6.29.2012

Amazing Office Transformation ~ Viva Bella

Hey guys!  Happy Friday...we made it!  I am so excited to share an amazing office transformation with you guys.  My sister, Dora, is the owner of Viva Bella Events out of Cincinnati, OH.  They specialize in weddings and corporate events, and they are amazing.  Dora has such an eye for detail, and I love seeing all of her events come together.  She really thinks outside of the box.  She's even worked along side Colin Cowie himself!  Pretty cool huh?!?  I was dying over these new office pictures she sent me.  They completely transformed this space from an empty shell to an incredible space.  Hope you like it!  

Here is the BEFORE...






~ AFTER ~












What do you think?!?  Are those chair covers not amazing??  I am loving the stencil too.  Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to check out Dora's blog too!  

Happy Weekend friends!

6.28.2012

New Additions ~ Pink Orchid & Chalkboard Frame

I thought it would be fun to have a weekly post about new additions to our home.  These will not be big purchases at all...for the most part, just fun DIY projects or decor items I've added as we figure this home decorating thing out!  I have been wanting an orchid for a while now, but wanted to wait until after our move to purchase one.  I bought this the other day, and love it on our new kitchen shelf.  It is so bright and cheery in the morning, and is the perfect pop of pink!  I also finished a DIY chalkboard using a clearance hobby lobby frame.  I spray painted the frame in a glossy white, and used chalkboard paint for a piece of ply wood cut to size.  My sweet friend Bethany came over the other day, and I had her write this verse because she has much better handwriting than me :) 


 We had to paraphrase it a bit due to the size of the chalkboard.  But, how encouraging to know that His compassions never fail, they are new every morning. I love seeing this sweet reminder and happy little spot every morning.



I plan to use this chalkboard and shelf for fun holiday decor this Fall and Christmas.  My mind is already thinking about a great pumpkin display of some kind.  With this Texas weather, I'm sure I will be more than ready for Fall in about a month!


Do you all have any new additions to your home lately?  I would love to hear about it!  Have a great day everyone!


6.26.2012

Look What I Bought!

So, I finally caved into all the hype and purchased my very own J.Crew Bubble Necklace all the way from China..haha!  This beauty is on it's way, and I am super excited to wear it this Summer!  For $20, it was a great deal!


AND...This is amazing...Rugs USA is having a 75% off sale of some of their Summer rugs!  If you are needing one, I would definitely check it out. Some of these are like $200 for an area rug...crazy!  Here are some of my favs that are currently on sale:






Happy Tuesday everyone!





6.25.2012

We Painted Our Kitchen! ~ Before & After

Hey everyone!  Hope ya'll had a great weekend!  We were busy painting our kitchen and I am so excited to share some before and after pictures today.  I originally wanted Sharkey Gray by Martha Stewart...then changed my mind in Home Depot and chose Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore....then we painted half the kitchen and decided that it was too blue...SO we went back to Sharkey Gray...whew!  I am tired just typing that :)  We finally finished it all Saturday night, and I am so so happy with the results.  Here are the before shots...by no means ugly...but peach is just not my color. I think with the cabinet color, everything just blended together.  



Here is the after!  We have plans to paint the cabinets white, so I think this color will look really pretty once it's all said and done!





We got this ikea expedit shelf yesterday and I can't wait to style it and hang the chalkboard above on the wall.  I am thinking a cute little gallery wall would be great for this spot!




Hope you liked my little mini-tour of our kitchen - more pictures to come as we get settled in.

Have a great day!










6.22.2012

5 Things You Should Buy From Craigslist

Is it just me, or does Craigslist always have amazing bargains...aside from the occasional sketch factor, I have found some amazing things through this site.  So I thought it would be fun to compile a list of 5 things you should definitely buy on Craigslist if you are a DIY kinda girl.  These are asking prices only...feel free to bargain, girlfriends!

Pedestal Tables ~ $20

How pretty would this be painted in a glossy white or even a kelly green would be a fun statement piece!  Endless possibilities...I really like the character and the shape of the top.


Fabric Covered Ottomans ~ $25

Easily recovered in your choice of fabric.  A great way to add a custom piece to your living room.  You could even have a skirted cover made for this.


Antique Tufted Chairs ~ $200 for Both

I would recover these babies in a soft lenin fabric.  The shape is amazing.  Plus, you would save yourself hundreds by getting them reupholstered.  These are dreamy...


Dressers ~ $45

This is a classic structure that can be painted to match any room.  Change the hardware too, and you have a completely new piece. 


Bedside Tables ~ $35 for BOTH!

I bought these for our Master Bedroom and they were stained a lighter brown color.  So, I sanded them and painted them this blue to match our old bedroom.  These are by far one of my most favorite Craigslist finds!  Such great quality and so inexpensive!  These will be staying for a long time...they are so easy to repaint to match any decor.  


Thanks for stopping by!  Do you buy furniture from Craigslist?  Any great finds?

Have a wonderful weekend friends!


6.21.2012

Gallery Wall Sneak Peak

So these arrived yesterday, and I am in love!  Sarah Swanson painted these beauties, and I managed to hang the navy because I was too excited to wait.  I have to pick up two more frames for the other two, but I'll definitely post pictures of them all together when I get them up.  For now, here's a sneak peak!




I wanted to add a pop of coral/pink somewhere in our living room, and this was perfect.  Sarah is the best!  Definitely check out her etsy shop!

Have a wonderful Thursday!

P.S.  I'm in the process of painting our kitchen...halfway through I changed my mind on the color...I originally wanted Sharkey Gray, then in the store, I changed my mind to Stonington Gray...then after I painted half of the kitchen, I decided I should have stayed with Sharkey Gray.  Stonington was too blue...Luckily, I had a gallon of Sharkey Gray at home because I bought it for another room in our house.  So, there I was at 2am, painting my kitchen like a crazy person.  So now, half is Sharkey, and half is Stonington...

Hubby doesn't know yet...I'm sure he will be thrilled when he wakes up :)

Lesson of the day:  Go with your first instinct!  






6.20.2012

I Like It, I Love It, I Want Some More Of It!

Yes, I'm talking about this Greek Key fabric that I just received in the mail yesterday!


I am going to have my grandmother make a pillow similar to this one...cute huh?!?

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But the main reason why I ordered it is to use it as the trim of a skirted table cover for a side table in our living room.  I have never had a skirted table cover, and I can't wait to have this finished.  I love the sleek look that they bring to a room.  Here are some of my inspiration pictures...

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I really love the greek key trim to these curtains...may have to try this at some point.  It really adds alot to these simple white curtains...so so pretty.

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Do any of you have a skirted table in your house?  I love how this look can completely transform an old table.  I've never been super happy with my one of our side tables...it's a little too much brown I think.  So, this might be just the fix we need for our living room.  Can't wait to share how it turns out!




6.19.2012

Our Entertainment Center ~ Hiding TV Cables

I really hate looking at TV cables and wires, and could not wait to finish this little project.  I purchased our entertainment center unfinished at a flea market a couple years ago and stained it a dark walnut color.  I really loved the rustic look of the piece, but I didn't love the open back that exposed all of the wires and cables.  One day, I had an "aha" moment, and decided to add backing to the piece to hide all the mess.  I went to Home Depot and had them cut two pieces of wood in the dimensions of the two openings.  They drilled a hole in the back of each piece of wood so we could link the wires through.  This was super easy and saved alot of time having them do it in the store.  I brought the wood home, and stained it in the same dark walnut color, and had my hubby nail them to the back.  Here is the before and after!

~ Before ~




~ After ~



Much better, right?!?  I am so glad we finally did this...it was on my to-do list forever!