New Living Room!

My mom and I decided on a look for the living room.  We are going with white and navy with some brown, pink, and grey pops.  She found some inspiration from a Restoration Hardware catalogue and then she liked one of the color schemes I came up with a few days ago.

I think it would be fun to cover a wingback chair in the Ruthie floral print.  And then I would cover some pillows with the other two fabrics along with some navy blue ones.

I can't wait to show you the finished project!  Although it probably won't be for awhile.  ;)

Grey Rug - Fallon Collection Fallon Grey Contemporary Area Rug - $203 available on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Fallon-Collection-FAL1003-Contemporary-5-60/dp/B004E30XQA
Blue Curtains - Sanela - $69.99 for a pair available on IKEA
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90172105/
White Lamp - A similar one can be found at www.finehomelamps.com Astrid White Lamp - $305
Brown Coffee Table - This one is from IKEA.  I couldn't find the same one on the site, but their is a very similar one available.  Hemnes for $119. 
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80176284/
White Couch - Similar one available at IKEA.  Karlstad - $399. 
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S09840535/
Pool Picture - "Chateau" by Jeremy Kohm.  Available on 20x200.  $60 for a 11"x14" print.
http://www.20x200.com/artworks/2606
Wingback Chair - Available at the The Bed and Chair Depot.  I'm not sure on the price.
http://www.bedandchairdepot.com/wing_back_chairs
Chair and pillow fabrics - L&S Fabrics.
 http://lsfabrics.com/

Decorating Fun

So to give credit where credit is due, I totally stole this blog post idea from one of my favorite design sites, Little Green Notebook.  And I used fabrics from the same textile company that Jenny did, L&S Fabrics.  But I thought it would be a fun little challenge to try and dream up some rooms.  Also, we recently got wood flooring in our living room and we are trying to decide on a new color scheme in there, so I thought this might be helpful for my mom to look through. 

So here are my "dream" rooms:

I think these would be pretty in a bedroom.  I would use the floral print as big pillows on the bed with a white duvet.  The funky yellow pattern I would use for curtains, and then the blue ticking I would use to cover a chair or a bench at the foot of the bed with the ikat as a pillow.

The next one I would call, "College Prep."  Not too original there.  ;)  Obviously, I think these would work well in a dorm room, or a young graduate's room.  The solid blue would cover a fancy chair and the deer head print would cover a little bolster pillow to go with it.  The latttice I would use for curtains and the floral print would cover pillows for the bed.

Would it be crazy to use the following prints in a nursery?  I hope not, because I would!  I'd use the blue bird print for curtains, the brown check print on a cozy rocker with the crazy stripe print as a pillow.  And I'd use the red and brown damask as bumpers..?...whatever those things are called inside the crib.  ;)   

These I could see in our living room.  My mom and I both really like red.  I would love the solid red on a couch with the small blue print as pillows.  The top floral I would use for curtains, and the bottom floral...maybe as more pillows?  I'm not sure on that one, but I like the combo.

Next set up: "Jungle Fever."  I'm killing you with the creativity, right?!  Heh heh.  Again, I would see these in a living room.  I can be a little bit chicken with crazy prints so I would keep the jungle print on some pillows.  I would cover an ottoman or pouf with the brown lattice print.  I'd use the damask print on curtains, and the stripe I would use to cover a chair...I think.

I haven't done a dining room or kitchet yet, so I'll imagine this last set in a combined kitchen/dining room.  I'd either cover some chairs or upholster some with the lattic fabric, then I would use the stripe to cover a cushion on a built in bench and then add some pillows with the fun bird print.  And I would make some pretty Roman shades with the floral.

So there you have it.  What would you do??

DIY: Olive Green Drawers

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you know that I love interior design.  And if you know me persoanlly you probably know that I love to fix up old furniture! 

Well, the other day at work, my wonderful boss, Rita, brought in an old little thing of drawers.  It almost looked like it belonged on top of a desk.  She was going to put it on the volunteer table which is basically a giveaway table, but first she asked me if I wanted it.  I almost passed it up but then I gave it a closer look.  I loved the rounded edges on the drawers and the old handles and it had a retro 50's feel.  So I took a chance..."on an unknown kid."  (Excuse me, random movie quote.)

Of course I had to blog about the process.  ;)

Not all the pics are great...so bare with me.

For some reason not all my before pictures downloaded, but here is a close up of what it looked like before:

Of course, I sanded it down first.

These drawers used to hold silver, so they had this weird fake felt inside.  I tore out the silver holders...

.

...and scraped out the fake felt.  This was the longest part of the whole process.  And I should have been wearing a face mask.  It came off like fine powder.

The mix of the powder with the wood chips was not the nicest thing to inhale.

I bought some nice already mixed olive green paint from Lowe's.

I taped up the handles because they were super hard to remove.

And I lined the drawers with some laminate paper also found at Lowe's.

Not a perfect paint job, but I don't think anyone will notice.

I stuck the drawers back in...

and Voila!  All done!

Here it is in my room.  ;)  A new pedestal for Woody!

A Reading Nook

One of my favorite things to do after a long day at work is to come home and read.

I like to sit on my bed, grab a pillow, lean against the window sill and ever so often look out at the pretty view.  Framed by my little plants.

Right now I'm trying to read through the Bible quickly.  I know a couple people, yes more than two, that have read the whole Bible in a month!

I don't know if I'll make it that fast...but I'd love to read it in maybe just 3 months.

It's so cool to see the different things God teaches you as you reread a passage you've read many times before.  His Word is living and active!

