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If the overcast skies and winter hues start to get me down this year, I may have to consider investing in dream about one of these fantastic rugs from Amy Butler. Ok, so I won’t have my own house to decorate this winter, but I’m thinking for the future. Although I have enjoyed my patterned furniture, I would like to have a solid colored couch with a nice bold rug to compliment it. But I will have to store away and save up, because these babies aren’t cheap.
I am so much more productive at night. I wish I was a morning person, but I’m not and I’ve come to accept the fact that I am not. I can get more done between 11pm & 3am than most can during an entire work day. Especially when I’m rockin’ out to good free tunes (thanks Kate!) The fruits of my labor? Rearranging my bookshelf for a more aesthetically pleasing style. We’ve got an open house this weekend and so I’m trying to dot my i’s and cross my t’s. I thinned out quite a few of the books too. I’m terrible at returning people’s books promptly so I have a stack of those; I have another stack to donate to our church and yet another to the library. I also decided to pull all of my journals. I had no idea I had such a collection (over 20). And no more magazines. Those can all go in storage down below. This is what I was left with:
I also thought that people who arranged their book shelves by color were pretentious people who liked to surround themselves with books they don’t read. However, if you are the person who has arranged these books #1. you become well acquainted with your books and #2. i do tend to remember things visually, so I know what the color of the book is that I’m looking for. Yet again, I’m having to eat my words and step off my high horse. I will however still reserve judgement for those people who turn their books around backwards for display. Now that truly is impractical!
But even the trees were playing along with organizing color today. It is so beautiful in Michigan this time of year. I’m glad I didn’t miss it.
it’s my mother-in-law’s birthday and she already has everything. i thought about picking up something that smells good or more kitchen utensils, but i feel weird when i don’t hand-make my gifts. but the poor woman has had to suffer through quilts, bags, jewelry and other things I’ve crafted. but this latest idea is a combination of picking up something already made and customizing it. i tried my hand had “glass etching” with Armour Etch. it’s a cream that you apply to glass and five minutes later, a personalized gift. and because I’m southern i think everything is better monogrammed.
this could get addicting.
Even though we are trying to sell I am still changing the way things look around here. I have been actually hanging things on the walls and continually changing the accessories on what few surface areas I have. I recently acquired the oval painting from my Grandmother and thought the colors went well with what was going on in my bedroom. And while in Chicago, I was able to snap a photo of the ferris wheel at navy pier which also involved the Red/Blue/Black theme. With much anticipation I nailed the first hook into the wall and it did not turn to ash, so I added another frame to the mix. Now that creative energy is spilling over to other parts of the house. I’m hoping that Murphy’s Law applies and just when I get things hung in the right place, we’ll have to sell! 
Oh, the second photo is of some lovely Gladys I picked up for $.99 (no kidding) that I think make such a dramatic statement. I love fresh flowers.
Peruse these lovely blogs for some home inspiration:
Those words don’t seem to go together in my mind; however they seem to fit seamlessly in my friend’s new baby room. She chose a lovely theme from CoCaLo Couture. If I was getting ready to decorate for a new addition I would definitely head over there.
(Is is just me or does it look a little Amy Butler-esque?)
Here are pictures of the completed attic project I posted about a while back. I’m glad to see that my little shower project turned out quite nicely. And I really like the Joel Dewberry fabric for the room.
Over at Oh Joy! there was a little give away challenge. Oh Joy! teamed up with DwellStudio for a fabulous oh-so-help-me-this-would-be-amazing-prize. One lucky person will get a full bedding set (over $800 value). Each person was asked to choose a Dwell pattern and then find a coordinating fashion accessory. As of Saturday they had over 500 combinations from which to choose! Good luck not going blind.
So here’s my combo. A little prosaic, maybe, but I liked the idea of a little something for me…& a little something for my man.
But the best part about this whole endeavor was that I found a really cool Etsy shop: Toybreaker. She makes really cool ties. And with Father’s Day just around the corner, not a bad idea.
I think it’s funny how even though I have lived in my home for 3+ years, I still can’t get myself to do things like put art on the walls. It has always felt too permanent. I know, I live with a builder for crying out loud, it’s nothing a little spackle and paint couldn’t fix. But I also think I had a mental block too. I was always telling myself, “We won’t be here long…” & “…this isn’t a style I want to commit to.” Well 3 1/2 years later and I’m finally ready to make a decision about art… ironically the day before we sign with a new realtor. (Yes, we decided to try again and we feel much better about our newest advocate & opportunity.)
Anyway, I really like the simple, but lovely, designs of Jennifer Ramos. Her blog is quite something too. Again I will suffer the color dilemma of choosing just the right one, but what a lovely predicament to have.
Well, our building is either going to look great or like we were on acid when we picked these colors. Our local hardware store was running a Grand Opening Special so we decided to take advantage and spruce up the outside of our building. We have put a ton of TLC into the interior of both floors, but we’ve neglected to outside. And we’re hoping this will give it a little more curb appeal. I will certainly post the final product. (But we have to wait two weekends before tackling this one.)
