House Notes

The Nineties: Meg Explains it All

2011-11-30T13:44:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends!

OK, so I admit it. I'm totally random. Just when you thought I'd fallen off the face of the planet crazy-ass Mission Impossible Scientologist Tom Cruise style, here I am back with a new post. And it's not even about home decor. Wha?

Let's just say I came across this 90's article and was tickled. Being a 90's child myself, I felt I had to add to this list. I'm hoping you will as well. So, I'll start this off with my favorite parts of the article and then will add in my 2 cents. Then I want you to add your faves! Ready?

10 5 Things 90s Kids Will Have To Explain To Their Children

1. A neighborhood boy who completely disregards your family and puts a ladder directly under the teenage girl’s window to climb up at his discretion is not only acceptable, it’s charming. It’s the kind of stuff that would make said family take the ladder boy under their wing and into their heart. The nineties were a simpler time, one where we didn’t have to worry about things like breaking and entering. Clarissa today would have steel bars on the inside of her window and her father would continually remind her that the next-door boy with his ladder and his touchy hands have no place in his household.

2. In some inevitable shift of the time-space continuum in which James Cameron continues to rob humanity of all that is good and sacred in this world, Fern Gully will be known as that movie that ripped off Avatar. It will be up to us to crusade for what is right. It is up to us to explain that Fern Gully was not only a predecessor to Avatar, but far better, in that it contained both Tim Curry as a singing pile of molasses and Robin Williams rapping about animal testing in the pharmaceutical industry. (As a side note, if you have not recently listened to the full lyrics of the “Batty Rap,” I recommend you do, as they are horrifying.)

3. Long before he was spending his days foisting his mediocre children on us, Will Smith was actually the perfect human specimen. He also undoubtedly holds some world record for saving the world the most times while simultaneously delivering flawless catchphrases and giving cool guy nods to the camera. The Men In Black rap song, at the time, was created and received by the public without the slightest trace of irony. Really. He was that good.

4. Though on the surface, they are the exact same thing in every conceivable way, whether you liked The Backstreet Boys or N*SYNC said more about your character than all of the terrible macaroni art you could ever make for your child psychologist. Essentially, liking *NSYNC meant you liked Justin Timberlake, as he was clearly the Seabiscuit in that race from the get-go. You even liked him with his terrible, icy-blond mini-fro. Liking the Backstreet Boys gave you a bit more of a cultured palate, as there was no clear Diana in those Supremes. Nick was kind of the wholesome, if northern-Florida-redneck safe choice (save for his humiliating younger brother, Aaron). Brian was the shy, sensitive type. AJ was the hottt, dangerous meth addict. Kevin Richardson was mute with sexy, sculpted facial hair. No one liked Howie.

5. Incredibly depressing women in Indiana covered in cats and glass figurines they buy at The Hallmark Store used to troll the web 1.0 to invest thousands of dollars in tiny stuffed animals filled with plastic beans. That happened. Beanie Babies were not just significant, they were the first example most of us had of envy, greed, and wrath.

My additions to the list:

Only in the nineties could Marc Summers EVER be considered cool.. Which is kind of frightening really. He's the type of guy I'd imagine to be a permanent hall monitor. But douse some people in green slime, challenge families with a 'super sloppy double dare,' and he's a kid magnet. Um, scratch that last sentence. The fact that he could utter 'on your Mark, get set, go' and still have cred with the kids is almost as impressive as Will Smith.

Every teacher needs a little time out and children of the nineties were often baby sat by none other than LeVar Burton. Reading Rainbow was a magical show that brought cartoons to life, took us under the sea, and ultimately taught us about the perils of crack. After all, Le Var may have wanted you to get twice as high, but not THAT high.

Guys wanted to date her and girls wanted to be her. That's right! I'm talking about none other than Kelly Kapowski. Can you think of a single little girl you knew who idolized Jesse Spano? Or any other girls that were enchanted by A.C. Slater's curly mullet and crazy jeans? I didn't think so. Simply put, Kelly and Zack were the 'it' couple. No need for a 'time out' or awkward big phone to close this debate.

Remember the Olsen twins back in the days when they still used to eat and shower? DJ was the sister NOBODY knew as "Donna Jo," Kimmy was delightfully weird, and Uncle Joey was not yet the man Alanis was going down on in a theater. Oh, Joey. You've got it, dude!

Following close on the heels of those whacky Tanners, TGIF was the Friday night staple of clean family fun all across America. Steve Urkel mystified us by inventing a transformation machine that magically took off his glasses and lowered his pants. Suzanne Sommers took a 'step' up from three's company and showed us how she was planning to make it better, the second time around. Whether we tuned in to see Steve Urkel's early version of a smart car, or to see how see Suzanne was faring with all of those children, kids our age were glued to their TV's.

Honorable mention: Pizza huts when people actually dined inside, Popples, Pound Puppies, Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? Lisa Frank, Boy Meets World, Fraggle Rock and Slap Bracelets.

OK, so you tell me. What am I missing??

My Blog Cabin

2011-08-07T15:55:00.000-04:00

Some people dream of their very own beach house. I dream of a quaint cabin tucked away in the foothills of cool weathered Mountains.

Maybe someday I'll have my dream vacation home. In the meantime, I've created my vision board of how I'd decorate it.

The Bedroom:

The dining room:

The living room:

How would you decorate your dream vacation home? Do you ever create vision boards? Dream big, my friends!

Cabinet Fever: The Kitchen Reveal

2011-06-29T09:40:00.005-04:00

Well friends,

We finally did it! I think I've talked about painting the kitchen cabinets maybe a bajillion times on this blog, but it was hard to get going knowing what a hellacious project we were getting ourselves into. Without further ado, I present to you our mid-progress kitchen!

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

I sewed the Roman Shade using a pattern my mom found at Wal Mart. It was pretty easy to follow and is fully functional. I think I'm going to make a few tweaks to the row of loops and dowels in the back of the curtain to make the curtain pull up more evenly, but otherwise great and a big money saver.

Now on to the shopping! We're currently looking at countertop and backsplash options. Any suggestions?

Party Hosting and Guest Blogging

2011-06-28T08:20:00.000-04:00

Michelle of So Wonderful, So Marvelous is recooperating at the hospital after giving birth yesterday to a beautiful baby girl. If you follow her blog, you know how hilarious she and her husband are and what a sweet, precious older brother her son Finn is going to be.

To help Michelle and her family have some quiet time, I am guest blogging today about my outdoor dinner party. Hop on over to her blog, check out pictures from our Southern soiree, and wish Michelle and her family many blessings for their new bundle of joy.

OH! Annnnd check back in a few days for some fun before and after photos. Lee and I FINALLY painted the kitchen cabinets! Three weekends of pure misery, but we got it done.

Outdoor Decor

2011-06-15T16:41:00.000-04:00

Hellloooo everyboddddddyyyy!

I guess Oprah impressions don't translate well in written form, but just know that my arms are extended, my face is tilted up to the sky and my voice is hearty and booming.

I have an outdoor dinner party coming up which I am stoked about. To get the deck ready for our evening soiree, I've been looking at a few little details to maximize guest comfort.

One of the dilemmas with our quaint little home is seating. We've had several parties in our house, and never seem to have a good solution. I decided I'd remedy limited seating with cute cushions for our bench.

I spotted this ten dollar Target table cloth and saw its potential. When I found accompanying pillows for $10 each, I knew I was on to something.

A little sewing and foam filling later, I had a cozy spot for a handful of people.

I decided to create one long cushion with two smaller ones for the sake of versatility.

I also scored two adirondack chairs and a table from my in-laws recently. They used the set to stage a house they flipped and were kind enough to donate it to us when they sold the home. I'm thinking potted yellow plants on the table and some cute yellow cushions will be just right.

That's my small update for now...but stay tuned! I have just finished a BIG project and am on the verge of showing some pics. It took a lottttttttt of work, but I'm so excited!

A $5,000 Wedding

2011-04-22T13:37:00.001-04:00

Yes, it's true. I just went to a destination wedding that was put on completely with...wait for it...only a $5,000 budget! We're talking dress, bridal party gifts, everything.

The venue they chose was an architectural salvage yard/antique store in Sarasota, Florida. The bride made a deal that she'd call the local papers and get the store some publicity and also keep the shop open while guests perused items during the wedding in exchange for having the ceremony and reception there for free. They then used antique items from the store as centerpieces and decor.

They hung some of the most beautiful chandeliers in the trees and throughout the venue, used a large vintage stained glass window for the ceremony and lined the sides of the fence with antique church windows to look like an outdoor cathedral. The aisle was lined with iron Fleur De Lis yard sticks (not sure how else to describe them?)

She had a friend who professionally does hair, a friend who professionally does makeup (a 14 year model turned photographer/stylist that lives in Hong Kong but keeps a house in Vermont...uh, kind of gave me a complex), a friend who does wedding photography, a friend ordained to marry them, and my husband as the DJ.

It was a blast! So unique, so pretty and so memorable. Here are a few photos of their big day:

For their reception area, they draped white fabric across walls and ceilings, set up a few cocktail tables and made one wall out of thick, architectural antique doors. They hung up two gorgeous chandeliers and used an antique bar (one of the items for sale in the store) for the beverage center. The bride also used some of the wood letters sold by the store to spell out "Just Married" on the top of the bar. Really clever!

With so many fabulous items on display, Lee and I couldn't resist taking a souvenir home. When I spotted a kitschy 70's yellow and green floral light fixture for only $40, Lee and I shouted "We'll take it!" at the same time. I'm thinking it'll be perfect for the kitchen or front entrance.

And that, my friends, is the story of a $5000 wedding put on by a talented Interior Designer with the gift for thrift. What do you think of her unique idea? Whimsical or weird?

Now We're Cooking - Introducing Our New Appliances!

2011-03-23T13:16:00.000-04:00

Our appliances are older than Moses. And being the cheapos that we are, Lee and I made the executive decision last year to ride them out as long as humanly possible. The week before last, our dishwasher committed suicide.

We got the message loud and clear: replace the others before your stove sets the house on fire!

I present to you the 1987 ones (ALMOST as crickety and hazardous as Keith Richards):

(Sorry I don't have a better picture...)

And now for the new appliances!

Since all of the originals were from the 80's and threatening to die, we decided to replace them all. We got a great deal at ApplianceSmart and Lee installed all 3 without a hitch...well, except for that one gas leak when he was replacing the stove, but we were all good after we ran outside and aired out the house for a few moments.

He also attacked the cabinets with a hacksaw and circular saw to make the stove fit (still have to do one more round) and built a floor since we didn't replace the current stove with another drop-in. Not bad for his first appliance install!

My apologies for these ridiculous photos. We're still debating over whether to paint the cabinets or not and I took off the cabinet doors months ago in an effort to convince Lee we should go for it.

Lee's concern: the paint may make the cabinets look amateurish and take away from resale value. We're planning to move in a year or two, so it's not like we're investing in a house where we'll be for a long time.

My conern: our cabinets are hideous and all of the dark wood makes the kitchen look like a 1987 cave.

Your opinion: I want it!

I also sewed a roman shade a long time ago that has been put away while we make our painting decision, We're booked solid on our weekends until the end of May, but I'd love to share with you a more comprehensive view of our kitchens once the cabinets are put together (one way or the other) and the roman shade is up.

Whew, talk about a rambling post! Thanks for stopping by!

Paint or Paste?

2011-03-04T09:29:00.000-05:00

Hola, senoritas!

Happy Friday! I want to thank all of you for always leaving such thoughtful and kind comments. These days, I'm not nearly as considerate as all of you. It may take me a while to visit your blog, but I promise I'm usually up-to-date with all of you and just behind on my commenting. Ugh, and I still haven't updated from my blogroll from forever ago. I'm just so lame these days! I promise to catch up...eventually...

