January 27, 2011

Fairy Tales


How utterly adorable is that pillow?




January 24, 2011

One Defining Moment

I always had a thing for foyers. It's like the only chance for a first impression - for your house. Here are some amazing first impressions. You had me at Hello!!

(via Cote de Texas)

(via Yvonne O'Brien Interiors)



January 21, 2011

Granny Guillory

I never had the pleasure of meeting my husband's granny but I am enjoying the pleasure of her needle work. Don't you just feel that we would have had lots to talk about.

We have several of her handmade quilts in the cedar chest in front of our bed, but this one has to be my favorite. I so want to have girls and decorate the entire room around this quilt.




Our kitty thinks it was made just for her.

The under side of the quilt is hot pink!!!

A close up of the appliqués






January 20, 2011

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

I did a little updating in our master bedroom this weekend with fabric. It is still a work in progress but its coming along beautifully. I finally found some floral fabric that the man of the house could live with, huge accomplishment - right? Floral and men are two words that just don't go together, but we found a happy medium. I made a body pillow with the fabric that stretches across the bed.



I LOVE this trellis fabric and finally finished sewing a slip cover for my little ottoman. I got the desk at an antique fair last year for super cheap and it fits perfectly as my nightstand. I was thinking of painted it but everyone voted me out. The desk drawer is made of a tiger wood and it is in great shape.


I got this crystal lamp at TJ Max a few months back. I spotted it across the store and went back to look at it 3 times before I bought it. It was 100 bucks, a little more than I wanted to pay for a bedside lamp but this sucker is nice. Its so heavy I struggle to pick it up, and the shade is a fine linen that matches with our duvet.


I live for before and after pictures, it so fun. You probably remember the before picture of the bachelor pad I moved into, but just incase you forgot.

The before.............


If you can ignore the old carpet and the fact that we have no art work on the wall yet, here is the after (for right now)..................


Let's see if I can remember all the details: paint colors are White Linen and Manchester Tan both from Benjamin Moore. The mirror comes from Ikea, Britt's night stand I got on clearance at Christian Street Market, the white vase is from Z Gallery. Our bed comes from Kaya Furniture , we had to wait over 6 months for it to ship from Indonesia but it was well worth the wait. All of our bedding comes from Bed Bath and Beyond. The cedar chest Britt had in garage and painted it. The curtains I made myself with some robin's egg blue fabric I found on ebay.

I am hoping to find some old artwork on our Round Top trip to put above my desk, and one day we will put hardwood floors upstairs in our room. A friend asked me the other day "what are you going to do when you run out of projects for your house?" I laughed - I don't think my mind can ever fathom that idea, I would have to paint something over again or move out.



January 17, 2011

For The Love Of Ebay

I have been dreaming of our kitchen update for years now, so to finally have a little category in our budget named "Kitchen Remodel" is a huge step. And low and behold the extra money has been flowing in, just enough money to purchase the faucet on ebay. And I am very happy to report that I am already $33.78 UNDER budget!!!!!


I must apologize now - you will be sick of hearing about our kitchen before its all done and said with but just hang in their I will try and make it interesting.

It's a girls propagative to change her mind - right? I researched and read a few customer reviews on the first faucet I picked out from Price Pfister. Overall it received only 2 out of 5 stars, the reviews were quite horrible with most customers having to replace some of the parts. I was very disappointed but was happy to move on and learn from other peoples mistakes.

I did some more searching around and fell completely in love with this little baby, and she was a little easier on the pocket book. I got the brushed nickel instead of the bronze because I was scared to go out of my comfort zone. I paid $148 on ebay, it retails for $240 at Faucet Direct. I have to say I like this faucet much more than the first one we had picked out. I love the bridge design and it has a hot and cold handle instead of the single handle.



Now it's time to start saving for the kitchen sink!!!!!


January 14, 2011

Sew Much Fun



A little sneak peek at my weekend project!!!!




Old School Lockers

Only 70 more days till our Round Top adventure!!! Miles and miles and miles and miles of antiques with my favorite girlfriends for 4 whole days. I have already started a list of things we need to get for my house. One thing on the list is an old antique metal locker. I have no clue what I would do with it just yet, but I know it will be fun and awesome.

I found one last year while antique shopping in Shreveport for 20 bucks and I passed it up. I am still mad at myself for not buying that locker for so cheap.

Check out these fun ideas from fellow bloggers...........

(via Decor8)

(via Lonny)

(via Apartment Therapy)




January 12, 2011

Etsy Pillows

New throw pillows are the most cost efficient way of changing the look of your room and adding that pop of color you need. I love to mix and match solids, prints and geometric shaped fabrics. You can get different size pillows for a layered look and different textures to add drama. Really their are no rules - just have fun!!! I found a few fun pillows on Etsy - its almost as cheap as sewing your own pillow......

Milk & Cookies for $25.00

Purple Pajamas for $35.00

Kyoozi for $69.00 (set of 2)

Elegant Touch for $40.00




January 10, 2011

Dreaming With My Eyes Wide Open...

I know that our kitchen renovation will come in due time but some days are harder to wait than others. Today is a "not so patient day" for me. So to keep my mind occupied I am making a list and getting quotes for that special day when we can actually start the process. I figure if we work in baby steps we can get it done without a shock to the bank accounts. So here are my baby steps.

Baby Step 1 - The kitchen sink!!!! Stainless steel, 30" zero radius under mount sink from ebay with a cost of $295.



Baby Step 2 - The faucet from Price Pfister in tuscan bronze (or maybe a brushed nickel finish) Marielle for $182.77



Baby Step 3 - Ocean black granite countertops from a local dealer (I am waiting on a price quote from them but we don't have a huge countertop space - fingers crossed hoping it will be cheap around $1,000).



Baby Step 4 - Off-white subway tile backsplash from Lowe's. I am guessing that it will cost around $300 for the materials and I can install this myself. (Don't worry I have done it before).



Baby Step 5 - Stianless steal Whirlpool dishwasher to match our refrigerator for $417.05




Baby Step 6 - Whirlpool Over-the-range microwave oven in stainless steal for $241.88



Baby Step 7 - Whirlpool freestanding electric range in stainless steel for a whopping $889.53



Baby Step 8 - PAINT!!!! Upper cabinets with Benjamin Moore Linen white and the lower cabinets with Farrow & Ball Mouse's Back. I would be the "hired" painter for the job and I work for free!!! Total cost about $50.



Baby Step 9 - New cabinet pulls and knobs. I need a total of 5 pulls and 15 knobs. They average around $3.00 per hardware at a total cost of $60.




Total cost of kitchen renovation: $3,500!!!!!




January 05, 2011

Animal Print Shop

I have adored Sharon Montrose photography for way to long. I can so relate to her love of animals and photography. The animals she captures with her camera are amazing and quite magical. My favorite are the baby animal prints and they would look so cute in a nursery, but I also have a fascination with bird prints so this little ostrich and her egg would fit right in at my house.

(Lesley Townsend's New York Apartment)

How cute is 3 month old baby giraffe named Stanley

Look how great the prints look in a simple white frame!!!!
You gotta go check her website out, you will be amazed.

The "baby" line up - I mean really who could pick a favorite?


January 03, 2011

Pretty Pillows

Just wanted to share a pretty pictures with you guys today. I am in love with these pillows!!!

The Empire Hotel in New York City