{colors from L-R: Ohio Buckeye Brown, Glendora, Olive Oil, Dried Hydrangea, Cotton Fluff}
Have you ever visited the time-killer website colour lovers? Check it out to be inspired and lose 3 hours of your day!
I rarely use this forum to express deep, personal emotion. I try to keep things light and focused on things that have made me smile or cleverness discovered. But today it’s different. Today I need all the positive thoughts and energy of the universe to head our way.
We have to sell our home.
It’s to a point that this has to happen. We’ve been through the circus that is the real estate market and agents. I’m so angry… so bloody angry. At the economy, at incompetent people, preconceived notions and f*ing stereotypes. Believe me I know that our property is a bit unorthodox (for this area), but my god people, it’s not like we’ve re-invented the wheel here. And I’m so angry that just because of things beyond our control we have to sacrifice our price tag. It’s just plain unfair. I know there are plenty of people way worse off than us, but we had so many plans… and now we have needs… not just wants.
I feel as if our home doesn’t sell (and soon) then nothing will work out. I’m usually quite a hopeful person, but this is too much. If I hear one more person make a negative comment about our situation I’m going to scream.
I see nothing but positives about our home. Seriously. Some people think 1100 sq ft of living space is too small…fine. Some think that the idea of not having a yard is a down side… fine. But the unwillingness to see how living above a commercial space (and having that person pay you rent… that yes, goes towards your mortgage) has HUGE advantages that seriously outweighs the perceived disadvantages drives me insane.
I’m so sad. I’m SO sad! I love my home. We built it to sell. I don’t understand why there isn’t a realtor out there who doesn’t know how to sell a mixed-use property!?! It’s these freaking real estate agents that are setting the bloody prices… for entire communities. And they screw them. You would think that since realtors are having such a hard time selling property right now that it would make them work that much harder. But you would be wrong.
And so now I feel stuck. Not knowing how to do this ourselves. (And clearly the realtor thing is not working out.) And every freaking website we go to doesn’t have a “box” for us to check. It’s either commercial step to the left, residential step to the right. And each excludes potential buyers. This place is perfect for someone who is looking for an investment property and they can cash-flow the entire purchase by renting the top and bottom. It’s perfect for someone looking to have commercial space and then pay their mortgage by renting the apartment or vice versa. I also think it’s a nice location. No… it’s not the uber-hip town just to our west, but it’s perfect for someone (or couple) who splits their time between the lake-shore and the city.
I don’t know what to do.
I went to a wedding yesterday (I know, Friday wedding are weird to me too…especially when they are at 4:00.) Anyway… bride, groom, vows, they’re married, go to the reception. And although there was nothing unexpected about the whole ordeal, on the tables was a very lovely and unique centerpiece. I’m not up on wedding extravaganza (or fancy party) details, so this is probably not be a new idea, but putting apples in the vase, I thought, was quite clever. It added a lot of interest & height to the table w/o spending crazy money are “tall flowers”. I’m not that crazy about the flower arrangement up top, but I definitely like the apple thing. (Oh, and it ended up at my house because I won the arrangement at my table… yea for me!)
I’m so flattered by all the positive feedback we’ve received from D*S readers about our lovely home-made sink vanity. We originally purchased this dilapidated, yet functional dresser at an antique mall for $30. We then purchased a vessel-style sink from Lowe’s and a union was formed. I stripped, sanded and painted the new dresser while my husband cut out a hole in the top. We just both guess at how deep we wanted it to sit in the dresser, but I’m happy with the height. While the top two rows of drawers are not functional b/c of plumbing, but bottom one does offer a bit more storage for our small bathroom. The paint was Behr “Fired Earth” (or another brand that I can’t remember now) and then we put a ton of poly on the top to seal it since it would after all, get wet. I thought about punching it up a bit with some fancy hardware from anthropologie, but I think the subdued silver goes with the rest of our home nicely.
I was so excited to receive a little package in the mail this week. I ordered my Joel Dewberry fabric from this great place and it arrived neatly wrapped and with a hand-written note. I will get started on the attic window seats this weekend/early next week and then I’ll work on the couch cushions when the home owners get their new furniture. I think the color and style is exactly what I was looking for in that great open space.
I’m so happy with the way the attic remodel has turned out. Once we painted the floors that glorious black, I knew I was in love. I’m kicking myself for not doing it to my own house. But the homeowners are thrilled and are ready to start moving furniture up there. The plumber needs to come by yet to install the sink and toilet and then it’ll be done structurally. I’m pretty excited that the homeowner wants me to make some cushions for the two window seats and a couch. Joel Dewberry is calling my name. I’m just proud as punch of my husband and his clever bookshelf idea. As you can see it is floor to ceiling (which is 15ft) and since it’s tight quarters with the chimney close by, he incorporated a ladder on the tallest row. So now everyone can access those top shelves. I can’t wait to snap a few photos of the kids on the bookshelf. It’s going to look beautiful completely finished.
Another apron made and delivered. She loved it.
I also made some potholders & appliqued some dishtowels to match.
