true story

Last year at this time my husband got a new job, he moved about 2-3 hours away during the week and visited on the weekends. Last November we bought a foreclosure closer to his new job and moved. We never really got settled, never sold our original house and then in April we moved back! So needless to say life has been crazy! Also, I worked on a wedding, made a wedding dress, started decos for another wedding, and I am working on a pile of other projects. One of which is our bedroom. Chris and I converted our old office into our bedroom. It gives us much less space as a bedroom but our previous bedroom is giving us a whole lot more office space. Can't complain. So I've been drooling over ideas for the room. I think it looks cute as it is now(pics to come as soon as I charge my batteries), but I am missing a few pieces. Like a bed-

Love this one from Anthropologie!

Although, the hammock looks quite inviting for sleeping as well!

Ok, so maybe I am subconsciously looking for a way to relax...too much moving, I want to stay in one place!

Oh yeah, this pillow...I loathe the $198 price tag! So I think I might make my own version...right after I finish those wedding decorations!

all photos are Anthropologie

nursery

I'm sorry, I don't know who to give credit to for this picture. If you know, please let me know! Anyway, what a sweet place for a little one! Keira is napping up in her new room and I am thinking of ideas for her space. I think I would be happy waking up every morning with a pile of pretty pink poufs above me!

lobster and swan

I love this house, its so cozy and sweet and oozing personality. I love the lights over the bed! Am I crazy? ...tell me you don't like this...

check out more of Jeska's sweet british style at lobsterandswan.blogspot.com

the good, the bad, the ugly

Here are some photos of the new house. This is like a sneak peek more than anything. I have so much work to do that I am afraid to show all the problems with this house until I make some improvements. I do love a fixer-upper...but this one needs lots of fixin'!

I got some of my curtains up and installed my urban outfitters tie-backs...I love them!

The living room above is now a grayish beige, much more calming than the fluorescent red when we moved in!

We installed a shelf that wouldn't hold, it busted right out of the wall! The plaster in this house has been awfully trying, to say the least!

Ok, take a closer look at those bricks...they are real bricks that had been painted over and then repainted to look like bricks....ahhhhhhhh....my worst nightmare! Not to mention the other atrocities going on in the picture(gas hose, rusting fake brick insert, gobs of yucky old cat hair, the porcelain plate with a country scene painted in the center). I am in the process of painting this over, can't wait to show you the new and improved "after" shot!

Oh yes, it gets worse, the linoleum is all over my kitchen and it is gross! I could wash it all day, and have(!), and it still is awful.

Some grimy creature scurried up the wall...many many times.

No words are needed when describing the bathroom:-(. I will say, however, it has tremendous potential! I will be on this project in a flash, but it will take me a while! Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it!

new chair

My "new to me" chair! Its not a reproduction like the one below, and it might be really orange, but it was 10 bucks! Reupholstering this thing should be a breeze!

rad chair

Today on designsponge, there was a "simply color" post featuring a chair(above #2). It just so happens on my excursion out this past weekend to some flea markets near our new town I found the very same chair. I told Chris they typically go for about $250 (the one above is priced at 248). Well, Chris bought the chair for me, for 10 bucks! Not too shabby...although mine isn't a crisp white covered one, its more like orange tweed, but that is easily remedied! Imagine my delight in seeing this post though this morning...I had to share it with Chris:-).

ikea excursion

On a whim yesterday, Chris and I headed to Ikea to find a cheap bed. Well, the one we decided on will have to wait as we had no room in the car to get it home. We did however pick up a couple items that were needed for this new house we are in.

This lamp above is something I've wanted for a while now. I am probably going to get another one for Chris' side of the bed...but this one is currently on a little table next to the couch! Its even better in person!
The chandelier above we got for the new bathroom. I wanted sort of a modern romantic bathroom this time around, especially since we now have a claw foot tub! The bathroom is in horrible shape...pictures will come soon as I am eager to start and finish that project!

I didn't get the honeycomb mirrors above, but how cool are they? I'd love to put these on an entire wall in the bathroom but its not going to happen...has anyone bought these? I'd love to see what someone does with them!

decor8blog

Every morning I browse blogs, either on my blackberry, or if Keira is busy with her toys, on my laptop. Www.decor8blog.com is on my daily routine of blog reading and she had a pile of pictures up this morning that were super sute. Check them out if you haven't already. Anyway, I saw this one and I kept coming back to it. There are a lot of different colors going on and different frame finishes and sweet little plants...I can't put my finger on what I like so much, I guess it just seems very fresh and perky! I could use some perk this morning! Today I am packing up remaining items around the house and painting at the new house!

doilies

Anthropologie has a cute 5ft diameter wool rug that looks like a doily! Maybe for Christmas???

before and after

I found a five dollar old yucky lamp at the thrift store a few weeks ago and wanted to make it over. It has a really nice shape but it was brassy and dated. I brought it home and Chris cringed and promptly dumped it down in the basement. On a very overcast and rainy day I decided to spray paint it an ivory color...I know, kind of boring! But I may make a wild shade for it later or repaint it, but in the meantime it looks pretty darn better! :-)

This is a pile of stuff I was putting together to see if it would work for the next house, so it is sort of styled but not how it will be when I decorate...just wanted to show everyone what 3 dollars worth of paint will do for a 5 dollar lamp!

Eight bucks ain't so bad for a new lamp!

a little more inspiration

A little inspiration for the front entry room/livingroom.

