that I can create an awesome office/craft room.
So sorry to hear about your cat. I am saddened by your loss, becuase I am a cat owner too and know the heartache of loosing a pet. It is very hard, especially when have been a part of your life for so long.
ReplyDeleteYour office is beautiful! I love the colors and adore your desk! Great work on that space!
Sarah, I am so sorry about your sweet kitty. They are really family members when they have been a part of your life for so long. Saying a prayer tonight for you and your family, including the kitty who is so lonesome now.
ReplyDeleteI love the detailed tour of your office...so fun seeing how you store everything. Love the gallery of pictures, so perfect above the wonderful wainscoting! Thanks for the tour and sharing your sources.
Big hugs,
Susan
So sorry to hear about your beautiful cat. We have two older cats as well and we try not to think about losing them one day.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, your office space is amazing and I love how you have incorporated your son into the space so much. I'm sure you will have many fun, creative times there together!
Jenn :)
I'm sorry for your loss Sarah. The memories she gave you will last a lifetime and I hope those memories help ease your pain.
ReplyDeleteYour office looks amazing. I agree the gallery of pictures is my favorite part too! Thanks for showing whats in your drawers, I've sometimes wondered whats in everyone's drawers and cabinets. Mine definitely don't look that good.
Hugs to you and your family.
MarLaney
Did you know it's hard to type when your eyes are full of tears? I feel your pain. My 18 year old tuxedo kitty died in November 2010. I can truthfully say I miss him every day and still cry sometimes. I'm so sorry for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteYour room looks super. If I can get some pictures taken in the morning, I'll link up my room. It will be so much fun looking at other rooms, too.
I am so sorry about the loss of your sweet kitty. We lost our cat of 12 years the first week of December to kidney failure. It too happened so quickly. I hope you are feeling a bit better today, but grieving for a loved pet can be a long process.
ReplyDeleteI was so happy to see your completed office and I love how much thought you put into each element. My coffee table is the same color as your kids table and I adore it, even 3 years later! Enjoy your space!
Sarah, I am so sorry about your sweet kitty! We lost our Lacey to kidney failure a couple years ago and I still miss her. Cats are such a special part of our families, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteTake care.
I'm sorry about your cat, she looks like a real sweetie. You know they have to go one day, but you're hardly ever ready for it :(
ReplyDeleteYour office looks fantastic!
Sarah, that is an awful wrenching pain you are going through, to lose your dear cat of 18 years so suddenly. He was a darling cat and a big part of your lives. I've lost several cats to kidney failure and also 2 cats within 6 months of each other. The last one we had, was so bonded to his litter mate I thought the one left behind would not stop grieving. He howled and looked for him. We finally got a kitten and he adopted her and now he is better. Please take care and be kind to yourself. You gave him lots of love and wonderful life as a treasured family member.
ReplyDeleteSarah...it sucks having to say goodbye to a fur baby. I'm so sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteOn a happier note...I love the office. It looks amazing! And the little blue table...KILLS ME!
I'm so sorry to hear about the kitty. She was a beauty. Your office is amazing, I'm sure you're so relieved & proud that its finally done! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about the loss of your beloved pets! Your cat was absolutely stunning. It looks like she was very happy and had a good life. I'm sure you have and will continue to have beautiful memories of the time you spent together. :O) The office looks great and has given me some inspirational ideas for decorating my own! Thank you for sharing both your office reveal and pics of that sweet kitty-cat.
ReplyDeleteI'm am so sorry Sarah to hear this,I know what you are feeling,She sure was Beautiful, Thank you for hosting this great party. Have a good rest of the week.
ReplyDelete~~Pattie~~
I'm so sorry to hear about your cat - losing a pet is so difficult. :(
ReplyDeleteAs for the room, I really love the transformation to light and bright, and I love the personal touches you included. Great job!
Emily
SO sorry to hear about your loss. Pets are such a big part of our families. Praying for comfort.
ReplyDeleteI love so many things about your new office, but I think the gallery wall is my favorite! It looks so great with board and batten. And I LOVE the ceiling color!
