the frustration of buying a bank-owned house and what i'm doing in the meantime

Aaaagh! I'd love to give an update on our housing process, but there is NOTHING to share. Everyone told us not to hear back from the bank when we made our offer, and they ended up accepting it right away which was great. But now they're dragging their feet on every little thing. We were supposed to get our inspection done in the five days after the offer went through, and it's been over two weeks now because the bank's agent still hasn't turned on the utilities! I'm fairly certain that that's a simple phone call to the electric and water companies. Very frustrating. Also, our contract stated that the seller would provide us with the by-laws to the townhome community within three days of a ratified contract. Still haven't seen them. Our (amazing) realtor has emailed the selling agents every day, and they're still just plodding along. Double frustrating!

So, in the meantime I have been getting well acquainted with the world of decorating blogs. I guess I thought I decorated at the apartment, but now that I'm realizing all of the opportunities and potential in a house that I own, my brain is starting to go crazy. Crazy with joy!

I've been checking Apartment Therapy almost daily. They put up multiple posts a day with fab new furniture, before and after projects, and the best... house tours. Love those. (My favorite part of going to people's houses has always been "the tour" after dinner.) Here are some fun inspiration pics I've collected from AT.

Apartment Therapy

Luurve this settee. I would love to find some funky fabric like this and upholster an old chair.

Apartment Therapy

I love the mix of patterns and the framed scarf on the wall. I could frame a scarf. Also, check out that sweet wallpaper in the back room. (More on my rapidly changing feelings towards wall paper later.)

Apartment Therapy

We love books and would love to do some sort of library wall in our new place. If you look closely through these shelves you can see that they're the cheap kind with the cardboard-ish backing. We already have two of these from Walmart that were $35 each. Nice to know that swanky Apartment Therapy peeps do it too!

Apartment Therapy

Ikat print and a ceramic garden stool? No cake for me, this is my dessert. 

Apartment Therapy

I could seriously drool over this closet. But look! See how those shoes are stored on a bookshelf? Totally doing that in our new closet. Then I get to see all my pretty patent pals all the time.

Can you tell I'm excited to get started in our new place? Ha! Now if only the stupid bank agent would turn on the stupid utilities!!! Grrr.

~ Wearing: Awesome new patterned tunic from Ross (We're getting a Ross in Hanover soon, plus a Target! Woohoo!) I paired it with gray tights and boots for church this morning then with skinnies in the pm. Love tunics. Eating: We made awesome omelets for Sunday brunch today. Listening to: Not listening to anything cause I should really be in bed. 1:30am, yikes!