Please forgive me, especially when I ramble about how much I suck and then turn right around and ask another favor. I know, I know. I shouldn't....but I need your opinion!

You may recall our guest bathroom and the unfinished walls we uncovered when we stripped it of its unappealing wallpaper...

Lee and I are completely committed to applying beadboard to the walls. Of that we are certain. But as far as the other part of the wall, we just keep flip flopping.

On the one hand, smoothing out the walls and painting them a subtle gray green might be a better investment for resale. I'd love to use the paint color we've selected for our kitchen walls - Sherwin Williams Sea Salt.

On the other hand, I've completely fallen in love with a wallpaper pattern by Thibaut. The blue and white pattern brings back happy childhood memories as my Mom had all sorts of blue and white from lamps to her china spread throughout the house growing up. It would be dramatic, glamorous and I also think very fresh paired with the crisp white beadboard. And, let me also say that I promise (scout's honor!) that we would prime the walls first to avoid any deflating wallpaper removal scenarios for the next owner.

So let's hear it. What would you choose for our icky bathroom wall dilemma?

Gray's Anatomy: The Living Room Reveal

2011-02-21T22:17:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, Lee turned to me and told me that as far as our green living room was concerned, he was over it. He wanted something a little more calm, a little more mature, something cleaner. He wanted gray.

After months of procrastination, we finally picked up a few samples: Benjamin Moore iced cube silver, Benjamin Moore Gray Owl, Behr Light French Gray and Behr Reflecting Pool. We painted streaks on every wall and in the end, went with Behr Reflecting Pools.

Before I show you our new living room, what do you say you and I take a walk down memory lane while I whisper sweet somethings into your ear? Too creepy? OK, let's just look back in silence...

Yep, definitely screaming at you. It's amazing how you can live with something and not realize how much more potential is waiting to be tapped, you know?

OK, so on to the gray. Our original vision was a light gray with a very subtle blue undertone. Much more gray than blue. We were so scared that we'd end up with much more blue than gray that we ended up with something entirely different.

But you know, I must say, sometimes I think no matter how hard you try to pick a color, the color picks you. We ended up with a gray that has a slight periwinkle undertone. Not something we would have intentionally picked, but I think it's exactly what the room needed.

We're not completely done. I've got to line and hem the charcoal gray curtains at some point and we may tweak a few things, but I already think the room has come a long way.

Of course, you know I am always up for some feedback!

A Sweet Tweet

2011-01-17T19:57:00.000-05:00

Hi again! I'm back with another master bathroom update. I promise I'll make it short and sweet! Ready?

So, for some time, I've been on the hunt for a cute jewelry organizer. Last week, I discovered this:

Adorable, right? I knew I had to have it and whipped out my debit card. Now every morning, I have a bird's eye view.

The End!

Cabinet Fever

2011-01-12T16:16:00.001-05:00

Hi friends!

Today I'm back with two updates that we recently made to the bathroom.
A little over a year ago, our bathroom looked like this.

A coat of blue paint, a new shower curtain, chandelier and some accessories added a little personality.

Leading readers to question, "What are you going to do about those cabinets?"

With an off-white (really more like malaria yellow) countertop and funky looking cabinets, my original plan of pearly white paint didn't seem promising. Some suggested painting the cabinets and the countertop, some suggested re-staining the cabinets, and others suggested painting a dark brown to create the illusion of re-stained. I was stumped...

Until a few of my ever-so talented interior designer friends made a clever and unexpected suggestion.

No photo of the before (wah wah), but the cabinets were identical to the guest bath.

I know what you're thinking. "Meg! How could you touch those beauties? They're so 1987!" All I can say is, you should have seen them with the original maple leaf knobs that looked suspiciously like pot leaves...talk about a "maple leaf drag."

But enough of the embarrassing puns! What unconventional color ended up making the cut? Any guesses? Anyone? Bueller?

The winner was....navy blue! (*Sorry for the photo quality. Taken from my Droid.*)

In addition to the new navy cabinets, I also made a happy find at HomeGoods the other day.

On a mini shopping spree, I spotted a beautifully glimmering sunburst mirror that I had to have. I was so upset when my friend and her husband spotted a couple of small cracks, but was encouraged by them to ask about a discount. I'm happy to report that I got a $30 discount and ended up with a huge sunburst mirror for $70...quite a bargain, in my opinion.

My new "mirror with character" took the bathroom from looking like this:

To this (*another droid picture*):

Other than the mirror possibly needing to be lowered a smidge, I love it!

Up next:

Lee wants to add shelves on either side of the mirror.

We'd love a new black and white floor too! Of course that'll have to be after we renovate the guest bath, finish the kitchen and re-paint the living room.

Still...I'm already imagining what a huge difference that new floor would make.

What are your thoughts about navy blue cabinets? Any other non-traditional colors that you'd give a go?

In the Mood

2011-01-10T11:32:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday, my favorite online friends! It's snowing here in the South and the Sewell household is bundled up inside enjoying our snowpocalypse. I hope all of you fabulous ladies are all snug and warm on this wintry Monday!

A few months ago, I hit a wall with our home. I still had PLENTY to decorate and change (our house is pretty much an infant decor-wise), but was suffering from a deflated drive. After a short hiatus from the decorating world and Home Depot, I have recently felt the design bug bite again. I'm back in the game and ready to get going.

Since my new spark, I've had a few ideas buzzing in my mind and have been playing around with mood boards to organize my thoughts. Though my big 2011 goals are for the kitchen, guest bath and living room, I couldn't help but think about other areas of the house.

Like a redesigned master bedroom:

And a master bath with just a little bit more shine:

Which leads me to my most recent home update. While the above moodboard for my master bath is not completely where we're headed (more like wishful thinking), Lee and I did make a few recent updates to improve the space.

Stay tuned for a painted cabinet reveal and a little glitz I found at HomeGoods for some glam appeal.

Resolutions and Reflections

2011-01-03T13:07:00.000-05:00

Hi my virtual friends!

2011 is here and with each new year comes a time for resolutions and reflections. 2010 was quite eventful, though maybe not as productive house-wise as I'd like. I did manage to make a few changes:

2009:

2010:

2009:

2010:

But this coming year I'm looking to finish up the major changes that Lee and I have been putting off. These 3 goals will be the last major changes we make for now:

1. Put up beadboard and wallpaper in the guest bath.

2. Finish kitchen makeover (painted white cabinets, freshly painted walls, new backsplash)

3. Paint living room gray blue and sew beautiful drapes

I think I'm going to use the fabric shown above for the living room window treatments, but am always up for suggestions. Any fabric recommendations for drapes or wallpaper recommendations for the guest bathroom?

What are some of your 2011 goals?

Oh Christmas Tree!

2010-12-09T22:26:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you, but our Christmas tree is always sappy and sentimental...get it? Sappy. Anybody? Bueller? OK, moving on.

This was our second Christmas as a married couple, and I must say that there is no place like Homegoods for the holidays.

We needed two things: a tree topper and tree skirt. I fell in love with two and did an Ashlee Simpson style jig when I saw both price tags.

Lee and I both have many ornaments from childhood and also received some new ornaments as wedding gifts and stocking stuffers last year. I love the mix of old and new.

I made this snowman when I was little. He's a little rough these days, but one of Lee's and my favorites. He cracks me up.

One of my mom's dearest friends is of German descent and visits Germany often. She always brings back beautiful ornaments and last year gave me a set of old world ornaments. It's called the "bride's tree collection" and according to the old German tradition, the twelve ornaments should be included on a newlywed's tree to ensure happiness for their life together.

The house represents shelter and protection.

And that's our tree! Once again, I am sad to say that the tree is much prettier in person. Anyone want to give me photography lessons and a new camera? ;)

I'm linking to Thrifty Decor Chick's Christmas Tree party!

Winter Wonder Mantle

2010-11-30T12:33:00.001-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Sewell household. Truth be told, I've been burnt out by home projects. But when it comes to crafts that convert me into a 57 year old Joann Crafts regular, I'm all in.
Last year, I saw a super cute setup somewhere in blog land with blue trees, a red bird and window. I wish I could take credit for the idea! And for the record, I'm not afraid to admit it. Her's looks way better than mine. :)

I promise our mantle is waaay cuter in person, but night photos, bad cameras and dark rooms can't be helped. *Cough*... Anyway, I present to you this year's "festivus for the rest of us" forest mantle:

First off, I think it's important to point out that my husband has a freakish talent with snowflake doilies. Although I assure you he is quite manly, I am becoming increasingly convinced that I married the male Martha Stewart.

Sooo, after I developed a complex with my sad little snowflakes scattered amongst Lee's meticulous art, I sewed a few felt trees for the mantlescape.

I added in a snow man (my inner kindergarten teacher takes over sometimes):

And a cute lil' cardinal:

Followed by a newly made ornament wreath (once again, WAY better looking in person):

All capped off by the adorable stockings that Lee whipped up.....Just kidding! I found these last year at Cost Plus World Market.I just love them!

And that is our winter wonder mantle! Is your house already decorated or are you mapping out your decor? What do you have in mind?

ALSO, big questions to the home decor playas! Lee and I are gearing up to re-paint our living room a very subtle, cool gray with the slightest trace of blue...so far I'm thinking Benjamin Moore Ice Cubed Silver. Any suggestions? We want the hue to be light, fresh and complimentary of our wooden mantle and window frames.

You are here: Home / Christmas / Holiday Home Linky Party & our Christmas Mantel
Holiday Home Linky Party & our Christmas Mantel
November 30, 2010 By Kevin & Layla 47 Comments
Happy Holidays!

And welcome to the Holiday Home Linky Party!

Today’s party is all about merry mantels- because if you’ve been reading our blog for more than a couple months, you know how much I love a good mantel makeover!

Kev and I started dreaming up ideas for our Winter mantel, back in August- but we didn’t actually finish it until this morning. (Whew! Just in the nick of time!) Here are some photos we took of it today…

We’re totally lovin’ the way it all turned out, but I’m not gonna lie, that DIY Pottery Barn Eagan mirror project we built was a bit of a beast! But I’ve always wanted that thing, and we saved about $600 by building our own version of it.

There were, however, several steps involved in its creation. And although we planned to photograph each and every one of them so that we could do a step-by-step tutorial here on our blog, we were in such a hurry to finish it, we ended up abandoning our camera after step #4 so that we could just hurry up and git r’ dun. That being said, we will definitely be vlogging about how we made it sometime this (or next) week. It’ll be waaaaay easier for me to explain it all on video! It really wasn’t hard, there were just a lot of steps.

The stockings came from White Flower Farmhouse. (One of my favorite shops on the web!) I embellished them with some evergreen sprigs, some doiles I got on Etsy and a wooden letter “A” I got at Michaels a while back. (Secret: Two of our favorite boy and girl names begin with the letter “A”…hee hee!)

The little, red, metal bucket ($5.95) came from Tobacco Barn in Asheville, North Carolina. The seagrass pot ($4.99) came from Ikea sometime earlier this year. The pleated, white trim across the top edge of the mantel, the tiny trees, and two red hydrangeas (which I split up into four) came from Hobby Lobby (Trees- $2.50/each, Hydrangea stems $3/each). The faux snow, pinecones, white pitchers, rope-wrapped candles, all came from mantels-past.

Down in the firebox, we used a basket we got from the gals at Whiteflower Farmhouse a while back- and a suitcase we picked up at Seaside Sisters on Tybee Island. The “present” on top is actually one of my Ikea baskets wrapped in some brown Kraft paper and a piece of red and white striped ribbon I had. I topped it with a faux poinsettia and some pinecones I had in my Christmas decor stash.