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I cant relate exactly to what you are feeling. We also had 4 pets 2 Siamese cats and 2 dogs (a Boxer and a Bishon cross) I love my dogs, but I really am more of a cat person since I have had cats since a was 6 years old. In this last year we have had to say goodbye to both of our 18 year old Siamese cats. Our Boxer has just had her 12th birthday on Jan 7th, which is old for a Boxer. I see her also showing her age and know probably sometime over this next year we will have to say goodbye to her as well. I miss my cats everyday talking to me and cuddling up. Your kitty was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
First, I wanted to say that I'm so sorry about your kitty. Losing a pet is so hard. :0(
ReplyDeleteSecondly, congrats on the office redo. It's gorgeous! I'd love to share mine, but I haven't started yet. Our basement flooded twice within 10 days so the bonus was that we got to redo the basement. The bad part is, things are still very much incomplete down there. I'm glad you're haivng people share office/craft spaces first though because it's definitely giving me inspiration!
Ok, that was really interesting. Thank you for sharing. I ended up going back to older posts through the links you posted. That was really a learning experience. I am a sponge, I tell ya!
ReplyDeleteToday I found myself looking around my house with "Sarah eyes" on, and thinking; "WWSD"...haha "What would Sarah do". Thanks for the motivation & inspiration. (no pressure) Reading your posts truly gets my brain stirring, & helps me view things differently. You hinging Bub's table for example. And even how you 'rescued' & rehabbed a somewhat rickety table. (this year's yard sale season will be a whole different animal! Spray paint, baby!)
So sorry about the loss of the furry member of the family! Soo sad! Aw. It is a blessing that you had her for 18 healthy years! And of course there is a teeeeny bit of solace in the fact that she wasn't ill a long time, but such a loss!
Hugs, Chrissy
I'm so sorry about your kitty :( Something very similar happened to my parents' cat this past year, and it was so sad and hard. I'll be praying for you all. I know pets really do become a part of the family and it's so hard to lose them.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a crazy good post about your office! Hats off to you, Sarah, for such detail! I'm really in love with your curtain fabric and that gorgeous desk. So pretty! I hope you're proud of yourself for plugging along and getting it all finished; the result is really fabulous.
I'm so sorry you lost your sweet kittie. It's a wrenching pain, to lose a pet, but to lose one so quickly and with no warning is very hard. She was just lovely.
ReplyDeleteBut thank you for putting up the redo party. I do love your office and it's always interesting and inspiring to see what others have done.
So sorry about your lovely girl. I volunteer at the local animal shelter and I have a dog and a cat myself, so I feel your pain. Some people don't get it but it really is like losing a member of your family. They fill a big void and they leave a big void.
ReplyDeleteI hope you all feel better soon. Big hugs.
So sorry about your sweet kitty. Losing a pet is so hard. And your new office is a stunner.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say that I am so sorry about the loss of your sweet kitty. Our cats are family and it sounds like your pets are the same way to you. It makes my heart ache to think about losing one of my babies but I know it's inevitable. Much love to you and your family. Hope your hubby continues to get better!
Looks gorgeous! Thanks for the office tour. And you're awesome for admitting you didn't use the paper technique for deciding where to hang all the frames on your gallery walls. I laughed. I've seen other people do that, and though the process looks helpful, it also looks tedious! I love that you just winged it. And the results are amazing. Beautiful job!
ReplyDeleteSarah - I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty. I can't imagine the pain of losing a pet that has been with you so long.
ReplyDeleteI've been following your office updates for the past year or so. The final result is AMAZING. It is absolutely beautiful and well organized.
I'm so sorry to hear about your sweet kitty! I lost my 15-year old cat to kidney failure last year and it's simply heartbreaking. I still miss him terribly and I know how hard it is to loose a beloved pet.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah - I commented in your last post on how much I love what you did. Today I just want you to know how sorry I am that you lost your kitty. Having 2 cats and 2 dogs in my house I know how much they become a part of your life and daily routine. Bless her for giving you such joy for so many years.
ReplyDeleteMy best- Diane
I cried as I began reading your post. We had rescued one of our cats from a dumpster. He was stricken with FUS, our vet performed an operation on him and he became a she...and lived till he was 24 yrs. old. He passed away a few years ago and I miss him to this day.
ReplyDeleteI am a fairly new follower of your posts. I love your home and diy projects. I'm glad that you said that the drapery material was still being sold at JoAnn's, I would love to use the fabric for mine as well. Now if I just had as much energy as you have!
I'm so sorry about your kitty! I know what its like to have lost a pet and it will take awhile to get over it. A few years ago, we had to put down 2 of our dogs within 6 months of each other. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
ReplyDeleteI love your office! I wanted to thank you for putting down the paint colors. I love that wall color and wanted to use that in one of our bedrooms that we will be re-doing this year. I love all the board and batten that you have put up all over your house and wish I were that ambitious! I want to do crown molding as well, but know that I will probably mess it up - doing the wrong angles on the wrong ends, lol. Every time we tried mitered cuts, it comes out horribly! If you have a link on how to do that, I'd love to study it. Thanks for all you do and your posts! I love everything you've done to your house!