Happy Easter
I hope to finish the shower today. Last week was spent mostly taking care of a very sick husband, but I did manage to finish grouting the shower. Now I just need to add a sealer, wipe the tiles clean, and then caulk around the edge and I’m done. I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out, especially for it to be my first shower to do without any help. I can’t wait to see the whole bathroom put together.
I’m no longer going to be a construction worker — at least not this week. I’m going to earn real, hard-earned money. My former place of employment, the store, called and asked me to fill in…just for a week. And because I was asked with no pressure, I said yes. In the mean time though, my Brad is going to be working hard solo finishing this beautiful space. We’ve picked out bathroom tile and have narrowed down color choices for the walls and floor. I can’t wait for him to build the bookshelf and have this project complete!
With my new found free-time, I have been busy crafting away. I’m always looking for cheap-chic items for my home and candlesticks are my new obsession. Although I have had my heart set on these beauties, my pocket-book has said otherwise. So a trip to the local antique store and a can of spray paint later, I’ve got new candlesticks.
I found these at the local antique mall for $3.50. I liked the shape and size and mostly, the price.
I needed to scuff them up a bit so I used just a general purpose sandpaper, 220 grit did the trick.
I was sure to get in all the nooks and crannies…
I decided to use a gray primer for two reasons: 1. It’s what I had and 2. I knew it would offer a better base since I was going to paint them such a dark color.
Short quick bursts while moving the can made for an even application. I did find that I needed to turn the candlesticks upside down to get the undersides covered well.
Once the primer dried thoroughly, I added the black. I chose a satin finish, but I think flat could have been cool. I started with the candlesticks upside down to cover it all without spraying everything as well as to not have any bare spots.
Voila! An hour or so later, you have new candlesticks. Who needs Restoration Hardware after all?!
Why is it that no matter what your sister has you want it? It’s just like when we were kids and I could go to her closet and her clothes were infinitely better than whatever was in mine. I think it’s always interesting (and ironic) that people think I’m the “crafty” one in the fam, but the truth is my sis is the creative one. Yes, I may just be the crafty one — replicating other people’s ideas and gluing scraps of garbage together, but she is the professional. (Not really; and that’s what makes it worse!) I look like Holly Hobby compared to her. All of her “projects” look like they just fell out of Architectural Digest or House Beautiful. She’s most recently put her creative energy into redecorating her house. The the two trees I posted yesterday were both in her house for the holidays. Here’s a glimpse into her world. (I’m digging the new lamps in the fireplace!)
What a week. We pulled off a successful surprise by flying in to see my family undetected. There was a substantial amount of fibbing going on for the last two weeks and it was all worth it. It was so wonderful to see my family, but it was not wonderful to be in 78 degrees with 91% humidity! Yuck.
There are lots of changes around here. I now have a lot more time on my hands and a to-do list that’s growing.
…because who needs it when you’ve got this stuff! So who knew making a roman shade could be so easy? Well, easy when you have an old Ikea Roman Shade as a template and and extra set of hands. I thought we were going to have to pull the whole thing apart, battens, strings, hooks, etc. But my friend had the brilliant idea to just attach the fabric to the existing shade. I had the idea that I would use some fabric glue to help hold it before I stitched it. Who knew that I wasn’t going to need a machine at all!
We started by measuring the existing shade. I then cut the new fabric with an extra inch on each side and and extra 4 inches for the top and bottom. We laid the new fabric right side down and then put the old shade on top. We then measured to make sure it was even on each side and then we folded the top to mark the holes for the hardware to punch through. I can’t believe everything lined up. Once we then folded the raw edge towards the middle and then folded again to create a smooth edge, we started to glue it into place. It was then that I realized that we could glue the entire thing; so we did! And to make sure it would pull just like a real shade, we glued the battens down as well.
So, glue along the perimeter of the shade and then on each batten and voila, a roman shade sans sewing!
A very dear friend is coming over tonight and I’m so excited to give her the gift I made her. It’s just another Amy Butler apron, but I know that she will love it. She is the best person to give gifts to because she is always crazy excited and appreciative. We have a little project for the night and it’s a bit ambitious. We are making her a Roman Shade for her bathroom. She picked out the cutest fabric. I don’t know why she thinks I will be able to help her; I just know I will ruin her fabric. We’ll see what sort of hail-mary will hit the fence…
I surprised even myself this weekend. We actually pulled out our old holiday decorations and started the transformation. I’ve been a bit of a humbug the last few years, refusing to decorate anything more than a wreath on the wall or unadorned natural garland around a Pottery Barn candelabra-come-Advent-center-piece. But seeing is how I didn’t have to work Black Friday and it was actually snowing, I gave into the childhood memories and wishes like it was comfort food. Out came strands of sparkly goodness and twinkly white lights that intuitively give you good feelings. I forgot that the last time I decorated a tree (in 2003) I chose quite obnoxious colors, but there is still a part of me that will forever love purple and blue! Although our ode to the holiday season is meager in comparison to most, I think the pendulum is finding its way back to the middle.
