Trip to NYC…. engagement!

It’s finally official, we’re engaged! A couple weeks ago we took a trip to New York City for a few days. Sheena is from Brooklyn, so I knew it would be extra special to propose while we were there.

 

( Above: Dustin trying the famous Lucia’s in Queens, NY )

So that there is no confusion, this is Dustin writing today’s blog post & I wanted to recap our awesome week in New York from my perspective. Lots of planning and patience went into making this happen (and surprisingly I didn’t goof anything up)! I picked up the ring a couple days before we flew out, but had absolutely no idea when, where, or how I would propose. I thought about in Times Square… but not really romantic. Then there is the classic proposal after dinner…. well every time we went out to eat, it was crowded, loud, basically not even remotely romantic. For four days, I walked the streets of Manhattan with Sheena, and her ring in my pocket (constantly checking to make sure it was still there)!

One of our close friends recently got engaged and we texted back and forth, but finally he mentioned “Top of the Rock,” so I googled it and thought “That’s it!” Friday evening, we made our way over to 30 Rockefeller Plaza to buy tickets and go to the top… except it was a Friday night in NYC. Only 4 hours to wait and take a ride to the top 😦 So we left and bought tickets for the following evening.

All this time, Sheena thought I just wanted to go do some tourist stuff, Top of the Rock only one of them. It was tough not giving it away (had to fake an indifferent attitude so that she wouldn’t suspect anything). Next challenge? Where to hide the box. Luckily there were a few items we needed to exchange at H&M, so I hid it at the bottom and carried our bags all day long…. gripped tight!

Finally, we made it to the Top of the Rock & I wasted no time. As Sheena shuffled for a good place to take photos, I asked a random tourist to hold my camera, as I was about to propose. Didn’t even catch his name, but so appreciative that he was willing to help with the moment. We began backing up to pose for a photo, then I stopped. Nervous, I fumbled for a moment in the bag I had been carrying all day, and dropped to one knee (she initially thought I was tying my shoe (: ).

“I wanted to know if you will marry me?” I opened the box, and she began to sob! A few seconds pass, then she nods “yes” several times but couldn’t find the words. So much for speeches, but we both knew already how much this moment meant to one another. Words couldn’t begin to describe anyhow!

Surprisingly, only a small handful of people realized what was taking place! I must admit, the view was pretty spectacular. Over the next hour, we watched the sun set over NYC. I am sure it will be one of the most memorable nights of our lives. Now, time to save, save, save for our wedding!

DIY Laundry Room Pictures (Under $10!)

Hey guys! We’re excited to be back & share with you a simple project to give a laundry room a little bit of extra charm! We were out shopping a couple weekends ago and got the idea from something we saw, but it was $30 (and something we knew we could easily knock out!). We bought some $1 picture frames from Ikea probably a year and a half ago, knowing that we would eventually put them to good use. Seriously, a simple project anyone of almost any age can do… so have fun!

Materials:
Home-made stencil (free)
Paint & household sponge (we used black acrylic paint, but you could probably get a similar effect with markers)
Thick, textured paper (we used some pages from Sheena’s sketch book)
8.5 x 11″ picture frames (ours were $1 each)
Scrap Burlap (it’s super cheap!)

1) Use a stencil, or print one from the inter webs 🙂
We used RapidResizer.com to input the text and print the stencil, as shown. Use an x-acto knife or flat razor, BE CAREFUL. This isn’t the part for kids to do, ask a parent for help.

2) Using thick pieces of paper, gently (and lightly) tape your stencil in place as you blot the letters with sponge & paint. Be very careful not to over saturate the sponge! DON’T WIPE!

3) On a completely new piece of paper (printer paper is fine) free-hand sketch the washer & dryer (or you could probably find an image online & print it to be used as a stencil). You can also find stencils at your local hobby store. Repeat what we did for the text in step 1 by cutting out the sketch to be used as a stencil.

Using the sponge, lightly blot paint onto the paper underneath. For different designs, you may find it easier to simply free hand paint your design. Totally up to you!

Once you’re done with your design, allow your artwork to dry.

Next, lay the picture frame on your burlap sheet & trace around the edges. Following the lines you’ve just drawn, cut out the burlap that will be used in the picture frames.

Using a hot glue gun (not absolutely necessary), glue the burlap to the frame’s backing & trim up any excess edges

Once this is complete, it’s time to crinkle the artwork you just created (make sure its dry though)! We squished our paintings into a ball & opened it back up, only to squish it again and again… until you’ve reached the desired look. We’re going for a ‘weathered’ look, so when you’ve reached that point, it’s time for the next step. You’re going to LIGHTLY dab the hot glue onto the back of your painting, then place in the center of your burlap frame backing.

 

Next, simply put the frame back together & your project is finished!

 We hope you enjoy making your own frames, & be sure to show off/share with us what you’ve created! As always, we appreciate all of the support and great feedback!

Don’t forget to stop by our ‘Before & After’ tab, to see some of the furniture/room makeovers we’ve completed so far!

Love in the details,

SpokenHome.

How to Handle Debt!

Several of our YouTube subscribers asked for a video with tips for getting out of debt so we thought we would share some of the ideas we have come across! In a debt-driven society, it can be tempting to pull out the plastic once in a while for wants & needs. Still, certain behaviors will help you gain financial independence and achieve a debt-free life. Where there’s will, there’s a way! First, we wanted to celebrate the fact that Sheena’s first car is now paid off! Financing a car is a serious pain, and unfortunately a terrible “investment,” but a necessary evil where we were in our lives when it was purchased. Word to the wise, get a loan through a credit union in your area (MUCH LOWER RATES!) We’re looking forward to that extra money coming in every month that we can put into other debts to continue the “Snowball”!

This brings us to Dave Ramsey (if you haven’t heard of him, he’s got a great youtube channel & website!). Sometimes the truth hurts, and he’s not afraid to shoot you straight. Those who practice what he preaches usually find themselves debt free in much less time than they ever thought possible. One of his tips is to use the “envelope system” which we touch on in the video as a great way to help stay on track.

 

ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT YOU WANT TO FIX      

 

Our first suggestion may be obvious, but honesty with both yourself & your partner is crucial if you want to have a healthy financial life. A great tip that has helped us was to put together a spreadsheet with all of our bills, debt, obligations, and income together (EVERYTHING!) Bills, credit card debt, loans, car payments, rent/mortgage, etc are put together in one place with due dates, and links to the website to pay. It’s a great way to stay on the same page with your partner, and helps prevent from accidentally spending money that should have gone towards bills and debt! Obviously, utilities, food, & rent/mortgage take priority over all debts, so pay them first. PUT TOGETHER A MONTHLY BUDGET! We included some tips on the envelope system too. We don’t use this method, but if you’re having trouble figuring out & sticking to a budget, it’s a great one!

ARRANGE DEBTS IN ORDER FROM SMALLEST TO HIGHEST    

   

Once you’ve taken care of all of your bills for the month, arrange them from smallest to largest. Now is the time to develop a payoff game plan!  While we’re stating the obvious, if you’ve truly made up your mind to get out of debt (specifically credit cards), STOP using them now! Continue to pay minimums on larger debts each month, but focus the bulk of payments towards the smallest balance debt. This is called…

SNOWBALLING!    

  

Once they’re out of use and all of your basic necessities are budgeted for, allocate the leftovers to begin paying down some balances! Take your lowest balance and apply as much to that card as possible each month. When it is completely paid off,  keep going to the next card with the smallest balance. Continue to apply leftover money each month to its balance… and before you know it, you’ll have paid off 2… continue the trend for as long as it takes! As you progress, you will begin to see things picking up pace. The next step is extremely important to ensure you stay motivated…

CELEBRATE THE WINS!    

  

Don’t forget to celebrate the wins when you can. After all, life is short & we all need to have fun from time to time. We personally haven’t gone to the rice & beans diet yet 😉 but even if you want to pay things off extremely quickly, always remember to celebrate life’s moments and your achievements! The key is to always budget some time and money for some of life’s little joys! For instance, splurge on a nice home cooked meal (Dustin loves to grill fillets 🙂 Be creative while saving some money!

 

Hope these tips have been helpful, please share some of your best practices for budgets & debt reduction with us! There’s so many ways to minimize debt, we would love to hear what works best for you!

DIY Up-Cycled Pallet Wood Planter

There are hundreds, if not thousands of FREE ideas using pallet wood! Here is our most recent project, a portable backyard herb planter! First, we had to locate the pallets that we use, and we’re very fortunate to have easy access to high-quality pallets from Dustin’s job. MAKE SURE you ask permission, many companies sell these pallets back to recyclers and don’t want any of you getting in trouble over some pallets! If your job doesn’t have pallets, keep your eyes open the next time you’re in a business park! If they look like they’re being trashed, simply go inside and ask if you can have them. Another consideration is the kind of treatment the pallets have undergone during manufacturing. Stay away from chemically treated pallets, and look for the symbol that resembles a wheat plant, and the letters HT (heat-treated). These have been kiln heated to kill pests that may have lived inside the wood.

Once you have the pallet, this project requires you remove the boards and nails. Using a crowbar and hammer is easiest, but sometimes just a hammer to the backside of the board is enough.

Since most pallets are slightly different sizes, determine what dimensions you will use to build the box. Our planks were approximately 31 inches, so we determined that approximately 20 inches x 11 inches made for the easiest box… but don’t hesitate to go bigger! We just wanted to keep it fairly portable.

Next, we took a scrap piece of plywood to construct the bottom of the box. One cut was needed to make it 20×11 inches. From there, we simply glue the boards to the plywood one by one, and reinforced with 1 1/2 inch staples. You can also use screws, finishing nails, or any other small fasteners you may have.

 

Once the box is 1 board high, we did the same for a 2nd row to give the box the height we wanted. Although not the strongest option, we toe-nailed the 1st & 2nd layers together to hold the box into place while the glue dries for simplicity’s sake. Once the box is complete, flip it over and now it’s time to provide some drainage so that roots do not rot when the soil is over watered. We used a 1 inch bit to allow water to drain, and air to circulate. Note, if you don’t care about portability, your planter does not need a bottom! Just be sure the ground below is not compacted so that water cannot be absorbed.

Almost complete! Next, we used some landscaping rocks to provide the bottom layer of the box, making sure the holes were not visible from above. Then a layer of potting soil is applied on top of the rocks. Next, take your plants and arrange them, move the soil to drop them in. Last, add one more layer of potting soil so that the tops of the root balls are covered. Give them some water, and enjoy watching them grow!

Get creative, you can grow tons of vegetables, flowers, herbs, etc so that they’re never on your shopping list again! We’ve noticed many grocery stores have begun selling living herbs, so you don’t even need to go to the nursery. We’re thinking about making several more boxes for some added greenery in the backyard, and excited about all the healthy edible plants we’re going to grow this summer!

The Truth About Moving Out

This video was extra fun for us, because we were allowed to be nostalgic for about 30 minutes straight in front of the camera….Then…..had to cut it down to like 11m haha.

We moved out together about 5 years ago, and it was nothing short of ‘basic.’ Cable was not an option, our only television was about 20in and could only play DVDs. We only had one couch, and our stove was rarely used seeing that our kitchen was the size of bathroom! Needless to say, we went through our ‘trials and tribulations’ and ended up in much nicer space. After about 3 years of living there and dealing with a bed of dog poop that mixed in with azaleas every AM, and many nights of our upstairs neighbors body slamming each other – it was time to get out own space.

After 2 years of being homeowners, there isn’t one thing that we regret, except not doing the process SOONER! 🙂 The sacrifices that we have had to make (like no vacations, limited gift giving, working long hours, and commuting for endless miles) really showed us what was most important in our lives. Finding peace and our little space in this world. Check out our video and feel free to share any of your own experiences about moving out for the first time! The good, the bad, and the ugly! 😉 As always, thanks the support and the video will also introduce our 1,000 subscriber giveaway on YouTube!

Love in the details,

SpokenHome.

HardBoard Accent Wall

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for stopping by to check out another project. 😉

We have been running in circles trying to figure out what to do with a bare wall we had in our lounge area entering the second floor of our home. This area currently has a cool faux leather chair (found @ dumpster) and a coffee table that was gifted to us by my mom. Here is the room before our project:

We wanted this area to have a distinguished accent wall color, wallpaper, or just a ‘textured’ wall covering of some type to create a cool, modern ‘lounge’ area similar to a tapas bar or upscale office building. About a year ago Sheena purchased several pieces of ‘hardboard’ or ‘masonite’ at our local home improvement store for Dustin’s office, assuming that it was cork board. Once we got it inside, we realized that it was not what we expected, and tucked the pieces away in a closet to hopefully use again one day. Here is what the hardboard looks like without any alterations and/or cuts:

This became a possible contender for our wall because one side is a smooth cork board look, and the opposite side is almost like a weaved patten. We went back to the store and grabbed about 2 extra pieces that were a darker shade, to create a bit more contrast. Dustin laid them on the table saw and cut them down to 6in in length and kept the width that it was from the store. We ended with a stack of them that looked like tiling or hardwood planks:

We decided to lay them like subway tiles or bricks, with no perfect pattern or repetition. We used ‘liquid nails’ that comes in the form of a tube, and you would need a caulk gun to force the product out:

We followed up with two 1″ staples in each plank, using a compressor/nail gun to apply additional re-enforcement. Can’t have panels falling off of the wall during parties! (haha) So once those pieces were cut, we started working from the top left of the wall, and moving forward in a ‘reading’ style. (left to right, next row down, left to right)

We seriously took several hours to complete this only because we would stop after every row, and just stare at the wall, like “awesomeee, riiiight? ;-)” *high fives* lol.

The hardest part of this project was getting the hardboard planks right against the banister seen above. We didn’t want any of the wall showing, and we wanted the wall covering to look as ‘organic’ as possible, as if the wall was just that way already. We were able to achieve most of it with a dremmel, but it took forever and kept overheating, so we had to call it a night, and head out the next morning to get a jigsaw. And boy, did we get it for a STEAL!

 

Dustin, putting the final touches on the cut-out for the banister with the dremmel, after doing the major cuts with the jigsaw:

 

After a few more staples and filling in the final pieces, here is our completed lounge, accent wall!

 

 

Can you tell we’re pretty in love with it? 😉 Thanks so much for checking out our project, and if you guys try something similar, definitely let us know! We’d love it to see your creation(s)! Until next time, peeeeeace.

 

Love in the details,

Spokenhome.

Video available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX31CG2QYHw

 

DIY| Healthy Curry Chicken

Hey Guys!!

Since being on a journey to better health and wellness, we’ve started “tweaking” recipes and everyday meal ideas to be a bit more conscious of calories, portions, and ingredients. In this post we’re going to share how we create our curry chicken dinner from different techniques we’ve accumulated. Having Jamaican ancestry, Sheena grew up on curry chicken and goat, so it was fun to put a twist on a well-known recipe from the islands. 🙂

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• 1-1/2lb chicken breast
• salt (eyeball it)
• pepper (eyeball it)
• 2 tsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 small onion
• 2 tsp of garlic / 1-2 cloves
• 4 tsp of curry power (or more)
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground paprika
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 3 tsp sugar (as desired)
• 1 cup non-fat greek yogurt
• 1/4 tsp cumin optional

Now, let’s get to cookin! 😉

1.) Cut the chicken into 1-1/2 inch cubes.

2.) Season it with a bit of salt and pepper, set aside.

3.) Dice the small onion and set aside.

4.) Grab a skillet or a wok, turn to low-med heat and add olive oil.

5.) Once oil is heated, add onions and allow them to sautéed until lightly golden.

6.) Add the garlic and allow to cook with onion for about 30 seconds.

7.) Add in the curry powder, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, and sugar — stirring constantly.

8.) Let the spices simmer together for about 2 mins, then add the chicken cubes in!

9.) After stirring chicken with spices for 2 mins, bring the pot to a boil, throw in the cup of greek yogurt, and stir thoroughly.

( Feel free to add any additional spices or oil at this stage, if needed.)

10.) Once pot begins to boil, turn down to a simmer ( LO temp ) and allow it to cook for another 20-25 mins. Continue to stir every few mins during this time.

11.) Voilà! Dinner is served! 🙂

We decided to go with a side of basmati (white) rice! We used the “Success” brand, that boils in a bag for about 10 mins.

We also steamed a medium sized bowl of broccoli in the microwave, with saran wrap over the top, about 3 tbs of water in the bottom, for 3 – 3 1/2 mins.

This meal is so yummy and is a frequently made (FAVORITE) in our home! Thanks so much for stopping by our page, and feel free to share your versions of this recipe too! 😉

Love in the details,

SpokenHome.