The house feels so cozy with it decorated this way! Especially at night, when the recessed light above makes all the glittery ornaments sparkle. By the way, we hung the ones from the ceiling with white, flat-headed thumb tacks and 8 lb. fishing line.

I almost hate to have to take it all down after Christmas! But you know me, once Spring rolls around, I’ll more than likely be in the mood to mix it up again.

But enough about our mantel…it’s your turn now!

I think you probably already know the drill, but just in case, here’s how it works:

1. Click “add link” below, scroll down til you see another “add link” button. Click that, and create a descriptive name for your link. This will make it easier for folks to browse through them.

2. Make sure to link to your specific holiday mantel post, not the main page of your blog.

And I created a fun, little badge especially for the party, so feel free to post the code in the box below at the bottom of your mantel post on your blog if you’d like…

Sitting Pretty

2010-10-24T15:58:00.000-04:00

Hello friends!

So sorry to have been so MIA lately, but life has been at a fever pitch. I have a lot of catching up to do!

Before I visit all of the lovely bloggers who ventured over here and left fun comments, I'd like to show you a few additions to our porch. Last weekend was my birthday (I'm uneasy about this getting old business) and my parents gave us some porch chairs as a gift.

Aren't they cute? My mom found the chair frames while thrift shopping and then enlisted my dad to build removable seats. She then covered them in the leftover outdoor fabric that I used for my Goodwill chairs.

Now I just need a cute little table to complete the set, and Lee and I can enjoy coffee on those beautiful and crisp weekend mornings...hopefully we'll find the perfect little addition before this beautiful Autumn ends!

I'm imagining a cute round table with a small flower pot in the middle. What kind of table do you envision?

Life and the Pursuit of Employment

2010-09-27T17:52:00.000-04:00

It never ceases to amaze me how many nice folks are out there in the blogosphere. As a result of my recent blogging infrequency, several amazingly kind people have e-mailed me to check in and see how I was doing. I adore my virtual friends!

To answer your questions, a lot of changes have been brewing in the Sewell household. In June, my company was bought out by its biggest competitor. And seeing as there were 600 of us and 3,000 of them, we knew there were rough times ahead.

As expected, there was a huge turnover rate, and I was given a heads up in July that my days were literally numbered. Thankfully, I was offered four weeks severance and had a few leads already in the works. Within days of my "corporate independence," a few small companies contacted me in regards to my freelance services. I was surprised and tickled to realize that some day I may possibly have the foundation to work solely on freelance.

Shortly thereafter, my old new company (the acquirers) contacted me about a different position and started the negotiation process. Before I knew it, I was in line for a higher ranking job that felt like a big promotion. And wouldn’t you know that as we were tightening the belt, Lee received a promotion too.

I hope this post isn't obnoxious or tacky. But I do truly want to make the point to all of my fellow economy survivors that if you’re currently in a tough spot, I completely and totally believe that everything happens for a reason. Whether you can see it or not, things always have a way of working out. What was original uncertainty turned out to be a higher role that would have taken me years to achieve in my old role. Not to mention that I’ve come out of this process refreshed, renewed and slightly wiser.

I’ll also be contributing to my savings account more than ever. As much as I’d love new countertops and cabinets, I've also been reminded to expect the unexpected. You never know what life has in store!

I accepted my offer today and start Monday. Hopefully I'll be back to serious blogging soon. In the meantime, here's a photo to add a little flash to this otherwise boring post. I know this fall mantle is a little weak, but it's a start. Should I put a small wreath on the window above my pumpkin patch or would that be too much?

P.S. - Have you read Michelle's post on So Wonderful, So Marvelous today about the most common Facebook Faux Pas (not sure how to make faux pas plural)? So funny and so true!

P.P.S. - 101 followers? How did that happen?! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I promise I will not be so lame and boring in the future. And if you have a blog you'd like me to add to the blogroll or visit, I'd love a comment with a link!

A Message in Time

2010-09-16T13:10:00.000-04:00

Lately, I've been obsessed with the idea of legacies. I hope to someday create some meaningful art that will live with my children and grandchildren long after I'm gone. Lee has the parks and cities that he designs. I dream of publishing books.

My father has built many instruments throughout his adulthood. Most recently, he decided to foray into furniture pieces. When my mother asked for a sideboard, my father assembled his vision. He started by creating a model.

And then he set to work to create the real thing.

And though he is still applying a French polish, my mom and I consider his work to be finished. It's simply gorgeous.

Perhaps my great great grandchildren will someday surface on an episode of Antiques Roadshow.

So Wonderful, So Marvelous and a Homemade Sitar

2010-09-03T08:00:00.009-04:00

Happy, happy Friday to you!! Today is a very fun day for me as I am guest blogging over on So Wonderful, So Marvelous!

If you are not familiar with Michelle's blog, I highly recommend you add her to your list! Not only is she a phenomenal cook and party host, she's also hi-larious with her daily thoughts and words of advice. I am currently petitioning to get her to write a parenting manual. I'm convinced her son is going to grow up to be the coolest kid ever.

And, on top of all of this, she also has impeccable taste. Check out the room she recently decorated for her son Finnegan:

So, if you'd be ever so kind, go check out my post today, say a quick hello and choose your poison for receiving a daily dose of Michelle's humor.

In the meantime, here's a video of my husband and his band playing on Monday night. If you listen closely, you can hear our group in the audience screaming, "hey," and "stop." It was a fun time, although I'm not so sure about the no cry babies sign? We were wondering what their thoughts were on manly crying...

When I Grow Up

2010-08-30T16:56:00.000-04:00

Last night at around 10 pm, I learned who I want to be when I grow up. Design Star's newest talent Emily Henderson!

Throughout the season, I've adored her. She's cute, she's witty and she's a little funky. But after seeing her portfolio and her new show, I'm in love. Her style embodies everything that I want that I don't quite know how to achieve just yet.

If you haven't seen her inspiring looks just yet, here are a few examples.

Last night, she took an architecturally promising room from this:

To this:

And then she did this:

Before

After

Before

After

So many beautiful pictures inspire me every day. For our household, the internet has truly been a blessing. But after viewing Emily's work, I see the vibe I want our house to embody someday. Bold but not cluttered, lush but not loud, retro but new, colorful yet clean. She does it all and she does it so well. I think her strongest talent lies in her details. She can accessorize in the most interesting way.

That, my friends, is the look I hope to someday achieve. The harmony of masculine with feminine and the overall boho chic indie style.

If you could be any designer, who would you be? Is there a particular portfolio you stumbled across that you immediately wanted your house to mimic?

Confessions of a Lamp Tramp

2010-08-16T18:37:00.001-04:00

*Note: Participants in Centsational Girl's Link Party can scroll through my jibber jabber to see my in-progress office space. It definitely needs some work!

It's true. I'm a little too eager when it comes to lamps. Drum shades, interesting shapes, bold colors....sometimes I just can't seem to turn a good lamp down, even when I don't need it. Call me liberated, call me shameless, call me a lamp pleaser. But hey, at least I know my weakness!

When I found this $20 beauty at TJ Maxx on clearance, I just had to have it:

Only one problem. I didn't have a place for it. Even though it was a little too short, I decided to take a cue from Tim Gunn and "make it work."

So I gathered up some extra file folders from Target and a few books from college. Why not make my own book covers with items I already had? That way, I could add some height to my lamp with a book stack and also insert more visual appeal.

This was the office before:

And this is the office after (with an admittedly unnecessary lamp swap). But it totally makes me happy!

There is definitely more to do with this space. I plan to paint and reupholster a chair, balance out the objects on the desk a little more and add a few accessories to deal with the negative space. But it's definitely getting there!

Are you a lamp tramp as well or is your weakness for something else? Do you love the modern drum shades and fun lamp bases like I do or does your preference fall on the more traditional side?

All Decked Out

2010-08-11T14:50:00.000-04:00

OMG, have you seen Russet Street Reno's in-progress outdoor space? SO cute!! All of you have been putting on the Ritz this summer with your sweet outdoor spaces, and from the Brick Cottage to Chic Little House, I have been truly inspired.

So much so, that I also have been putting my outdoor space in order. Truth be told, with all of the other indoor projects going on, I haven't done too much...but, for the heck of it, I thought I'd join in on the fun and share the vision I crafted for Lee in early June:

This mood board is a rough draft of my ideas, but of a few things I am certain:

I'm totally digging some turquoise adirondack chairs
I am for sure hanging up a capiz wind chime
Our deck bench most certainly needs green and blue outdoor pillows in funky prints
I definitely intend to illuminate the deck rails at night with fun twinkle lights

So let me ask you this. Can I get away with my turquoise and lime scheme or should I, instead, focus on colors that will work through winter as well? OR, should I brainstorm on a way to switch out the accessories so that the overall look can be modified for every season?

Discuss amongst yourselves.

My Rose Bud

2010-08-10T17:13:00.002-04:00

Today I'd like to take a quick moment to introduce my buddy Rosemary. Rosemary is 1/3 of the design trio that I like to call "Designing Women" and is fabulous in every sense. She and 2 other Atlanta interior designers live together in a beautifully decorated Atlanta townhouse, and as you can imagine, their dwelling is nothing short of adorable.

If only I had the photography skills to truly show off their space!

What I find so interesting about these 3 amazingly chic gals is that they each bring their own specialty to the table. Emily C. designs for hotels, Louisa specializes in high end furniture, and Rosemary primarily focuses on kitchens and baths.

In case you've been missing out, I'd like to introduce you to Rosemary and refer you to her amazingly fabulous blog. Her beautiful photos are a great weekly inspiration and you'll love her as much as you'll love her impeccable taste!

But you don't have to take my word for it—the proof is in the pudding. Check out this incredible kitchen she and her colleagues recently designed for a client!

Are you hyperventilating yet? Because I totally am! I love the sleek modern look, crisp white palette and splashes of green and orange for interest. When I grow up, I am so hiring her!

Visit Rosemary's blog, Cupboard Encounters for more eye candy and inspiration.

Ready for the Guest Room Reveal?

2010-08-02T11:23:00.000-04:00

After many months of painting and brainstorming, Lee and I finally added the last touches on the guest room! Although I'm sure we'll be modifying a few details as we go along (a more subtle window treatment, perhaps?), we're happy with our progress so far.

But before I show you the latest and greatest, let's do a quick before and after of the rest of the room. After you!

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

And finally, the newest touch to the space....a trio of birds to add a pinch of cheer:

I purchased these cute birdcage decals from Etsy seller Urban Walls and ordered them in navy and lime for a fun yet subtle color combo.

And that, my friends, is all she wrote! Are you on the verge of finishing a room or finally done and feeling satisfied with the results? Any creative splashes you've added to a space that came to you in a 'Eureka!' moment?

Tangled Up in Blue

2010-07-27T11:22:00.000-04:00

One of the first pieces Lee and I scored for Chateau Sewell was a puke green armoire that my mom bought from a co-worker for $50.

My first step was to paint the piece with Behr's Bleached Denim. The coat of happy blue was immediately refreshing.

But I still needed cute new knobs to complete the look. After months of drooling over Anthropologie hardware, I recently spotted the same knobs at Hobby Lobby for half the price. Even better, they were on sale for 50% off.

The knobs at Anthropologie were $8 a piece and I was able to score 4 for $2 a pop, saving me a grand total of $24. Here's the final product.

Much better!

Now I just need to make drapes and maybe paint the walls a different color and we'll be in business! What do you think? Would you make any recommendations for the room?

You're All Winners in My Book

2010-07-22T23:13:00.001-04:00

I must be a big baby. I cranked the numers on random.org for the CSN Giveaway, said a quick hooray for the winner, and then started feeling big pangs of guilt about everyone else who didn't win.