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

What are you reading right now?  I want to know!  :)

Garden

A few days ago I mentioned my plant that wasn't doing so well.  I really thought she was going to die, so I prematurely bought another little plant from Restoration Hardware.  A tiny globe boxwood.  Well the other one pulled through after all so I decided that I am going to start a little garden on my window ledge/seat thing.  I also decided that since plants are alive, they need names.  The one on the left is Gloria, because she's a survivor.  (For those who don't know, Gloria Gaynor was the first to record, "I Will Survive.")  The other one is Woody.  Really clever there I know.  The great thing about Woody is that he only needs to be misted once a month!  I think I can handle that.

Now I just need some pretty flowers.  (Actually, when Gloria was a newborn she had tons of tiny bright pink flowers all over her.  But they must only appear bianually because it's been over a year since they were around.)  If anyone can tell what kind of plant she is just by looking at her, please let me know.

Here's a few more shots of Woody.

Do any of you readers have a green thumb?

Any tips?

DIY: Fabric Garland Chandelier

The other day at work, my friend, Jessica, directed me too a wonderful new blog called A Beautiful Mess.  If you have never checked it out, go there right now!  I absolutely love everything about it.  Elsie, the writer of this fantastic blog, has a plethora of fun DIY projects including the one below.  (The pic is from her site.)

Pretty much ever since I put up the chinese lantern in my room, I have been dissatisfied with it.  I didn't love the shape or the look and for the last year or so I haven't even had a light bulb in it.  So when I saw the fabric chandelier on Elsie's blog, I knew it would be the perfect fit.

So this past weekend I decided to do it.  What I liked about this project in particular was that all the materials were things I already had around the house.  It's made out of an old fashioned cookie cooling rack (which we happened to have), some white fabric and lace, and a sewing needle and thread.  :)

Here is the finished product in my room.

After it's complete you stick some white fairy lights through the rack and hang with an extension cord.

Just the right amount of whimsy for my room!

Pinteresting Wednesdays

Okay, can someone just pin a bunch of these "work week" outfit ideas?  It makes getting dressed in the morning so much easier.

I. want. one. of. these.

 I love things like this that aren't too matchy matchy.

 This is just funny.

 And this is just cute.

 I'm trying this tonight when I get home.

I think this would just add that "little somethin'" to my room.



 So I started my first quilt a plethora of months ago and then got the measurements wrong so I had to take it all out.  Nevertheless, I got a little discouraged and took a break.  A long one.  I had wanted to make a "crazy quilt" like the one below, but my mom said that I needed to learn the basics first.  But one day.  I will make this.

Winter Cleaning

Ahhhhh...a clean room.

It's sadly something I hadn't experienced for quite some time.  At least not a thoroughly cleaned room.

You know when life gets so busy that you don't even have time to do the simple things?  Okay, probably not. Any mom reading this blog is most likely thinking, "just wait, kid."  I know, I'm pathetic.

Well, whether I'm pathetic or not, I decided that today, in the midst of my week off work, would be cleaning day.  And, like usual, it paid off.  Here is the finished result.  (Notice, the black sky outside.  Yes, it took all day.)

Pictured below are the baskets full of clothes, shoes, purses and other miscellaneous items that I purged and am giving to Goodwill.

And, the picture that inspired this post.  I found out that I have 31 scarves.  Yes, 31 scarves, one for each day of the month.  I don't know about you but I think I'm set.

Really.  I truly do think that a scarf is a nice gift, and if you've given me one in the past, I'm much appreciative.  But please.  No more!

Below are the ones I am keeping, in order by color, which kinda fizzled at the end there.

And the rejects.  I'm very sorry if you see one that you gave me.  I just don't have room!

Cleaning your room can be profitable.  I found a ten dollar gift card to In-n-Out and my favorite nail polish!  A gold star for you if you can guess the name of the shade.  ;)  If you have really good eyes, you may be able to read it.

Wow, I found a desk in my room!  Now I can sit down and write someone a note with the notecards I received for Christmas.  (And a side note: that box you see on the left is filled with recipes.  I found it at a garage sale and I can't wait to try some of them out.  They sound really good.)

This next pic isn't too thrilling but I am happy that those drawers are organized!

And while I'm at it, the super cute camera bag that Em got me for Christmas, with fun houndstooth lining!

And below, an organized mess of books.  They are waiting for a new, taller bookcase...

...that will replace this one.  I mainly took this pic to show off the poster Em also gave me for Christmas.  And in the background you can see the door to my closet.  I am the most happy about that part of my room.  The floor is home to mainly just my shoes now!  And they are in order.  The clothes have been weeded through and even though the shelf looks a bit cluttered, I know where everything is.

Mmmm...another contented sigh.  I recommend winter cleaning for anyone!

Pinteresting Wednesdays

Well, I planned on having another post up inbetween this and the last one, but I just didn't get around to it. My life needs to be a tad more interesting! Ha. Right now it's clearly just pinteresting. Ba doom ch!

Anyway, here are my weekly pins!

I've always wanted to get married in a church, but this idea just may have me changing my mind. I never thought about having an outside wedding at night!


This week, I found a grown up tent! I don't how I will accomplish this, but someday I WILL have one of these in my house.


I love the outfit ideas you can find on Pinterest. When I don't know what to wear I usually open my computer to this board and find some inspiration.


Um. Do I need to write any words about this? I think not.


So fantastic.


There's just something so well...romantic about twinkle lights.


I would want this birthday party even at this age!


I like this simple idea for a bookmark. I'm always in need of a bookmark.


Aren't these the cutest? Who says someone needs to be getting married to break these out?


The twist braid. Wish I had more time in the mornings.


Hehe...does this make me a nerd that I like this so much?


Two words: yum and my. I haven't tried these yet, but my friend Ashley has and she said they were amazing!


Perfect DIY for the oncoming Autumn weather!


Who doesn't want to know how to make their own Frosty??


There is something so whimsical about this.


There was more but you'd get tired of it. Until next week!