One of our New Year’s Resolutions is to watch our spending and get the most value for every dollar that is spend. Every penny saved really makes a difference, especially when it comes to renovating, decorating, and freshening homes and rental units. We want them to be updated and to look nice but we don’t have the funds right now to spend a fortune on them. That said, I want to take a moment to highlight (and thank) Ebates for putting cash back in our pockets.
 
I started using the website about a month ago while buying items online that I was already planning on purchasing. It was an added bonus for Christmas shopping. Then, Drew started using it too to purchase items he needed for a rental unit he’s currently renovating. Just in the past month, we’ve earned over $75 in cash. Yes, really!

Ebates already mailed us a check for $20 and we’ll get another one in a few weeks for nearly $60. I’ve seen cash back deals on purchases ranging from 1% to 25% based on the store and the time of year.

​​One of my best friends told me about Ebates over three years ago, but for whatever reason I didn’t take it seriously. Yep. I was stupid. I could have been earning so much FREE MONEY! So, don’t be like Maria circa 2015. Take this opportunity to earn money through stores you already love and shop with regularly.

Here’s how it works and how it can work for you: 
 
Start by creating an Ebates account. Once you’ve done so, you can log on and see which brands/stores online are offering cash back deals. Each day is different but many of my favorite stores offer great cash back deals/percentages every day. Click the store you want to shop and then Ebates will take you to that website using its own special link. I love to shop with online coupons and get the very best deal and Ebates allows that too. Once you click the store link, you can log in to your own account at Kohl’s, Macy’s, Target, etc. and use whatever other coupons/discounts you have. The cash back from Ebates is just like a bonus! Drew and I have been using Ebates a lot this week for wedding purchases and home décor/necessities. Every cent adds up. I’ve generated the most cash back by booking a hotel through Ebates. We are traveling for a friend’s wedding soon and found the same hotel through Ebates with a better rate than the room block. PLUS, I also earned over $30 cash back just for booking the hotel through Ebates. Yes, please! 

Ebates is offering a great bonus deal right now. Use this link to register and create an account and you can earn $10 EXTRA cash back during your first shopping trip. Happy shopping!

Over the past few months, Drew has been hard a work on a foreclosure he is in the process of flipping. I've been helping with designs, paint colors, and offering my, at times unsolicited, opinions. 

Now for the fun part of creating the whitewash.

I mixed white latex paint and water together in a small bucket. The consistency which worked for me was about 60% paint and 40% water.... give or take. I totally didn't measure.

As far as application, I used a cheap 4" wide brush for the initial application. I also used a 2" brush to get into the crevices and to neatly paint along the sides/floor/wall near the painter's tape.

Warning: This gets super messy.

Watered down paint means it will splash easily. My advice to you it to wear old clothes that will be ruined. I also wore latex gloves in hopes of saving my manicure.

Start at the top and work your way down. I read plenty of blogs about working brick-by-brick.

Yeah, not happening.

I'm a messy painter and this fireplace turned out great so don't worry about going brick-by-brick. If you work in sections, you'll get the job done just fine.

Once you paint the vicinity of 8 or so bricks, get your rag and start dabbing or rubbing. Basically like you're trying to "wash off" the paint. Don't actually wash it off, just enough for it to look faded.

As you continue working in sections, you will notice the paint in previous sections start to absorb. This will make it look lighter... and more dirty than white.

Do. Not. Panic.
This is normal!

Continue working through your first coat knowing you will need a second coat.

After the first coat, I stepped back and let it dry for about 30 minutes.

Then, I started the second coat, working again in sections from top to bottom.

During the second coat, I concentrated a little more in dabbing the rag in the cracks and crevices so the grey mortar wasn't such a contrast but I didn't want to overdo it.

We think this fireplace is a great accent to the other white details in the home! The living room opens into the kitchen so the whitewash will complement the white custom kitchen island. The stain of the wooden mantlepiece will also match the stain of the custom wooden coffee bar.

We hope the future buyers can appreciate the touches of DIY and custom design!

Follow along on Instagram for more photos, videos, and stories from this flip house! 

First impressions matter, right?

I like to think so. 

Aside from the exterior of your home, the entryway is the first thing your guests will see. Drew and I wanted our friends and family to experience a lot in the first 16 feet of our house. Since our home was originally built in 1920, we wanted to showcase some of the original features like the hardwoods, staircase, and exposed brick. It was quite the process getting there though.

Meanwhile... in October 2016, this was our first impression of the inside of our future home.

Umm... yikes, right? It was a hallway to nowhere. We have no idea what this space was used for or why it was closed off there. Also... those. red. walls. Yeah... the day we primed was a good day! So needless to say we didn't want this to be our guests' first impression!

Here's the progress:

First thing's first... see ya later hallway to nowhere! Once the kitchen was gutted, Drew knocked down the barrier wall to turn it into a real hallway... eventually leading into the future kitchen.

Priming made this space look 10 times better.
The neutral wall color made it look 15 times better.
The refinished hardwood floors made it look 20 times better.
The black light fixture really brought it all together.

By the way, did you notice the tiny closet under the stairs?
That's where Harry Potter lives.
... and by Harry Potter... I mean our Dyson vacuum.

It's magic, y'all!

Do you see that gallery wall? That's my favorite decor project in this entire house. I have a feeling that will be my next blog post. Every home deserves a gallery wall!