Last week, for dinner one night, Chris made cheesy stuffed peppers from Blue Apron, the chef-designed meal delivery service we have used for the past two years!, and we were both amazed it was meatless because of how satisfying it was. We get their family plan (they also have a 2-person plan), which is two […]
JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content. Listen to the latest episodes on: iTunes, GooglePlay, Stitcher. Title: Ep 14: Wake Me Up With Indecision: Which Updates Are Worth Making? Hot Topic: What should you do if you want to make a change to your home you think may lower its value? Show Notes: Every […]
It's been 2.5 years since our last reader survey and did you know we actually need to know the demographics of our audience?! Almost every giveaway we're faced with or project we want to take on, we're asked "Who's your audience?" Although we have a pretty good idea of who you are--we talk about you all the time (all good […]
Listen to the latest episodes on: iTunes, GooglePlay, Stitcher. Title: Ep 13: Shea McGee of Studio McGee: The Sun is Gone, But I Have a Light Guests: Shea McGee from Studio McGee Hot Topic: Energy efficient bulbs Show Notes: Lighting fixtures are as varied as any other product for your home, but once you've found that perfect fixture, how do you make sure […]
I took the day on Wednesday to get out of the house and go on a hike with my girlfriends. We left early in the morning, before the sun came up, and got home after the kids were in bed. We hiked up the side of a mountain where there were a series of hot springs and […]
This week, we're celebrating 3 years in our home. It's borderline confusing for me--How have we lived here for three years?! But on the other hand, it feels very comfortable and when I look back at the changes we have made--we've definitely been here for three years. I am planning to share lots of pictures in […]
I've never been much of a breakfast person, but in an effort Jules and I have been making to eat better, I've determined that a substantial, filling, but not heavy breakfast is important. This quick dish, full of vegetables and protein and made using just one pan, is one of the better things to have […]
Last July (a year ago next week precisely), we were starting our kitchen renovation and I decided I really wanted to start using my Instagram as an extension of our blog and business, instead of mostly for personal use. As scary as that was to say out loud--I wanted to grow my Instagram following. At the time @chrislovesjulia […]
Title: Ep 12: Here We Are Now, Entertain Us Hot Topic: Is it ok to ask guests to contribute money to a party/get-together? Show Notes: Life is better when you share it with others, so we're talkin' about parties and get-togethers this episode. Some do's and don'ts of hosting, little things that make a party great, and how […]
Sectional / Table / Chairs / Area Rug / Swing / Curtains / Toy Storage Drawers / Pendants / Painting / Mirror / Lamp / Play letters / Blinds Chris and I are making the 8 hour round trip to Ikea this weekend to pick up the parts to make our standing desk. After way too […]
I spent the first 18 years of my life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, growing up in a red brick home. And when we were in Pittsburgh last month renovating a kitchen, we did a drive by of that home. It wasn't the fanciest house and my parents were never concerned about home decor trends--I slept on the third […]
Listen to the latest episodes on: iTunes, GooglePlay, Stitcher. Title: Ep 11: Make it Happen, Cap'n - Taking on Projects You've Never Done Before Hot Topic: Selling Your Home as a For Sale By Owner Show Notes: One thing we hear from people all the time is, "How do you guys know how to do all this stuff?" Usually followed […]
JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content. It feels like we are in a renovating cyclone right now. While there aren't any huge projects going on, there are a lot of small things that we haven't finished up yet from past large projects. Some of these things I honestly […]
Listen to the latest episodes on: iTunes, GooglePlay, Stitcher. Title: Ep 10: Buildin’ on a Budget Pt. 2 Show Notes: In this part two episode focused on budgeting in renovation, Julia and Chris discuss what a budget means to them, and how it has changed over time. They talk about their early days of DIY, and share one of their first […]
How do you wind down at night? Chris's favorite thing to do after a long day of work is to wash his feet in cold water and he's instantly relaxed and refreshed. I love nothing more than to shut my computer, hide my phone, put my hair up and watch a short 20-30 minute show on […]
Charly has been a member of our family for over three years now and we can't imagine this home without her. I'm not going to lie, having never had a dog before, it took me a couple weeks to get used to her and that hair and drool (I actually lost my appetite for 9 days […]
Listen to the latest episodes on: iTunes, GooglePlay, Stitcher. Title: Ep 09: John & Sherry Petersik of Young House Love: Buildin’ on a Budget Pt. 1 Guests: John & Sherry Petersik from www.younghouselove.com Show Notes: The first of two episodes focused on budgeting for renovation, we visit with John and Sherry Petersik, the creators of the wildly successful Young House Love blog […]
Chris comes from a large family (he's the youngest of 8 kids) and last weekend we had them all over for a BBQ. Everyone was there but one of his brothers who lives across the country and it was almost emotional for me to see our home and deck filled to the brim with family. It's […]
Listen to the latest episodes on: iTunes, GooglePlay, Stitcher. Title: Ep 08: Renovating, DIY, and Personal Relationships Show Notes: On this episode, we go behind the scenes on the complete kitchen renovation Chris and Julia did in Pittsburgh and hear some funny and also frustrating stories from them. We also talk about how renovating and doing DIY projects affects personal relationships. […]
S'mores basket | Small Firepit | Loveseat | Weber grill | Grill-top Pizza Oven A few weeks ago, like the day after the deck was done, we had grilled pizza and s'mores with some friends out back and it was a dream. Chris made the best pizza dough ever--with a good chewy bite to it--and we made it in […]
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Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations