Better After

One of my favorite blogs to check out is Better After that features projects before and after. It is so inspirational and proves a little spray paint and elbow grease goes a long way.
Here is one of my personal favorite Better After projects. Our old house!


When we purchased the house in 2005 we knew it was a project house and were excited about the possibilities. What we didn't realize as a young couple in our first house was how much those "projects" cost in money and in time. So we tackled little projects like the front lawn that was full of wood chips and learned to love our little house "as is". Fast forward to 2009 and the arrival of our precious little Eva. Our little old house suddenly got smaller- it was time to move up. So we tackled a big project- the exterior of our home. However, we were able to do it on a fairly limited budget. Thanks to a co-worker whose husband was a painter we got a smokin deal on the painting and repairs we needed. He was able to use leftover paint from another project- score! And the new shutters? On clearance at Home Depot for $11- Double score! My favorite part? The red door- I love colored doors!
We sold the house in the Spring of 2010. Our adventures of being a first time seller was chronicled on HGTV's "My first sale" You can see our episode HERE.
Here is a picture of me in one our our final taping sessions!

Take a trip Tuesday!

Welcome to Living Lovely on Less. A blog dedicated to those things lovely- you know family, food, crafting, thrifting, etc... At least those things I consider lovely and how I manage a lovely life without breaking the bank.
Today's post is dedicated to some things I consider extra lovely. That would be a good friend, wine and travel. Put them all together and you get a weekend getaway to California's wine country with a good friend! My friend Missy has been having and nursing babies for almost 3 years now. Her two boys are less than 2 years apart. Here youngest, Max turns one next week and she plans on weening him off the boob. So this is our trip to celebrate her "freedom"!

So how does this translate to lovely on less you might be asking??
Well Missy also has a husband that travels quite a bit for his job. So he tends to rack up those points good for use on future TRAVEL! So thanks to points we have our accommodations and transportation taken care of- thank you!! Flights from Denver are pretty reasonable too.

How about some other ways to save on travel?
1. Look for flight sales and travel on off days - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. The best day to buy your flight is on Wednesdays.

2. Talk to friends and family that have been before you. Get tips on restaurants, hotels, sight-seeing and tours. This way you will get the most bang for your buck and not waste time and money on less than the best!

3. Look for daily deals in the area you are vising. Restaurant.com, Groupon and Living Social may offer great deals on restaurants, spa treatments and tours!

4. Pack smart- Look at the weather and read sites with travel tips. Be sure to bring a jacket, rain gear etc.. so you don't end up buying unnecessarily for an event you weren't prepared for. Now is a great time to break out that little black dress that can go from day to evening with a scarf and change of shoes.

Happy Travels, xo Korina