I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your sweet kitty. I know how hard it is to lose a beloved pet you've had for such a long time. Also, hope your hubby continues to feel better.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the office!! I looks fabulous.
Thanks so much for doing the linky party. I am in the process of having a craft room built in the basement (YEAH!) and all these amazing spaces will help me get ideas on what exactly I want. I'll be pining away :)
I'm so sorry about your kitty. We went through the same thing with our dog on Christmas Eve no less. It was horrible on my husband and I and we have two boys, 6 & 3. Not a very enjoyable Christmas Eve that's for sure. It's so hard to lose pets, they truly are members of the family : (
ReplyDeleteSo very sorry for your loss of your sweet kitty.
ReplyDeleteIn better news, your office is amazing!
So sorry about your loss... she was beautiful :(
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about your kitty! :( But your office looks phenomenal!
ReplyDeleteAw, she was a beauty :) Hugs to you!
ReplyDeleteThe office looks awesome - waaaay better than mine. I really should get to work on it...
So sorry to hear about your cat, she was beautiful. I had a similar thing happen to our cat. If it would help out, so you will know you are not alone, here's my post: http://www.thelittleredhousewiththewhiteporch.blogspot.com/2011_11_05_archive.html
ReplyDeleteBest,
Gloria
So sorry to hear about your kitty. I had a Himalayan that I had to put down several years ago who also had kidney failure. He had tumors on his kidneys. He was 11 years old when we put him down and I also had him from a kitten. He actually went much slower then you little sweetheart. Sometimes I miss him so much. Hugs to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting here sobbing over your cat. Pets become part of our family and we have to eventually cope with saying goodbye. I'm going to have to look at your office redo again when I'm not crying. I can't believe how this affected me!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your kitty. My Maggie got very sick all of a sudden last April and we had to put her down that night. I had had her her entire life(14 years) and it was so hard to say goodbye. She was with me through my parents divorce(s) and was the one "thing" I could always count on. She was honestly kinda a-you-know-what to everyone else, but she lived me so much. When I got married she would passive aggressively sneak onto hubby's pillow when he wasnt looking and would scratch at him when he tried to move her.
ReplyDeleteAwww...so sorry about your kitty...hate hearing stories like that...I've been through it too many times myself.
ReplyDeleteLove the way your office turned out, especially all of the personal touches (pics of your family, sign that belonged to FIL's business - very moving)...and so many great ideas that people have linked. Looking forward to looking at them :-)
I'm so sorry about your sweet kitty. We lost my beloved siamese Jean Luc to kidney failure a few years ago and sometimes I still get that catch in my throat sadness when I remember him.
ReplyDeleteYour office is just beautiful. I always get good ideas and inspiration from you!
Great link party idea. I turned my bedroom closet into my "office." I blogged about it here: http://www.thebookofjimmy.com/?p=346.
ReplyDeleteIm a full-time stay-at-home dad, with a part-time law practice, living in a very tiny apartment in DC. Being able to have my own "office" at home was critical. Fortunately, after purchasing a cheap wardrobe to store the evicted clothes of mine, we decided to take the plunge and convert away.
Hope you enjoy it!
Oh, Sarah! I'm so sorry your sweet girl died. :( God knew what He was doing when He gave us pets, huh? Just know everyone out in blogland is thinking of you and praying for you today. We have all been there and know your pain SUCKS ROCKS. :( You don't need to apologize for a late post, girl!!! We get it!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you are even functioning. I lost my baby girlie kitty so fast in 2010 - and was inconsolable for weeks. It just hurts so bad.
ReplyDeleteHere is what someone wrote to me then: How lucky you are to have had something that made saying goodbye so hard.
My heart breaks for you! I am so sorry to hear about your sweet kitty. I can only imagine how difficult this is for you and your family. You guys are in my prayers!
ReplyDeleteSaying sorry doesn't help much. I still wanted to say something. I lost a black lab that we dearly loved, as if he were human, when I was much younger. I still think about him and cry my eyes out. I have NEVER had an animal that I loved and thought of as a human being like I did this dog. I love all animals but I have never truly been able to become as attached to any other animal like I was him. I feel terrible for you, because I know how it feels.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if this story is appropriate or not. It's not going to bring back either one of our beloved pets. But it's on my mind, so I'd like to share it. I was very young, maybe 17 or 18, but I left home for a short while and lived with a close relative, this was before I lost my black lab. I had a kitty named snuggles.