I know, you're probably all laughing at me. But I thought about Kasey, who like me, has never won. Or M from Random Musings, who took the time to post about this giveaway on her blog. And before I knew it, I was wishing I had a gift card for each one of you. So, maybe I can find a way to host future giveaways so everyone gets something.
But enough of my rambling. Thanks to the awesome power of Random.org, the winner is:

Lucky number 13!

Congratulations to Rosemary! She'll have to post a blog about whatever fabulous purchase she chooses. In the meantime, everyone have a fabulous weekend!

Nice Cans

2010-07-20T11:51:00.000-04:00

A couple of months back, I was perusing the Target near my work when I stumbled upon a steal of a deal. Two Liberty of London canisters, originally priced at $18 each, were both marked for super clearance at $4.99 a pop. I was at the register before I could even utter, "Give me liberty."

This lovely pair currently resides in a cozy corner in my kitchen.

Before we continue, let's take one last looksie at the kitchen before the big remodel reveal, shall we?

Not to knock on wood (ha, get it?), but with hardwood floors and outdated wood cabinets that reached up to the ceiling, I practically had to take a hot tub time machine to get to the kitchen.

Thankfully, no more! With a little bit of this:

And a little bit of that:

The next time you see our cooking station, you'll see a much happier, brighter and modern space thanks to dedication and a baby budget.

But I've got some other reveals to get to first. Look out for a completed guest room, freshly painted master bathroom cabinets, and a few outdoor improvements as well.

Dishing it Out

2010-07-16T10:04:00.000-04:00

Back when I posted my 90 cent Goodwill frame collage, I got a lot of awesome comments with feedback about what to do with the rest of the walls. I recently found my 'ah-ha' moment for the other side of the wall, and while I finish up my work on that side, I'd like to show you my quick switcheroo based on some helpful advice from several of you.

It's a small change, but I definitely think it made a difference. Ready?

Before:

After:

My Mom must have been thinkin' what all of you were thinkin' because she surprised me the other day with a red plate. Apparently she'd been scouting out the red version at her local Pier 1 and finally came across one. It's the little things, you know?

So what do you think? A better pop or barely noticeable?

P.S. - The $40 CSN Store giftcard is still up for grabs! Enter to win a fabulous gift of your choosing.

All Modern, All For You

2010-07-14T10:40:00.001-04:00

When the folks at CSN Stores contacted me with the opportunity to give away a $40 gift card, I was tickled pink! I love fabulous finds, I love my blog friends, and I love giveaways. I mean, really, could anything be better?

In case you aren't familiar with their amazing sites, you might want to sneak a few peaks. They have the most fabulous dining room furniture, the prettiest cookware for any kitchen, greenhouses to help grow your garden, and chic decor for your abode. Here are some of my wish list items from my personal favorite site, AllModern.com:

Amenity Home Fern Table Runner in Cream / Peacock

notNeutral Black Ribbon Coffee Serving Set

DwellStudio Owls Boudoir Pillow in Sky

Skip Hop Zoo Lunchie Insulated Lunch Bag

I'm not going to lie. If I could swipe up this card for myself and buy any of the items featured above, I totally would! But alas, I can't leave my favorite virtual friends hanging!

So here's how we'll play this. Take a quick look at Dining Rooms Direct.com, Cookware.com, All Greenhouses.com, or All modern.com and see what catches your eye. Then you'll have 3 opportunities to enter:

Leave a comment with your personal pick from one of these amazing sites
Become a follower (and leave another comment letting me know you're new around here)
Mention this giveaway on your blog (make sure I know so I can give you credit!)

I'll keep this contest open until Wednesday, July 21st, and will announce the winner on Thursday, July 22nd.

On a quick note, this contest is for residents of the US and Canada only (so sorry my foreign friends), and there may be shipping charges or international fees in the case of Canadian addresses. Just something to consider when picking out your item of choice.

Well, I think that about covers it! Shop easy, friends!

Gone with the Wind

2010-05-06T15:35:00.000-04:00

Well, my friends, the day has finally come. I have really enjoyed this blog and am so happy to have met so many talented and kind bloggers. And while my house is not even close to magazine worthy, it sure looks much better than it would have had I never met any of you.

I know we're all busy bees and all of you wonderfully talented ladies know all about trying to squeeze in personal blog time to already jam packed days. Between 9 hour work days chased by 2 hour round-trip work commutes, steady freelance work, social weekends and the daily minutia of cooking, cleaning, and errands, there are just not enough hours for this hobby. And with summer being so bright and beautiful, I only want to play!

So starting today, I’m taking a sabbatical. I'm not going to completely shut down this blog like my dear friend Heather did with McKinney Living (sniff sniff, who doesn't miss seeing that beautiful paneling?), but I do think I'll retire the keyboard for a few months.

I’m going to miss you all, but I’m hopeful that I’ll be fresh and re-motivated come fall. And without weekly reveals, maybe I’ll have some fabulous before and afters lined up in my arsenal upon my return. Some other great motivations will be occurring before then as well.

Lee and I will be taking an overseas cruise this Autumn, which will perhaps broaden my horizons and insert a cultural flavor in my evolving tastes. AND we’re definitely getting a new oven and possibly beadboard with our tax returns (can I get an amen for officially paying off all of our debt as well?!), and I am crossing my fingers to have some fun updates to share.

So I’m off, dear friends! Check back here in September or October, where I'll hopefully be back and better than ever. Until we meet again, my e-mail is Margaret.ann.sewell@gmail.com should you ever wish to contact me. See you on the flip side!

Well Hung

2010-05-05T10:12:00.000-04:00

Remember the $40 Ikea chandelier I had my eye on for the master bath?

I loved it but Lee did not, so the search continued. Then one day, I spotted the perfect fixture. The vintage feel immediately caught my eye and seemed perfect for Spa Sewell.

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

I snagged this beauty for $29.49 at Overstock with free shipping. Not too shabby! Even better? Lee really likes it too!

Just imagine how good it will look in front of a masterfully stenciled accent wall.

I also need to stain the cabinets, switch out the knobs, and get rid of the horrid light fixture above the mirror. Oh, and what about a fabulous gray bathroom rug to cover the ugly floor? Something attractive like this:

If only I had a million dollars and wasn't away from the house 11 hours every day! Does anyone else feel like they'll never finish?

Mantle Magic

2010-05-04T09:17:00.000-04:00

Our mantle has always been a bit of a puzzle for me. I absolutely love the wood detailing, but we literally had no decorations or furniture when we moved in, and there hasn't been much around for decorating.

The first arrangement of our fireplace consisted of my grandmother Mimi's old mirror, antique candlesticks we received as a wedding gift, and votive candles from the store.

As you can see, it didn't quite work. Recently inspired by the fabulous post by Karrie from the Brick Cottage, I decided to try again.

So I grabbed the plywood I'd wrapped in fabric for the wall of shame and tried out a new look.

But it just wasn't right. The arrangement was cluttered and the pattern was distracting. Then I had an epiphany. What about the window Pauline gave me?

I also grabbed the white ginger jars from the guest bedroom and was pleased as punch by the instant magic. (Note: please forgive the strange wall color. My camera doesn't register this shade of green)

I thought it was pretty darn cute but maybe needed just a smidge more, so I tried putting flowers in the ginger jars.

But Lee thought the flowers were too short, so this time I experimented with prairie grass and peacock feathers.

This is Lee's favorite arrangement and I'm digging it so far, although you might not be able to tell by the photos. I swear it looks sooo much better in person. I need a new camera!

What do you think? Do you like any of these looks or should I keep experimenting?

Let Them Eat Cake

2010-05-02T22:23:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

How was your weekend? I am so excited to share a few house posts this week, but first wanted to do a very quick anniversary recap.

On Saturday evening, Lee and I hopped into the car to head off to an unknown destination. With the help of some of his co-workers, Lee had put together some romantic plans and thought it would be more fun to surprise me. So off we went to downtown Atlanta.

Our first reservation of the evening was at an incredible Italian restaurant called Veni Vidi Vici. The five course meal was incredible and I swear I had the very best cheese and tiramisu I've ever tasted in my life. We had such a good time that Lee glanced at his watch at the end and we were shocked to discover we'd been hanging out there for two hours! The wait staff, ambiance and food were amazing. I highly recommend this place!

When we hopped into Lee's car, I felt like I was in a food coma. I was blissfully happy and figured we were done with the night, but Lee had another surprise. He'd secretly packed a suitcase and grabbed the top of our wedding cake. We had a one bedroom suite waiting for us at the historic Georgian Terrace hotel across from the Fox Theater.

I won't bore you with all of our gifts, but we did get a couple of fun house related ones.

For the traditional "paper" gift, I went a little outside the box with a wood model ship similar to the one in Lee's treasured black velvet painting. Perhaps we can find a place for the ship to represent the painting and hopefully banish the actual "art" to the basement.

And for the traditional "clock" gift, Lee got me an iPod alarm clock cleverly disguised as a vintage clock.

Tonight we had wedding cake and pink champagne, officially closing our wedding festivities.

That's all for our wedding saga! Thank you for your patience. Stay tuned tomorrow for a mantle makeover.

Wedding Week Day 5 - And They Were Dancing and Singing

2010-04-30T10:00:00.003-04:00

That's a wrap! Thank you for patiently dealing with my week of self indulgence. I'll be returning to house related posts next week. To complete the set of wedding posts, I'll leave you with some of my favorite images from our wedding.

One of my favorite parts of the wedding was my dad's speech. My Uncle Tom and Dad have played guitar together at every family gathering since I was little, and I thought it would be special for all of our family if they played at our wedding. They performed Bob Dylan's Ride Me High (one of their signatures and one of Lee's and my special songs) as well as I've Just Seen a Face by the Beatles.

Everyone started dancing and singing, and nobody slowed down for the rest of the night. Lots of laughing and celebrating. We loved it!

Lee's mom secretly requested Baby Got Back so that she and my mom could dance to it, which was both a surprise and hilarious. I was blown away to see both of our moms turn into wild women!

And then on the next song, everyone jumped in

And, of course, we can't forget the bouquet toss and garter toss. Ballroom Blitz seemed an appropriate choice.

Oh, and if you were curious, Lee's and my first dance was to 'This Will be Our Year' by the Zombies.

Here's the song:

Wedding Week Day 4: The Ceremony and reception decor

2010-04-29T10:00:00.003-04:00

Sick of hearing about our wedding yet? I'm sure you are, but we're almost done! Today I'd like to focus on the details of the event.

Lee and I wanted more than anything to be married in a garden. A string trio serenaded the guests while galvanized pots filled with yellow and white gerbera daisies lined the aisles, and arrangements of gerbera daisies, snap dragons, bells of Ireland and berries cascaded down the brick walls of the altar.

To the side of the altar is a beautiful willow tree. Some of my favorite photos from the day are of Lee and I posing within its lush branches.

To cut costs, we alternated two arrangements for the reception tables.

And to add to the sentimentality of the evening, we displayed family wedding photos throughout the venue as conversation pieces for cocktail hour.

My grandmother Nana passed away 3 months before our big day. My Uncles and Grandfather all told me that in her final hours, she fought as hard as she could to keep going, determined to come to the wedding. I loved Nana very much and knew she was there in spirit. She is the beautiful bride in the first framed photo below.

The cake was a three tiered confection covered in buttercream, wrapped in yellow ribbon, accented with a monogram, and topped off with peony sugar flowers.

Our favors were packs of cosmo wildflower seeds packaged in cute embroidered bags. The tags matched our wedding invitations and said, "Happiness held is the seed, happiness shared is the flower."

Last but not least, our wedding guestbook was a white guitar. It is currently hanging in our hallway.

Whew! Sorry for the long post! A sane person would stop here, but I can't help myself. I wanted to quickly share a short video one of Lee's friends made for us. She did a fabulous job and has since started her own photography and videography business. Visit the Darling Studios Website for more info.