Saturday is the big day- we move into our new home! I am completely overwhelmed, not necessarily by all the boxes lurking around here, but the limitless possibilities I keep running across. I find things I forgot were in plain sight! Just when I planned things completely, I have already changed my mind! Shhh...don't tell Chris:-). I can't wait to get unpacked...but first I'll be painting a little on Friday afternoon and then hopefully I can upload pictures frequently to share my progress. I finally cleaned all 800 pictures off my camera, so I think these posts might pick up a bit soon! Wish me luck!

updated desk

AFTER
I realized not very long ago that I never shared an updated image of my desk...you know, the one I found on the side of the road? The ugly yellow one? Its now an almond white, but I kept the hardware creamy yellow...I may change it up after we move and I find a good spot for this thing. I also need to update that chair cushion...

accessible modern

I keep my catalogues for inspiration...this image below is from West Elm's fall catalogue. I love the soot/ash gray walls, bronze lamp, bright yellow papery flowers contrasting with the crisp pops of white...well done!

The tailored furniture and the cozy textures give this room a modern feel that isn't cold and empty...I like when modern is accessible!

inspiration

As I was browsing through pictures on my hard drive this evening the realization of moving has finally set in. There is nothing to distract me as the date rapidly approaches. We close on November 12th! This is exciting and sort of difficult for me. I've loved our first home and I have lots of great memories tied to it. I also made it how I wanted it, and the next house needs a lot of work for it to even closely resemble "home." I have a pile of inspiration for the next place and much more room to really try a lot of things. Below are some of those ideas that are now jumping around in my head!

Love the shelf...I have something sort of similar...like the old fan perched on top...my old fan will work perfectly on my shelf!

Gosh, navy blue is going in somewhere, even if its the guest bedroom/library! I like the pops of color...its not too cheerful though...which I like!

I appreciate modern sensibility paired with plenty of vintage and antiques.

Love the shelf...white and navy blue, wood, schoolhouse pendant lighting...

The colors of this shirt, paired with navy blue? yes, please!

Teal for the back stairway to the kitchen...I'm thinking something really grand and bohemian for those dingy stairs!

Apparently we will have exposed brick in the kitchen, which I am excited about, but I also love this palette and the romantic furnishings in the bedroom...

Ok, I still need a dash of masculine, otherwise Chris might go crazy...this is how I envision it:-)

wall art

I am so in love with so many wallpapers, yet the price attached to them is sort of staggering to me. I suppose if I weren't a total cheapskate and I wasn't moving into a house with very large rooms, wallpaper could be an option...I tired myself out with the last mural I painted...perhaps I should attach a picture on the blog at some point! So I was thinking something a tad more effortless...

Cute little birdie for Keira?

I can't help it, I love the bike! Not going in my house though!

And these here things have potential! I like the ribbony look, especially on the somber background...hmmm....
(check 'em out yourself at http://www.wallsneedlove.com/)

they've done it again!

My husband sent in the paperwork for approval on a second home loan...yikes! We are still trying to sell the home we are in, but we found a home for a steal fairly close to where Chris works so we are literally minutes away from making an offer. It is sort of exciting thinking about the next place and making it our home. I've enjoyed the home we have had and making it unique and fixing it up. Its sort of sad to think we put so much effort into it and will most likely not get back what we have put into it, people are just not buying homes right now! But on the other hand, I've missed being with Chris daily and well this home that we are looking at has at least 10 foot ceilings! Haha...it also needs major work in the bathrooms and kitchen...oh boy.

As I was browsing Anthropologie the other day I came across this door knocker...I love it! Maybe if we get this next house we can spring a few extra bucks towards this thing:-). Anthropologie has figured out how to make me broke!

yellow curtains

This image has been stored in my computer for a while now. I just saw a post from Apartment Therapy with the tour this is apparently attached to. I love the scarf-like draped curtains here. I like the mini shutters too. I tried to find some to fit my bathroom window with no luck. Anyway, maybe the next house we move to might have a perfect spot for some sweet yellow curtains like these.

farmer's market

I went to the famer's market with my Mom today and found this awesome old trunk. It even has the original tray inside. Its very big too. It was 70 dollars but the lady said she'd give it to me for 60...I didn't realize haggling was an option! Maybe I should have gotten her down to 50! I'm not worried about it, it was a steal either way:-).

I can't wait to put some cool junk in it!

dresser

Every once in a while I like to arrange things and rearrange things. I move items around the house. That way they never get old and they are fresh and fun in a new space. Above is the green old dresser I got a while back for 30 bucks or so, maybe 50, I don't remember. It was a bargain anyway, as it has 8 drawers and plenty of room. I held off painting it but I really like the green right now. I compiled some yellows, oranges, creams and bronzes along with some pops of white to make a 1930's spring/summery look.

I love pairing old and new, shiny and scuffed. The jewelry box was hand carved for me by my sweet grandfather and it says "Lynn" on the front. The canvas was 3 bucks at Big Lots and I decoupaged the butterfly drawing from a calender of mine...I love cheap and easy!

The lamp was 2 dollars from Goodwill, the lamp shade was 17 dollars from Walmart. The little bird was half price at Michael's (2.50 I think) a couple months ago. The flowers are fake, but I love them and the soda bottle is Fentemans...I should get a link to them...yummy stuff! Go look around your house and rearrange something, its a lot of fun!