Decorating
A Curtain Switcheroo
April 8, 2014
When I was attempting to furnish our guest room last year, I bought and hung a pair of linen-y curtain panels to outfit the space. They were too long, but I never got around to hemming them. It’s a good thing I never hemmed them because they’re not in that room anymore. That guest room is now the nursery, and it has its own curtains. I decided to try the curtains down in the sitting area at the back of the dining room that was rocking a valance Nana made when we first moved in.
A Custom Nursery Art Teaser
February 25, 2014
Yes, this post is a bit of a teaser, because I don’t have true “after” shots yet. Yet! They’re on their way… Those who know me well know that I get ridiculously excited ridiculously easily. You can see a few pictures and read a little about that here, but it’s not necessary. You just need to know that a good trip to Costco can send me over the edge. That gives you a pretty good idea, right?
A Quick DIY Nursery Mobile (For Under $7!)
March 11, 2014
When I set out to make a mobile for the nursery, I didn’t exactly set out with any real idea of what I wanted. Sure, I checked out a few DIY options online before heading out to the store, but in the end, I found my inspiration perusing my local Michael’s Arts and Crafts store. I came home with a flat flower hoop, some all-purpose acrylic, non-toxic craft paint, and nine random wood shapes.
A Slippery Stair Situation
October 28, 2012
When we moved into this ol’ house of ours, the stairs leading up to the two guest bedrooms looked like this… Eek! After pulling out the carpet and removing all of the nails, we had the tops of the stairs refinished professionally. Back in April, I was busy painting the stairs white to go from this… …to this… I’m still reeling over the difference a little paint can make on a set of very dark stairs.
August Vacation, Part 2
October 22, 2012
You may or may not remember that Matt and I were out in Colorado in August. Actually, you probably don’t remember at all, because I posted “Part 1” of our trip TWO MONTHS AGO. Oops. Perhaps I didn’t realize how crazy August and September would be? In any event, we are quite overdue for an “August Vacation, Part 2” post, and here she is. If you didn’t read about the first leg of our trip, check it out here.
Friday Night Surprise!
October 5, 2012
Okay… let me start by saying that the following “surprise” may in fact be considered lame by 99% of you. However, in my opinion, (which is the only one that matters since it is my blog…muahaha) it is positively the cutest, most thoughtful, meaningful surprise I could ever have received on a random Friday night. No, Matt didn’t buy me a car (that wouldn’t be cute or meaningful, people) and no, Griffin didn’t make the bed (but that would totally be cute and thoughtful).
Hanging a Wreath Over a Mirror (After Painting It)
December 11, 2013
This is my first post this week because yes, I missed another Sunday Cookin’ post. Oops. Maybe I should aim for every other Sunday instead of every Sunday. I did, in fact, cook. I just didn’t take pictures and blog about it. Actually, I took one picture, since I thought the table looked festive and pretty. Matt and I hosted a small brunch for his mother’s birthday and we served (among a few store bought things…) eggs, pancakes, bacon and fruit.
I'm No Seamstress: Finishing the Nursery Curtains
February 14, 2014
Believe it. The nursery curtains are done and you’ll never believe what they cost me. They’ve been on my to-do list for a while and I’m happy to cross ‘em off! If you’re new, read this post to catch up on how I started the curtains. If you’ve read it already or just want a refresher, here are the highlights: The initial post included the verb “attempt” so I made no promises that these would turn out well!
Microwave Art
May 14, 2014
Let’s talk about the kitchen progress. Or lack thereof. I’m a slacker, I know. A couple of months ago, Matt and I finally got around to installing new trim along the top of the kitchen cabinets. I have yet to fill the holes with wood putty and since I’ve yet to do this, you can imagine I’ve yet to paint, too. It’s on the short list now, so hopefully I’ll get this done before the end of the month.
Mirror, Mirror...
January 30, 2015
…on the wall. Yes, the mirror that we found in our garage from the previous owners. It was neglected and beat up but I liked its curves so it avoided the dumpster. I cleaned it up a bit with an old rag and some vinegar and Matt made a fancy French cleat on which to hang it. Voila! We had a functional, pretty-ish piece for our large dining room wall that didn’t cost us a dime.
Mud Room Update
October 20, 2012
You may recall from a previous post that I wanted to change out some curtains to lighten up the room a bit, while adding a little drama and formality (should I need to entertain The Duchess on short notice). I was indecisive but after mulling it over…drum roll please…I bought the gingham sheer panel from Country Curtains, and I am thrilled with my choice. To those that gave advice as to which set of panels you would choose - thank you!
My Favorite $14 Christmas Update
November 30, 2013
I know it’s November 30th, but I hung my favorite Christmas decoration. Obviously it’s my favorite. It’s the first. I haven’t even taken out the Christmas bins from the attic yet. There will be more favorites to come. I popped by Trader Joe’s to grab a fresh boxwood wreath that I saw advertised for $10! I couldn’t believe the price. I feel like a local nursery would charge $30-$40 for the same thing.
My Kind of Pillow Talk
February 4, 2014
If you came for that kind of pillow talk, sorry ‘bout it. I want to talk about actual pillows - of the decorative sort. Specifically, I want to talk about one that I fell in love with at Target last month. Feast your eyes on this gorgeous, red herringbone floor pillow. It was basically free. You’ll see. (Source) Isn’t it dreamy? The back is dark gray and I think that it’s pretty masculine, for a pillow.
Oh Hey, Fall
October 17, 2012
Seeing as Fall is nearly a month old already, it’s probably high time I start decorating for it. I’m not the type of person to go tooooo crazy on any sort of Halloween decoration, but I do love switching up a couple of seasonal items here and there. I can’t for the life of me remember where I found this wreath, but I love how vibrant the colors are (it’s around 3 years old now) and it really pops from the street, which I love.
Shopping for a Nursery Rug
February 13, 2014
I mentioned a while back that I had picked up a rug for the nursery. Well, technically… Matt picked it up. It was big and heavy and this pregnant chick wasn’t about to break her back. It was a Costco bargain (be still my heart!) and it wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for the room when I started the rug search. You see, I had some other rugs in mind that were major contenders.
So I Tried To Make Some Art...
January 7, 2013
Smack dab in the middle of my to-do list (that turned out to be a fail) for late Fall sat a little nugget about DIYing some art for the guest room. So yes, on my to-do list was to make my own art. Crazy? Maybe. I’m really trying to put my own little touches on things as opposed to going to a store and buying something I like. We know I do enough of that.
Starry Night
October 25, 2012
Fall is in full swing, and all of the time I’m spending snuggling up on the couch, (in my new blanket, of course) drinking my tea, and perusing the new fall catalogs is making me want to shop. I’m particularly smitten with Moravian stars. They’ve been trending for a while, and I’ve loved them for a while. Seems like the stars are aligned. Time to get one. I want this (or something like it) for our front porch.