DIY | Date Night

Thanks for stopping by again! We are glad to announce Spokenhome.com!

It’s been a work in progress, but this will be a great way to stay in touch with everyone by posting more frequent projects & updates.

In this post, we thought we could share some cheap and easy date night ideas!

#1) Game of darts!

Darts is one of our favorite games to play together, seeing we are both incredibly competitive!

The actual dart board and darts can be purchased for under $40 at any major retailer.
The casing that the dartboard and darts are stored in was made using scrap pallet wood.
Possibly an idea for a project together on the weekend if you have couple hours.
We located the dimensions online, however feel free to design the enclosure however you wish!
There are tons of different game variations, so find one that suits your skill & patience level 🙂

#2) Work Out or just go running together!

Wouldn’t you agree that staying motivated is much easier with your partner doing it with you?

Our favorites include T25 & Insanity, but even a walk around the neighborhood is good for the body & relationship.
In a world of so many distractions, its quality time to spend with the one you love while staying healthy!

#3) Play a few rounds of your favorite video game

We went out and bought a used N64 system for $40, one we both grew up playing.
Be sure that you’re BOTH playing a game you enjoy, for us it’s a toss up between Goldeneye & WCW vs NWO Raw!
We’re frugal, so buying used video game consoles is the way we go! Keep your eyes open for good deals, buying
one of these systems for a creative date night is still cheaper than going out!

#4) Cook a meal together

A great idea is to Google recipes for your favorite restaurant’s meals, then cook them yourself with healthy ingredients.
Experiment by substituting ingredients, such as greek yogurt instead of sour cream, or well seasoned turkey rather than beef.
If both of you contribute to the meal, prep time is shortened and it’s another great time to talk and enjoy each other’s company.

#5) Rent a DVD or stream from Netflix!

Nothing against movie theaters, but we both agree watching a movie is more personal at home.
It’s much more affordable & allows you to have conversation, something you shouldn’t do at the box office 😉

#6) Play an interactive game!

If you both have a smart phone or tablet, download a game that can be played over wifi against one another.
We LOVE Jeopardy, so that’s our nerdy game of choice!
If you want more competition, play for chore responsibilities! Just be sure you’re playing a game that
both of you enjoy & share the same skill level. No one likes getting whooped over and over again!

 

That’s just a few of our ideas, but would love to hear more from you!
Thanks for checking out our new blog,
we’ll have many more projects coming soon so keep coming back!

Love in the details,

Spokenhome.

DIY| No-Sew Curtains

Hey Guys & Gals! 🙂

So, here is a quick demonstration of how you can create some quick curtains, without knowing how to sew and without purchasing equipment. We have a modern/contemporary, but funky style, and wanted some curtains in our living area that reflected that same style. Sheena searched several fabric stores until we found a pattern/fabric that we could agree on. Here is that fabric:

We decided because it was great quality (by Waverly Fabrics) and we got a 50% off deal, with an additional 10% for being an active student! (Ah yeah!) This fabric was so fun, but also had a cool 70’s twist to it. The colors are vibrant enough to wake a room up, without overdoing it. So, we took it home and started to measure for cutting.

We had a total of 4 panels to make, and ended up not having enough fabric. (*facepalm*) We were able to jump onto Joanns.com and get the same deal, and FREE shipping to our house! Once the rest arrived, we began to assemble them. We opted for “no-sew” curtains, because we do not have a sewing machine, and sewing by hand would’ve been way too tedious. “Stitch Witchery” definitely came in handy, and combined with fabric glue – bonded the seams shut after maybe 10 seconds of steaming. Here is Sheena sitting on the floor going to work on those seams!

The curtains were completed on an old blanket, with a clean rag on top to protect the fabric from our old iron. Once the seams sealed up, we let the curtains “hang out” to air dry for about an hour. Once the curtains dried, we used some hooped hooks purchased at target. It is from their “Threshold” brand, and ran us about $11.99 for an 8-pack of hooks. Here is how we ended up hanging the curtains:

For those weekend warriors that are not afraid to apply a little time and nurturing to a good piece of fabric, this is what you can accomplish! I think the best feeling is knowing that it cannot be purchased to be just like yours. 🙂 Happy Fabric hunting, and we would definitely love to see what prints and textures you guys find & where!

Love in the details,

SpokenHome.