One day she got outside and was behind a family members car. My family member didn't see her. She had a huge vehicle and ran over her! They brought her in and couldn't understand how she was still alive. Her entire back and tummy were flattened from the vehicle. I was so young, stupid, and broke that it didn't occur to me that I could take her to an animal hospital and get her help. My family told me she was going to die for sure, and I said maybe not. Then she passed blood all over the floor, she was bleeding internally.
She did this into the next day. My boyfriend and his boss came over to the home I lived in. His boss was an informal expert on cats because he owned and cared for so many. He let me know that he had seen this before and she was not going to make it, because of the large blood loss and the fact that her body was crushed. They wanted me to let them take her and "put her out of her misery". I refused. I went to the bedroom and started crying. I prayed and asked Jesus to please heal my cat. It wasn't long after that, maybe hours, that she was no longer flat, no longer bleeding, and up and running around the house! No one could believe it! I could, cause I knew that Jesus is God's Son and he heals!
I feel odd sharing that with you, but just felt like I should. I know that God is sovereign and sometimes he chooses not to heal. But many times my family has seen him intervene. I know that doesn't bring your kitty back, but I pray that He will intervene in your life right now, and comfort you in this hard time.
I am sorry about your kitty. My childhood cat died from kidney failure very quickly also, and even though it's been about 8 years now, I still cry a little when I think about him. I could go on, but I don't want to get all weepy-eyed and start typing spelling errors because I can't see. :) I just wanted to say that my pain and sadness recognizes yours and I hope that they ease and that your heart never feels heavy.
ReplyDelete~Bree
Dear Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear about your kitty. I bet there will be a place of honor on your gallery wall reserved for her. Pets are so special.
Your office is light, bright and beachy, too! Love all of the art on the wall!
Bridget
I'm gonna go look at all the people who linked up, but just gotta say after 18 years you didn't lose a pet you lost a member of the family.
ReplyDelete~Bliss~
so sorry abt y'all loosing a furbaby! it is so hard, praying for comfort for y'all and your other kitty.
ReplyDeleteI'm sobbing after reading about your kitty cat. It's just terrible. What you have experienced is what I fear is in my future with my cat, Lily. We just found out she has kidney issues... doing what we can to keep her healthy and comfortable. Loving on her so much more everyday... she's so spoiled! lol...
ReplyDeleteWe are so lucky to have such wonderful companions for the time we do. So, so lucky...
S-although your office is fabulous, I need to clear my heart a bit about your wonderful furry beastie. It's not really any consolation but we are right there with you. I had to make the same call yesterday morning. A private vet is coming to our home this afternoon to euthenize our 15 yr. old Bo. He's got dementia and turned into a pee cat too. I've cried buckets for me and a few for you too. Lots of love to your family and here's to our babie together somewhere out there wondering why their silly humans keep changing up their houses when all you really need is food, water, a litter box and a warm lap to sit in.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your loss. This may sound awful, but in a way it was comforting for me. I lost our dog this week for the same reasons - it came on really swift and quick as well, but we had a week of trying to get her to eat or drink something/anything before we realized the end. ((hugs))
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get your wooden blinds you have on the windows with the yellow paisley curtains? I love them!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your family's loss. Such a diffiult time, I know and you are amazing to still share your makeover with us! It looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear about your beautiful, sweet kitty! :( I definitely know your heartache. I had a cat that I was there for her birth and her death -- sadly, she was only 2 at the time (long story). My kitties now are still young (5), and I know one day I will have to say goodbye to them, but I hope it's when they're much older, rather than sooner. Either way, it's okay to cry, and cry. Or sob. Even if it's months from now. I believe that pets are a gift from God, in many ways. My thoughts are with your family. *hugs*
ReplyDeletenonchalantgirl.blogspot.com
As an animal lover it breaks my heart when any animal dies. So sorry you had to go through that but 18 years old! That's amazing.
ReplyDeleteI am so with you on hanging pictures. We weren't meant to live in a magazine perfect home and honestly, to cut out all of that paper and then figure out the placement and then hang the pictures - that would take an eternity. Just hanging them higgledy piggledy works every time! BTW, what spray paint did you use to paint those frames? The last time I painted frames the white I got was too cool but yours seem just right (comparing it to the mats).