Meg + Lee from Darling Studios on Vimeo.

What memorable details have you loved at weddings?

Wedding Week Day 3: The Bridal Party and Dresses

2010-04-28T10:00:00.002-04:00

You may have noticed that I have a passion for vintage. So when it came to finding my dress, I knew I wanted two things: lace and beading. Casablanca style 1900 was my dream dress. I also ordered extra lace from the skirt to make sleeves for a more flattering look.

Many years ago, my grandmother Mimi made a beautiful veil. I was so happy to wear it, and it felt like she was there in spirit on our special day.

The handkerchief I used was actually the bonnet I wore when my parents took me home from the hospital. My other grandmother Nana made it with the intention that I'd remove a few stitches one day and use it as a wedding hankie.

My bouquet consisted of cream peonies, yellow British roses and green berries.

My makeup/hair team was amazing. If anyone living in the metro-Atlanta area is needing a wedding artist, I highly recommend Brushworx.

The tea length bridesmaid dresses were comprised of lace tops with layered yellow chiffon at the bottom and fabric flowers featured on the waist ribbons. They carried bouquets of gerbera daisies.

Lee and his groomsmen looked sharp in black tuxes.

My cousin Etta Bea was an adorable flower girl. Her dress was $15 from Macy's.

And that was our look!

What's your dream dress? Lots of lace or stunningly simple?

Wedding Week - Day 2: The Venue

2010-04-27T09:20:00.001-04:00

Our spring wedding was held at Carl House in Auburn, Georgia. Originally a residence, the home was built in 1901 and was recently converted into a wedding venue.

From beadboard ceillings to sparkling chandeliers, a private garden and an elegant double sided staircase for grand entrances, it was love at first sight.

The men's dressing room and private bath (Please excuse the first photo below. It's not from our wedding but shows this room best):

The bridal suite and powder room:

The Downstairs:

The garden:

The ballroom:

The exit:

Wedding Week Day 1: The Perfect Proposal

2010-04-26T09:25:00.000-04:00

Lee proposed on our fifth year anniversary, and if you don't mind my week of self indulgence, I'd like to share my story with you.

Lee and I celebrated our anniversary with fondue at a kitschy Atlanta landmark called 'Dante's Down the Hatch.' It's an upscale restaurant that features a huge pirate ship in the center of a restaurant. It also has an actual mote with real alligators swimming around it and a jazz band that plays inside the restaurant's boat.

Funky, huh?

We had an amazing dinner, and afterward walked out to the parking lot and spotted a limo. I thought it was for someone else, until Lee told me to hop inside. I thought he was messing with me, and kept telling him to quit joking around.

But he wasn't, and as soon as I realized, I knew he was proposing. The driver opened the door for me and as I slid inside, I spotted Lee's mandolin on the seat.

Lee climbed in after me and told me he was nervous. We drove around for a moment and then Lee pulled out a folded up piece of paper out of his pocket. It was a song he had written for me.

Lee picked up the mandolin, took a deep breath and then sang his song. He'll probably kill me for sharing this, but here are the lyrics. It's about the very first night we met:

On a cool night in Florida they met

He passed her ascending the stairs

Who knew what she thought

When their eyes became locked

But it was clear that he felt something there

That spark lit something aflame

White hot like a sun in their soul

And who would have thought

When their hearts became locked

That their two little halves became whole

So he said he would give her the stars

And she said she'd hold him in her heart

And on through the miles

They shared millions of smiles

And knew that they never would part

So I think it's time that they start

Lee pulled out a black velvet box and got down on one knee.

After I said yes, we heard the limo driver mutter, "That is one suave dude." We laughed and hugged. To add to the perfection of the moment, it was snowing, which almost never happens in Georgia.

The limo driver took us around Atlanta and then dropped us off at a nearby bar overlooking Piedmont Park. A group of friends had secretly been gathered by Lee to celebrate with us. Some of my friends weren't able to make it due to the snow, but I was thrilled to be welcomed by a few of our favorite people.

Lee bought the table a bottle of champagne, gave a toast, and we spent the rest of the night celebrating. The rest is history.

It was a beautiful beginning!

What's your dream proposal or proposal story?

In the beginning

2010-04-25T21:11:00.000-04:00

Londen at Sixty Fifth Avenue is playing a game of blog tag and tagged me to participate. If you're one of the few who have not yet discovered her blog, I highly recommend you make a trip over to her page. I swear her house is amazing and the cute rooms and spaces she makes for her little ones are some of the most adorable projects I've seen. I've already bookmarked her little play house for when Lee and I have a kid in 4 or 5 years.

Seriously the cutest thing ever.

Anyway, the game is to show off your first ever blog post and then move on up to the sixth. But I might change mine a little. My first post is just a photo of Lee and me introducing the blog and the sixth is our dining room makeover, which you've seen a million photos of by now. So, I'm going to be a rebel and show my sixth post starting from my first home related post.

Here it is:

This was an inspiration photo for a kitchen curtain that I wanted to make. I knew I wanted a funky and lively print (we've all seen my bear cave kitchen) that had a slightly retro feel to it. I was inspired to make a tie up kitchen curtain based on the one I fell in love with at a house we almost bought (in the same neighborhood. CUTE as can be. I'll show it another day).

It was adorable in person. So I made plans to visit my parents one day and sew a curtain with my mom, but had a hard time finding an open weekend. My wonderful mom was sweet enough to make a curtain out of a fabric that she'd found on super sale and brought it to me before our big housewarming party.

My mom's pattern called for a very long curtain, so it ended up being quite long and droopy like a basset hound's face. But it wasn't an issue at all. A little hemming action after the party and I was happy to show off the final product in my post 'Tying Up Loose Ends.' Much perkier!

When we get around to painting the kitchen cabinets, I might switch this curtain out to a roman shade. My mom has a pattern for it and I've never made one. And with my obsession for fabrics, I'd have the fun task of picking out a new look.

Although Making it Lovely reminds me of why I fell in love with tie up curtains.

In fact, I think I want her entire kitchen. What do you think? Tie up or roman shade?

Oh, and now to tag ten people:

Anyone else want to play?

Save the Date

2010-04-23T10:00:00.002-04:00

Next weekend marks Lee's and my one year wedding anniversary, and these past few days have evoked a flood of wedding memories. To honor our big day, I will be posting photos from our big occasion all next week leading up to our anniversary. I hope you don't mind me sharing bits and pieces of the beginning of our little family. Thanks in advance for allowing me to be self indulgent!

Lee and I made these save the date magnets through VistaPrint. They were something like ten cents each. A friend took the photos for us and then Lee used Photoshop to create the fridge magnet's design. We found Lee's rockin' coat at Goodwill and my mom let me borrow her wedding dress.

Hopefully some of our parents' good luck will rub off on us. Both couples are still as in love as the day they tied the knot.

Have a happy and love filled weekend!

That's a First

2010-04-22T11:48:00.001-04:00

On April 20th, 2009, Lee and I closed on our first home. I still fondly remember moving the weekend before our wedding. And despite everyone thinking we were crazy, it was actually fun! We were so pumped up about the wedding, honeymoon and a new house that we were singing and dancing the entire weekend. I usually hate moving, but that weekend was filled with excitement and plans.

In honor of our very first year of home ownership, I'd like to do a before and after post today chronicling our progress over the past 12 months. Please keep in mind that we have a loooong way to go (although I must admit that I'm starting to get burned out on the house and blog stuff and might need a sabbatical...is it OK to admit that??)

Let's get started shall we?

Living Room Before:

Living Room After (we are going to re-paint soon!):

Dining Room Before:

Dining Room After:

The Kitchen (I wish we could skip over this one, but rest assured the cabinets will be painted VERY soon):

The Master Bedroom Before:

The Master Bedroom After (also needs a ton of work):

Master Bathroom Before:

Master After (and just wait until you see the new chandelier!):

The guest bedroom before (sorry, no empty room photos):

After:

So that's our progress thus far! And I have to say that lining up these photos makes it painfully obvious what we need to do next. Not to mention the demolished guest bathroom!

Did you see any painfully clear updates or ideas that you'd like to recommend? I'm currently playing around with the mantle to hopefully figure out a much more balanced and eye catching look (thank you Brick Cottage, for your amazing mantle post. It has given me some ideas for sure!) It's been a good year!

Charmed in Charleston

2010-04-20T11:25:00.000-04:00

Good morning, everyone! I'm back from a much needed beach weekend and would love to share a few photos with you.

On Thursday, my friends and I piled into a big minivan and made our way up to Charleston, South Carolina.

If you're not familiar with this charming Southern town, Charleston is one of the jewels of the South. Imagine gorgeous historical architecture framed by palm trees and large oaks draped with Spanish Moss. It's absolutely beautiful.

We rented an adorable townhouse that was a short walk to the beach.

The entire trip was a blast. In the car, we entertained ourselves with the Celebrity Name Game, electronic catch phrase and everyone's iPod song lists. We toured Charleston, went out to several amazing restaurants, went to a couple of fun bars, lounged by the pool and hit up the beach.

Our main reason for the trip, however, was to attend a friend's wedding. The bride was gorgeous, the food was amazing and the celebration was contagious. Everyone was singing, dancing and having a blast. It was one of the most fun weddings I've ever been to.

Afterwards, everyone from the wedding met up at a local bar for our last hoorah. The bride and groom will be honeymooning in Peru until the 29th. I could not think of a more deserving couple.

That was our little getaway. How was your weekend?

Faking an Accent

2010-04-13T13:04:00.002-04:00

Well, hello again! I'm dusting the pollen off of my keyboard to drop in for some quick advice. If you're not familiar with the epic scale of yellow that makes its appearance in the South during the spring, here's a tiny taste.

120 is a very high pollen count, and the other day, the pollen count in Georgia was 5,773. Pretty disgusting, huh? Can't get away from that flower sperm!

But I digress. My chandelier arrived in the mail this past weekend, which I have not installed yet, but we are getting closer to being finished in the master bath. Hooray!

There are two big items left on the checklist.

Staining the cabinetry a darker color (I'm thinking very dark, like Russet Street Reno's floors)
Creating an accent wall with a graphic design

This is the wall that we'll be accenting (please excuse the photo. I haven't taken a better photo since painting)

Our cute new chandelier will be dangling elegantly in place of the underwhelming light fixture shown above. And for that back wall that flanks both the garden tub and toilet (obviously hidden in this photo), Lee and I compromised on these decals in white.

I was working my way to ordering these removable decals for the accent wall until I spotted this less expensive stencil on High Heeled Foot in the Door.

While the Etsy decals would be much easier to apply and less time consuming (not to mention removable), they are priced at $52, while this stencil is only $25 and we have white paint in our garage.

So dear readers, I need your help. Here are a few questions for you:

Does anyone have experience with stencils? Are they easy or a total pain? They seem like they'd take forrreeeevvvvvveeerrr.
Which would you choose? The easier, less permanent decals or the elbow grease inducing stencil for half the price?

I will wait for your answers while I twiddle my French mustache and drink cappucino. Sacré bleu!

P.S. - Russet Street Reno is giving away an amazing sunburst mirror on her blog. Visit her blog for the details and congratulate her on her impressive reader base!

Pay it Forward

2010-04-07T12:08:00.002-04:00

I have been feeling the love lately. A few very talented bloggers have given me an award, and I could not be more flattered.

First it was my blogging hero Micah from the Yellow Front Door for the Sunshine Award.

Next up was the femme fatale we all wish we could be, Sara from Russet Street Reno, with a Kreativ Sunshine Karate Award.

As if I weren't feeling jazzed enough for being recognized by such amazing inspirations, my newest role model Stephanie from Decorating Addiction gave me a nice shout out with the Sunshine Award. Say what?