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ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your kitty, Sarah! :-(
ReplyDeleteWe had to put ours to sleep last year and I know exactly what you're going through. BRUTAL.
Sending a prayer and an e-hug today...
Layla
PS- Your office looks amazing! :-)
So sorry about your kitty. She was beautiful and I love her smile!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh the Bub has gotten SOOOOO big!!! That's amazing! I guess I just haven't seen his picture in a while-he looks so tall and grown up! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about your kitty! I pray that God brings you comfort during this difficult time.
ReplyDeleteYour office is so amazing! I am inspired to work more on mine now...
Oh, I'm so sorry about your kitty! She was beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI have had many cats over the years and know the heartbreak you are going through. Just know that because of you, your sweet kitty had a wonderful life. I'm so sorry about your loss.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for the loss of your sweet kitty. Pets are part of the family and I know how hard it is when their time with us has ended. Hugs to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteyou all rooms n ur office is just too good... n sorry about your pet.. she was very beautiful.....
ReplyDeletebirthday party ideas
I am so, so sorry about your kitty. Hugs to you and the family -- I know how difficult this is. My cat, Hero, died from kidney failure in 2009 and I still miss her. It was good that you could be with your kitty during her last moments. I hope that you and your family are able to grieve and then find a way to recover. For me, recovery involved adding a few more pets to the house -- three new rescue cats, actually. They have been perfect additions to our household of pets and such a comfort. I hope that you find such comfort soon, too. Hugs to you!
ReplyDeleteWhere is your desk chair from? I love the ceiling color also.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your cat. We've lost two dogs since my husband and I got together and we have two more. We are like the brady bunch of dogs. It never gets easier.
Casey
What a horrible night you had..it's so traumatizing to lose part of your family...I'm very sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting this link party...you've got some amazing links here, I can't wait to go through them! Really enjoying reading your blog and look forward to all your future posts! I am one of your new loyal followers! When you have a chance come on by and check out my blog (and make sure to say hi!). If you like my blog, I would love it if you would follow me back! Cath @ Home is Where my Heart is: http://cathhasablog.blogspot.com/
So sorry about the loss of your sweet kitty. We lost our wonderful Sheltie almost 5 years ago to sudden kidney failure and it was a sad, difficult time. My heart aches for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteOn another note - LOVE your office!
Sarah, it turned out beautiful! Quite a change from the space before. So light and bright. I Love it!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your loss. We too have an 18 year old kitty with kidney disease.
ReplyDeleteyour makeover is beautiful and I only hope I can emmulate your creativity.
Thanks.
I just discovered your (amazing and incredible) blog. My husband and I bought our house in August 2012 and I'm learning a lot about DIY because we don't have the money for a lot of work. I am thrifty and found a wonderful YouTube channel from VideoJoeKnows; he's great and was even so nice as to respond to a question I asked him on two of his video comments. I LOVE the board and batten! I think it would look great in my hall and front door entryways.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to tell you I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your kitty. I got a kitten when I was 12 from a woman who advertised in the local newspaper that she had free kittens. I picked the runt of the litter. She was always small, even as an adult, weighing in at a whole 7 pounds. She was a beautiful tuxedo cat with an adorable "beauty mark" on her nose. She loved me and tolerated all other humans. When I met my husband, the first time he came to my apartment to pick me up for a date, she jumped up in his lap and laid down - and was purring! That's when I knew he was a keeper. And, he loves animals, so that was a plus, too.
In 2002 we lost our precious baby girl. I've never seen my husband cry - and he did, almost as much as I did, when she was gone. She remains in our hearts to this day and pictures of her are in our house and I keep one in my wallet along with our 1999 wedding picture. We have four cats now - all rescues. Our little girl was the Queen and wouldn't have liked furry siblings, LOL. We will always, always rescue or adopt kitties, even ones that are runts like our girl - or abused by their former owners or abandoned in an apartment complex or found under a house or a hungry stray like our current furfaces.
From one animal lover to another, I understand your loss and the emptiness you felt when she died. It took me a while to feel like I wanted another cat; I even felt guilty at first because no cat could replace her. But I know she would want me to be happy so we have opened our hearts and home to other kitties and will continue to do so.
Best wishes from San Diego!
I found your blog from House of Smiths and clicked on a thumbnail of your beautiful tuxedo kitty. I too had a black and white Maine Coon kitten and just this year (2013) he passed away. He was 18 too and his body was just letting him down. You had me tear up again because your story sounded so familiar. And then I see that your name is Sarah as is mine. I'm now favoriting this blog!
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