And finally, to round out this award insanity, the ever so brilliant and decorating diva Amanda from Little House on the Corner also handed me a Sunshine Award. I mean, really. What's going on here?

So, to pay it forward, I'd like to recognize my newest virtual bff's that I have been so happy to stumble upon lately. And you know what? It's my party, and I'll name as many bloggers as I want to! In no particular order, here are some fabulous bloggers that I have not named before:

I might not have been able to leave as many comments as I'd like lately, but please know that I am, in fact, sneaking peaks at work and have been thoroughly inspired by all of you! Just how inspired? Well, some of you may be spotting some of your post subjects in my house in the coming weeks!

The projects have slowed down lately with the lovely weather and a lot going on both personally and professionally, but I am excited about some upcoming updates.

For one, my fabulous in-laws handed us some amazing floor tile and grout left over from a house they recently flipped! If you've got any tips on laying tile, I am ALL ears as we will be installing them in our guest bath as soon as we get our beadboard!

And secondly, I put in an order for our bathroom chandelier on Friday. Fingers crossed that it will arrive this week!

Finally, since this post has no photos, and we all love a good inspiration shot, here are a few inspiration pics I've been loving lately. Does anybody dig yellow as much as I do?

I'm telling you, these photos make me wish I could completely start over...with a big budget!

If I missed you, please leave a comment so I can recognize you (if I should ever be so lucky again!).

The Secret Garden

2010-04-05T23:46:00.000-04:00

Lee and I are enjoying our first spring in our Woodstock home. So far, it has been beautiful. Our former owners planted some wonderful trees and flowers, and Lee and I have loved the surprise of seeing which beautiful blooms pop up next.
Here are a few of our favorites.

When things settle down in a few weeks, I think I might have to take a cue from Ms. Finesse Your Nest and Mrs. Chic in creating an outdoor sitting area. Can't you imagine a sweet little retreat on our front porch? Perfect for sipping coffee in the morning and iced tea in the shade of the afternoon.

Do you have any outdoor decorating projects planned this Spring?

Back in Black

2010-04-04T22:29:00.005-04:00

Remember the ten dollar chandelier I found at Goodwill?

Gold just isn't my color, so I picked up some Rustoleum black hammered spray paint and got to work.

It took a few coats to get every last bit of chain, wire, nook and cranny covered, but eventually it was ready to be hanged (It is hanged, right? I know that 'he was hanged' is correct even though it sounds totally wrong. But now I'm doubting myself. Anyway...).

Today, I am pleased to give you the final result.

The dining room when we moved in April of 2009

And now

Not bad for completely free furniture and a Goodwill chandelier!

I'm linking up to the DIY showoff for my first time participation in this amazing linking party. I've seen Heather participate and it looks like a lot of fun!

Duck Hunt

2010-04-02T11:32:00.000-04:00

I'm so sorry I haven't visited many of your blogs this week. I've been dying to catch up! I'm going to try to make my rounds today and see what all of you have been up to. I could use a little inspiration for the weekend! :)

Back once again on the subject of our wall of shame, I have an idea that is either clever or crazy.

My inspiration comes from a blast from the past in more ways than one.

Basically it involves Buffy the Vampire Slayer (did anyone else love that show like I did?) and the awesome episode where John Ritter was a robot. His house was described as "homey, if you're from the fifties and psycho," and wouldn't you know that I absolutely loved it? Hmmm...

Anyway, one element in his retro abode absolutely screamed at me: flying ducks on the wall! So Hilda Ogden!

So retro, so weird, so interesting! And then I thought of this:

Antonio's pink ducks from Design Star! A lot of people can't stand Antonio, but I kind of dig his quirky style.

And ever since that moment, I've been on the hunt for ducks.

Currently, the only thing on our wall is an old window pane that the ever so lovely Pauline donated to the Sewell household.

Please excuse the dark and dingy feel of this photo. This wall is just a black hole for photography. It never looks good in photos. But as you can see, there definitely needs to be some 'holla back y'all' on that wall.

So, I'm thinking: navy blue ducks like Antonio's pink ducks. They could either be flying "through" the window (three on each side in a slightly slanting line) or they could be displayed by themselves flying in a formation.

What do you think? Ducks or no ducks?

Would you go the ceramic duck route (painted navy) that is oh so retro or decals off of Etsy?

And last but not least, window or no window? I've been thinking about putting the window on our mantel, so if it doesn't work with this new idea, I have another place for it.

Thanks for your thoughts!

More Pillow Talk

2010-03-29T21:12:00.000-04:00

Remember the fretwork pillows from Target that needed a little something more?

I tracked down $4 navy blue pillows to hopefully add a little bit of oomph.

So what do you think? Better?

More luxe, zero bucks

2010-03-28T16:36:00.000-04:00

After painting our bathroom and mapping out accessories, I realized we were going for a similar look to Centsational Girl's chic master bath.

So I thought I'd borrow a couple of ideas from her beautiful room and hopefully add a more spa-like feel to the space.

I grabbed a basket I'd received from my bridal shower out of the laundry area, rolled up a few towels, collected various bath soaps and lotions, and voila!

Just for fun, let's do a quick before:

And an after (well, mid-progress really):

A few candles, some James Taylor (maybe a little Shower the People?), and we've got some relaxation time on our hands!

Not the most exciting post, but I'm going to link up to Kendall's Shop the House Sunday for fun.

Bring it On

2010-03-24T09:05:00.001-04:00

A $9.99 chandelier at Goodwill?

Oh, it's on!

Consider yourself served.

Draw the Curtain

2010-03-22T20:07:00.001-04:00

Anthropologie brings out the romantic in me. With soft feminine touches and delicate details, this ruffled shower curtain has me citing Shakespeare sonnets.

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

However, with a $150 price tag, the lady doth protest too much....

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? A $30 Target shower curtain?

Oh rise fair sun, and kill the envious moon!

And so, in the final act, we are destined to choose: the $150 Anthropologie curtain or the $30 Target version? Let every eye negotiate for itself.

Get Thee to a Winery

2010-03-21T22:21:00.000-04:00

Hi friends,

I am so sorry that I've been MIA lately. My days are always so crazy. I'm out of the house from 7:45 am to 7:00 pm, come home and cook dinner, do freelance work and try to squeeze in blog stuff before bed. I usually try to get my blog reading and commenting done during lunch at my desk, but work has been crazy. And spring is always such a busy social time for everyone!

I might not be around as much for the next few months, but please know that I love your blogs and am appreciative of all of your thoughtful advice.

In the meantime, I'd love to show you what I was up to this weekend. A friend of mine is getting married in a few weeks, and I was able to take a much needed break at a lake house in North Georgia.

Our transportation was a van named Chester the Molester. The perfect amount of sketchy for a bachelorette weekend!

We relaxed after our long drive with a classic game of Dream Phone.

We toured three wineries and tasted some amazing wine. This tour did not disappoint!

Then we finished the evening with drinks and then dinner in a funky German-esque town called Helen, Georgia.

In the end, there were about 9 girls and our short little vacation lasted from Friday to Sunday. It was wonderful!

What were you up to this weekend?

Picture Perfect

2010-03-16T09:52:00.001-04:00

When Amanda at Serenity Now posted her Progress Party, I was excited to jump in on the fun. In addition to showing my most recent updates, I also asked for your help about all of those blank walls.Thanks to all of you amazing bloggers, I found the perfect solution!

Since my wall stripes were inspired by Young House Love's bathroom and The Lettered Cottage's reading room, several of you recommended constructing a photo arrangement similar to the Lettered Cottage's guest room.

Even better, MeganDVD of Beauty in the Attempt suggested adding one red element to insert a pop of our accent color. Absolutely brilliant!

So on Sunday, Lee and I sifted through the small photo frames at Goodwill and purchased eight for 90 cents each.

On our way home, I popped into Home Depot and picked up some 99 cent flat black spray paint.

To add to the excellence of this idea, my mom came through with the perfect detail. She suggested that we use black and white prints of our friends since they're the ones who stay in our guest room. So smart!

Lee and I picked out a few images, converted them to black and white and ordered them from Rite Aid. I tracked down a $3 off coupon online and was on my merry way.

Per MeganDVD's idea, I grabbed the $5 green bird plate I purchased from Pier 1 Imports and laid out my design. I have been looking for a place to put this plate for months, and was thrilled to finally find its function. Thanks, Megan!

After a little measuring and hanging, I had my completed arrangement. Ta-da!

The room is very close to complete, which is exciting. We only have one area of empty space left, which is on the other side of the pelmet box. Any ideas??

Another arrangement of small photos, canvases, or even plates maybe? I am looking forward to your brilliant ideas!

So Fresh and So Spring

2010-03-15T09:16:00.000-04:00

Hello my virtual friends. How was everyone's weekend? We had a very productive couple of days and finally painted the master bathroom. Our paint selection came down to two candidates: Serenity and Thar She Blows.

Yep, you read that right. Thar She Blows. I tried my very hardest to convince myself that it was the best of the two, but alas, I couldn't help but admit that Serenity looked better in the morning light. Here's the before:

And here's the after (sort of):

We were at first unsure of the results. We had been picturing a color that had more of a grayish hue. But it's a pretty color, and has already grown on us a good bit. We're still deciding whether we want to repaint it or leave as is. I'd like to hear what all of you think.

After the painter's tape is removed and the light switches are re-installed, here are the other items we plan to incorporate to transform our bathroom into Spa Sewell (pronounced Sue-well because we think it should be fancy).

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

2010-03-14T17:22:00.001-04:00

I am so excited to reveal to you today a brand new House Notes. Thanks to the generosity of my fabulous friend Pauline, my little corner of the world wide web is a fun place to visit.

From the old window pane on our living room wall, to our wedding invitations and more, Pauline has been nothing short of amazing to Lee and me. Thank you for everything, Pauline!

A Few of My Favorite Things

2010-03-12T10:35:00.001-05:00

Well, hello there! Is everyone in blog land wide eyed, bushy tailed and ready for the streets? I know I am, and to get everyone inspired for their weekend adventures, I thought I'd share a few things that I love today.

1. Box Beam Ceilings

2. Textured wallpaper that can be painted over for a dramatic effect

3. (Oh, hello friend.) you are loved.

It's all in the details. Happy weekend, everyone!

It's not easy being green

2010-03-11T11:27:00.000-05:00

Hello, my blog friends! How is everyone feeling today? I hope everyone is well rested and in the mood to put their thinking caps on. I have a very big question for you.

If you've ever seen my kitchen before, you may know that I frequently describe it as an area that Laura Ingles Wilder threw up all over. Bless her heart and excuse me for the strong visual, but it's scary. Seriously. Some shots we took during our inspection:

And here it is currently:

Now, there's a fairly good reason why we haven't been able to beautify our space. The problem is that we have off white laminate countertops that are carried up into the backsplash area. So we can't paint that area, Lee doesn't want to invest in a backsplash until we figure out what we're doing with the cupboards, we can't afford new cabinets, and Lee worries that white cabinetry will clash with our almost yellowish countertops/backsplash and make the room look dingy. Did you catch all of that?

So, after some serious thinkin', I thought of a compromise. What if we painted our cabinets green?

I was very excited by this idea. With so much wood going on in the kitchen, we have a very dark room at the moment (and I think you can tell by now that I love bright and sunny rooms) that is obviously dated. A fresh, clean and happy green (something from Martha's new line?) could really update the space with a minimal investment. And in addition to that, Lee and I spotted a backsplash idea at Home Depot this past weekend that could possibly be a brilliant and cheap plan. Tied together with ivory walls, we could have a very cheerful and inviting room.

Then I talked to my mom, and she scared me with her knowledge. She told me that of all of her friends that have ever painted their cabinets, no matter what they use and no matter how they apply it, experience paint chipping off or fading or dulling over time. Because it's such a high traffic area, it's hard to keep the cupboard paint looking professional. And apparently my cousin Megan said the same. Many of her friends have painted cabinets only to find that within a few months or a year or two, it's looking mighty amateurish.

So now I'm torn. Do I take the chance and really try to cheer up our kitchen with a cabinetry refresh or just deal with our cabinets and try to find another way to make the kitchen look fabulous?

Does anyone out there have experience with painting kitchen cabinets? How long has it been and how do they look now?

A Total Hoot!

2010-03-10T12:19:00.000-05:00

Meet Bubba.

Lee named him after a metabolically challenged bird that visited us in our Hawaii hotel room every day. Here's the original Bubba asking for food during our Honeymoon.

I saw this fella at HomeGoods for $12 this weekend and couldn't resist. Lee and I think he's a fabulous first step for our future garden. Now we just need to find a place for him.

A Progress Report

2010-03-08T23:09:00.003-05:00

Want to see the evolution of our guest room? Let's do a quick rewind to May.

And now for the latest progress piece. On a fabulous shopping spree with Heather on Monday, I ran into a dearly beloved mirror that I'd passed up before. When it resurfaced on Young House Love, I couldn't help but kick myself. Luckily, mine patiently waited for me, and I even picked it up for ten dollars less than YHL. Thirty dollars for a beautiful round mirror? You betcha.

I also spotted a cute red pillow on clearance for $10 at Target. Let's look at the impact of these 2 finds. Ready for the before, way before and land before time?

Which leads us to now:

From May to today, Lee and I think our work has definitely created a bit of improvement. But no kicking off our boots just yet; there are still many more miles to go.

For one, I'm wondering if the surface area is working or if it's needing something. And if so, what
If it does need something, should we pull a McKinney and put shelves on either side of the mirror?
And what about the mirror itself? Should we paint the mirror like YHL or leave as is to match the dresser hardware and candlesticks?

What about all of that empty wall space?

Thank you in advance for your advice.We're ready for the next installment!

And to help us really get on our merry way (I cannot tell you how excited we would be to have this room finished!), I am linking up to Amanda's Show Me the Progress Party at Serenity Now. Her linking parties are always very helpful!

Branching Out

2010-03-07T21:07:00.001-05:00

Warning: this is not the most exciting post ever. Truth be told, I've got almost nothing for blogs this week and thought linking up to Kendall's Shop the House Sunday would force me to do something. So, with the head's up that you might fall asleep halfway through, here we go.

A few years ago, Lee and I attended a wedding at the Castle in Atlanta. The centerpieces at the reception were beautiful floral arrangements framed in glass domes, and at the end of the wedding, the guests were given permission to take them home.

Since Lee and I weren't living together at the time, I put it away in storage for future use and over time, kind of forgot I had it. Then a few weeks ago, Lee and I were looking through some of our storage items and I happily rediscovered it.

I've been searching for something cool to feature in the cloche ever since. I thought about a pretty orchid or other cool plant, but I worried about the plant surviving with no breathing holes. Finally today, I decided to just try out some items I already had.

So I gathered some branches from the front yard and stuck them through green Styrofoam that had been used with the wedding floral arrangements. I also added in a black bird that Heather and Chris gave us as a house warming gift.

Nothing too crazy, but I thought it was a cute and free solution for the guest bedroom. And if we ever find something perfect for the cloche, we won't feel guilty switching it out.

So there you have it! And since I've already got your attention, I'd also like to thank Yankee Belle Home for generously passing a blog award my way. I'm pretty sure everyone's sick of learning things about me by now, but here are some of my newest blog friends.

Happy Sunday everyone!

Bathroom Break

2010-03-04T20:55:00.004-05:00

What do you say we take a break from our normally scheduled routines and discuss my bathrooms? Because in case you're not sick of me asking for your opinion, I'm back with more questions. Let's get started!

After much discussion with Big Red, we both agree that all of you are super smart and we should totally do a high beadboard. I can't hardly wait, folks. But here's my latest confusion. I'm starting to wonder which bathroom to paint what. Here are the two shower curtains I'm planning to use:
1.

So here are the two options:

Option 1: The first option is to use the yellow and green shower curtain in the guest bath and pair the white beadboard with yellow walls.

For the master bedroom, we'd couple the ruffled white shower curtain with pretty blue walls. I like option number one for a couple of reasons:

Our guest bathroom has no windows, so yellow would really brighten up the space
Our master bathroom would be blue, which would coordinate with our blue bedding and lamps.

Option number two would be the reverse. We would paint our guest bathroom blue and pair the pretty walls with the ruffled shower curtain.

For the master bedroom, I'd pair the yellow and green shower curtain with a green paint that matches the leaves on the curtain.

There are also some great advantages for this option as well:

The white ruffled shower curtain would be a more sophisticated choice for the room with beadboarding.
The yellow and green palette for the master bath would be very energizing for those slow mornings when you just want to crawl back in bed.

We're definitely certain that we'll be painting the cabinets white in both rooms and installing high beadboard in the guest bath. But I'm just not sure which plan I prefer.

What do you think?

My Love is Like a Wheel - Let Me Roll It To You

2010-03-04T09:56:00.001-05:00

I'm on to you, Kendall. Somebody is paying you to be my friend. No, no—don't even deny it. My parents don't even like me this much. But, since the check has probably already been cashed, why not indulge?

Kendall over at Finesse Your Nest has nominated me for my third ever blog award. I'm feeling mighty special and want to thank her for all of her kindness. In fact, I think we can safely change the game from the six degrees of Kevin Bacon to the Six Degrees of Kendall because I swear she can network and make new friends like no other. And Kendall, right back at you. I totally wish we could grab a latte and chat!

I'm so excited to pass the torch! Without further ado, here are 7 folks that I haven't been able to show my love to before:

Brick City Love - She's a former girl scout that painted her radiator pumpkin orange. Does it get any better? It actually does. Check out her master bedroom reveal if you're in the mood to be jealous.
Yellow Front Door - Micah's style just kills me. Everything is mega cute. This girl can do no wrong. Talent must run in the family, because I love her sister's blog too.
Russet Street Reno - It's kind of creepy at this point. Whenever I have a design question, I simply check her blog, and bam! Her new post answers my question. She's also a fabric genius.
Eat Salt and Die - Mary has fabulous taste, a killer wit, and is an author. Her blog posts are extremely fun and I've been fascinated by all of the publishing blogs she links to. When your first book comes out, Mary, I am so buying it!
Chic Little House - Soon after I discovered Ms. Chic, she posted her dining room reveal. And I knew right then I wanted to be her. This girl has immaculate taste!
Beauty in the Attempt - This is a more recent discovery. I love her blog! She makes the most beautiful things, has the cutest family, and seems like such a nice person. So talented!
Brown Brick House - Speaking of cute families, have you seen Heather's beautiful son Daniel? We're talking model gorgeous. And the kitchen and market she made for her little chef stole my heart.
McKinney Living - I'm supposed to stop at 7, but I'm declaring this my trademark. Heather's blog has to be added to every list. Did you see her furniture makeover? It blew my mind!

OK, and here are 7 random facts about me:

I recently started a Twitter page for my blog. I'm having so much fun keeping up with you lovely ladies!
Last night, I tried to convince Lee that quitting my job and starting a Bon Jovi cover band was an investment opportunity.
Heather and I are starting a business. Feeling the tightness of your pants around the holidays? We're going to market maternity pants as 'buffet pants.' They expand as you eat. J'adore Velour!
The very first time my parents left my brother and me alone to go out, their movie was interrupted when an announcement was made that their children were being transported in an ambulance to the ER. And you wonder why I haven't had kids yet.
My brother convinced me that my cabbage patch kids wanted to kill me when I was little. One morning I woke up and they were arranged in a circle surrounding me.
When I was in fourth grade, I wrote a letter to both Major Dad and Full House with suggestions of how to write me into their scripts.
What About Bob might be my favorite movie ever.

But enough about me. I am always looking for great new blogs to follow and be inspired by. If there's a blog you'd like to recommend, I'd love to hear it. I'm always looking for new haunts.

P.S. - Kendall is giving away The Nest Home Design Handbook today. Hop on over and enter to win!

The Right Frame of Mind

2010-03-03T09:25:00.001-05:00

Sometimes the simplest projects are the ones that give you the most trouble. Remember my Goodwill mirror that I scored on President's Day?

At a reasonable price of $6, it was perfect for the Freckles Chick project we all know and love.

Lee and I have wanted a small chalkboard to use as a grocery list for our fridge, and this totally fit the bill. So I set to work that very day and spray painted the mirror with chalkboard spray paint and flat white spray paint.

I might have been a little too excited, though. I kind of spray painted in a very cold garage, and the result wasn't very pretty. The white was cracking all over and seemed a little too....well, flat. So I regrouped, went back to the store and got a satin finish spray paint. And to add to my stupidity? I could have saved myself from this step if I'd reviewed Freckle Chick's blog! She apparently had the same 'flat' issues!

So I sanded it down and spray painted it again....only this time it cracked even worse. I wish I had thought to take a picture. It had more wrinkles than Betty White (No disrespect to Betty! Golden Girls fan for life) and was extremely frustrating.

Once again, I whipped out the sanding paper and this time got off as much paint as I could. It took a few days and I wasn't able to get it all. I got as much as I could and smoothed out the rest until it was undetectable by my fingers. Then I tried again. The result was this:

Much better, though still not perfect. Lee joked that I should call it 'shabby chic' and move on, so I did. The chalk had gotten a little messed up from my frame work, so I sanded it down too and sprayed again. And this is what happened:

HOT MESS! Oh, that was awful. But you know the saying: once a job has begun, never leave it til it's done. I had no choice but to keep on keepin' on.

This time around, I grabbed a razor and scraped off the paint from the mirror.

And the third time was a charm. Whew. Thank goodness!

Lessons learned: Read the directions and don't spray paint in freezing temps, cover up imperfections with the title 'shabby chic' and remember that there is totally such thing as good enough!

The Wind Beneath My Wings

2010-03-02T11:47:00.001-05:00

You'll never believe what I found on the side of the road.

On Friday, as I was driving home and yapping like a chihuahua at Heather on the phone, something grabbed my attention. I'm sure Heather was wondering why I suddenly screamed at her, "SHUT UP!"

There in the driveway of a nearby house, with a beautiful piece of paper that said free, was this:

So I jumped out of the car, loaded this baby into the trunk and drove a few feet to our house. When I pulled into our driveway, Lee was waiting for me on the front porch. "Look what I got!" I screamed to him. "Oh no," he called back, "Please don't tell me you grabbed that piece of junk in the front of the neighborhood."

Oh, but I did. It's not every day you see a free wingback chair that just needs new clothes. And thanks to a little freelance work I've been lucky to get, I can set aside a little money to have this honey recovered.

Lee says I'm crazy and that I should just chunk this one out and instead buy a new chair that doesn't need to be shampooed. But check this out. You might not be able to see the fabric print, but here's a closeup (which is way more obvious in person):

Notice the pattern? It's the same print as my new office file folders and my inspiration bathroom wall decals.

Coincidence or sign?

So currently at Chateau Sewell, Lee is trying to convince me to throw my wingback out while I smile and nod and continue to research slipcovers and fabrics. My grandmother Mimi had a pink wingback chair that my mom now owns, and I've always loved the shape. Not to mention I have the perfect place. How great would it be in our master bedroom?

So, what do y'all think? Recover it, slip cover it, or put it back on the streets?

Ground Zero

2010-02-28T23:48:00.001-05:00

This weekend, Lee and I sucked it up and finally got around to the one project we've been avoiding since day one: removing the wallpaper in the guest bathroom. This was our process:

Don't Turn Around - I could tell Big Red wasn't looking forward to our task ahead. To inspire him, I made him watch Ace of Base, Don't Turn Around on Youtube.

Run for the Border - Our bathroom's theme may have been perfect for the Olympics, but just as the festivities ended this weekend, so did the border's fate.

Become a stripper - There are apparently different types of wallpaper that require different methods of removal. Our is 'vinyl,' which means the decorative vinyl layer can be stripped in big sheets while the paper backing underneath remains on the walls.

Scrape By - Here's where you start hating whoever invented wallpaper. For this step, we filled a spray bottle with fabric softener and extremely hot water, and also pulled out our car ice scrapers. We sprayed sections of the paper backing, let it set and then used our scrapers to remove the layer.

The paper didn't want to come off, so we had to scrape bit by bit. It took forever and made a huge mess. We're still working on removing the paper backing that's behind the toilet without moving the toilet. Jealous?

Dry Heave - What's behind the paper:

You might not be able to tell in the first photo, but the walls are in terrible shape. Holes, cracks, hidden bolts, and random chunks of paint revealed themselves after our tedious paper backing removal.

Me: "How in the world are we going to be able to paint these walls?!"
Lee: "People will be like, 'did you remove your bathroom wallpaper and then rebuild the walls with cardboard?'"

Our original plan was to wash the walls, sand, putty, sand again, prime and then paint. But with these walls, we knew that wasn't enough.

So we started to research putting up new dry wall, until something magical happened. Lee turned to me and said, "If the walls are damaged and we're going to spend money and time fixing them, why not just cover them up with beadboard?" And I swear to you friends, that at that moment, wind started blowing through his hair, the buttons of his shirt magically popped open and David Hasselhoff music started blaring behind him. So sexy.

So that's our plan. We're going to bring the beadboard up to the elevation of the sink, and then we have to make a decision on the rest of the wall. Here are our two options:

Beadboard as high as the sink with wallpaper on top to re-cover the damaged walls. As guilty as I'd feel putting up new wallpaper after that tiring process, it would cover up that space smoothly and since half the walls would have beadboard, the surface area for wallpaper really wouldn't be that much. Plus, I got this fabulous wallpaper sample in the mail the other day and it speaks to me.

Beadboard as high as the sink and then a wallcovering on top that we could paint. I have never seen it, but Lee thinks he saw something that's almost like wallpaper, but you can paint over it. We'd go with blue like our old plan. I think I'm leaning towards this option if, in fact, it does exist.

So that's an update of our disaster area. But on the bright side it will look so much better, we learned a new skill set and I will actually get beadboard, which I thought Lee would never agree to!

Oh, and if you have any other ideas for the bathroom renovation, I am all ears!

The Wallflowers

2010-02-26T14:04:00.002-05:00

I'm saying it right now so that I don't back out this weekend. I'm going to tackle the wallpaper in the guest bathroom and hopefully have it out of the house by Sunday. To help me stay motivated, I'm thinking ahead to the fun stuff. Lee and I agree that we'd like an accent wall to jazz up the space after we paint it blue. Which decals are your favorite?

Here are the runner-ups:

I was thinking of getting whatever Lee and I decide in white, but I'd be curious to hear your color choices as well. Thanks again for your awesome opinions and have a great weekend!

Office Space: from drab to fab

2010-02-25T11:17:00.000-05:00

I have mentioned before that I am on the Marketing team for a technology company. It really is a fun job and I love my company, but it's hard sometimes to not miss the sunshine and afternoons.

And it certainly doesn't help that my physical surroundings are lackluster. Surprise, surprise, I stare at gray walls all day.

I've thought about ways to give my cube a little sparkle, but I'm also weary of being that crazy girl who bedazzled her stapler and decoupaged her pen holder.

I've done a little research lately, and here are some interesting ideas I've come across:

Of course, I don't want to draw too much attention and I definitely don't want to come off as unprofessional; I just need a slight refresh. Maybe a small pop of color (like yellow) or even hanging a madeover corkboard?

I'm sure I'm not the only one out there staring at gray walls every day. Have you given your cube a makeover?

How would you spruce up my space?

Show and Tell

2010-02-24T09:25:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends!

How is everyone doing today? I'm a little tired this morning, but so excited to get my link on.

Today is the day to show the results of the craft off. I'm not really sure what I'm doing, so if you'd like to use McLinky and add your link to your own blog post showing your craft or e-mail me pictures, either works for me. And I'll let you decide whether it's just a friendly day of show and tell or if you'd like to make it a competition and have readers vote on their fave project.

I am personally a big fan of all of the monogram goodness offered by Anthropologie.

I recently spotted this cute soap dish and toothbrush holder at Goodwill and loved the color for our future blue guest bathroom. I snagged both for $1.50 and figured they'd be perfect for a little monogram action.

I had grandiose visions of creating my own stencil and painting it on, but truth be told, I ran out of time. I did, however, find a monogram S design online that seemed perfect for the blue jar.

So I handed the printed design off to my artistic husband (I know, I am such a cheater), and he was kind enough to free hand it with permanent marker. This was the result.

I thought he did a great job, and $1.50 is MUCH better than that $26.00 price tag on the candle!

But enough about me! Let's see what all of you have up your sleeves. If you have a project from the past that reminds you of Anthro, that absolutely counts! And by all means, please don't let me stop you from posting multiple entries. ;)

I think that's it. I'm prepared to be wowed!

Always Use a Pelmet

2010-02-23T10:18:00.002-05:00

Hello my fellow blogettes!

How was your weekend? Wasn't that weather unbelievable? Like so many of you, Lee and I were out and about enjoying the mini spring and playing. So, to be honest, we were a little lazy on the home front. But we did manage to finally seal the deal on a project I've had on my to-do list for months.

A couple of months ago, I found the perfect material for a guest bedroom window treatment at Joann. The fabric, which was normally almost 30 dollars, was waiting for me in the remnant section and I was able to grab almost a full yard for 5 dollars.

Lee and I were stoked about my find and finally put my thrifty score to good use on Sunday. With the guidance of Little Green Notebook's easy pelmet box tutorial, we cut a little foam board, taped the pieces with duct tape, and stapled some batting and fabric in 1, 2, 3.

Let me warn you that my camera is awful. How bad is it? Let's just say I want to throw it in a holey wagon and ford the river on the Oregon Trail. I want to use all of my ammo on squirrels so that it grows hungry. And, as awful as this is, I wouldn't be devastated if it died of dysentery.

Girl Scouts Honor that this pelmet box looks WAAAAAY better in person. But you can at least get an idea of how it turned out..

Tomorrow is results day for my Anthropologie craft off. I have to confess that I haven't made mine yet. Bad Meg! But I do have the supplies, so I'm going to rush home tonight and hopefully finish the drill. If you have a project or 2 to contribute (past or present), you'd be really helping a gal out by participating. I'm thinking McLinky will be the way to go...unless there are other suggestions.

That's it for now. And if you haven't already, check out Mrs. Chic's insanely cute dining room reveal. Her curtains are made of the same fabric I'm contemplating for the master bedroom and she totally owned it.

The Sewell Train

2010-02-19T08:48:00.001-05:00

Lee and I have been joking that we should throw a Soul Train themed party and call it the Sewell Train for months now, and I can happily say that there is actually a Sewell Train in Georgia as of this week!

As I may have mentioned before, Lee is a landscape architect for a civil engineering firm. Lee is not involved in residential work, but he does design parks and cities.

He has had some cool projects in the past for places we'll probably never visit. He is currently designing a military base in Afghanistan and his company was asked to create a tourist city in Egypt from scratch. And while we can't always see his ideas come to fruition, one of the fun parts about his job is the projects we can actually visit. One such design is currently on its way to being built.

Lee was asked to design a mural for a retaining wall that is going up in Kennesaw, Georgia and his CAD drawing was approved by the city board. This week, a company carved out his plans and brought his sketch to life.

These are only 2 of 12 panels, and the mural will be something like forty feet long, but you can see it taking shape. Lee sent me the pictures yesterday and I felt pretty darn proud of my red head. It's pretty cool that Lee will have a mural as part of his legacy.

Happy Friday, everyone!

The Fine Print

2010-02-18T12:50:00.002-05:00

As if you weren't already sick of my master bedroom talk, I'm back today with more questions. I figured the first step of the healing process is admitting I have a problem.

I need some cute and youthful fabric to keep my bedroom from being Grandma's rest stop. Sara over at Russet Street Reno seems to find the BEST fabrics for every room. Check out the perfect print for her dressing room and the total tease of her art gallery. I suddenly felt myself inspired to hunt for the right fabric that I could throw in our bedroom, and of course need your brilliant opinions. Which would you pick for our bedroom?

This is our bedding:

The first option is a damask that very closely resembles our bedding. Not sure if it's too matchy matchy, but it could be an option for drapes:

And for a less matchy damask, I love this print in robin egg blue:

The next print is a little bit on the wild side, but it's vibrant and has pops of blue as well as pops of yellow, which would coordinate with our future master bathroom:

And I really like this print though it's a bit dark:

While this one might be fun for covering canvases that would hang over the lamps:

Oh, and I'm thinking this is probably way too dark, but I have a serious weakness for peacock feathers at the moment and these Pier 1 panels are on sale:

So what do you think? Do any of these stand out to you or is there a fabric you've seen that you'd recommend?

My honest favorite is probably option number 3 (the wild one). I can see it making cute curtains as well as covering square canvases over the bedside lamps.

I challenge all of you to a craft off

2010-02-17T11:04:00.001-05:00

Well my lovelies, I am so disappointed. I had high hopes to reveal my Goodwill mirror makeover today, but alas my project turned into a full blown disaster last night. I guess that's what I get for ignoring the instructions and working in conditions that were way too cold.

While I blast out some damage control tonight and try to salvage my project, I'll leave you today with some images that restore my good mood. Let's all take a moment to appreciate the incredible Anthropologie goods that most of us will never own. And let me also challenge you clever and imaginative girls with this:

What do you say we try our hand at a friendly little competition? Let's all scour Anthropologie's website and see if we can find a cute item or 2 that can be replicated on the cheap. Or maybe a creation that is inspired in general by the vibe of Anthropologie.Next week, we can all meet up and share our projects on Wednesday.

Who's in?

In the meantime, here are a few dramatic pieces that make me wish Lee and I had a sugar daddy.

If you can recreate anything like the above, well then, we will all worship you. I'm thinking of their little trinkets and accessories, but I'm excited to see who's willing to participate and what ideas you can come up with. Any takers?

Rethunk Junk

2010-02-16T10:00:00.008-05:00

Y'all know I love a fun day of Goodwill Hunting. And with some time off thanks to President's Day, I made my way to the land of promise to sift through all of the second hands goods.

First off were 2 beauties perfect for the guest room. Remember my design dilemma of what to add to the dresser area with my planter and sunburst mirror? Sara and a few others recommended staggered candlesticks, and this pair begged me to take them home. So I did, and reassured my ginger jars that I had the perfect spot for them.

My original plan was to spray paint them red with the paint leftover from my cabinet, but after trying them out in the guest room, I realized they matched the hardware on Lee's furniture.

Next up, I spotted the perfect framed mirror for a project I've been dying to try for months. I'm excited to get started within the next few days. In the meantime, here's the before.

And finally, one of my favorites of the day, a steal of a deal that I was surprised to find.

So what do you think a ten dollar Goodwill chair looks like? It looks like this!

I'm thinking that if I get a button making kit, replace the ruined buttons with dark brown ones and shine her up a little, she'll look as good as new. Maybe even as good as these $200 chairs.

And maybe cozy in the living room corner?

What do y'all think? An awesome find or should have been left behind?