A House Tour

So I was reading Danielle's post @ Transforming Home a few days back where she talks about her experience at Rate My Space. She says it's a tough crowd and loves the crowd here on blogland much better. She has since opened up her home for tour on her blog and has invited all of us to join her.

Now, if you caught my title "A house tour" it was really a play on words. Yes, I have a house, but it doesn't quite seem like a home yet. Not worthy of the words "A home tour". Moving last year into this house has been a challenge for my creativy and decorating desires. We loved the house when we moved in, it was a show home afterall. It is very tuscan, which I do love. The faux painting, the high ceiling, the windows. How cool? Well, it is....but it's challenging when it seems like it's one gigantic room. Take a look at my house and you'll see what I mean. (sorry for the pictures...it is sunny here today and sorry about the clutter, i'm so un-inspired I can't even clean!)

Visit my page again...I just may have completed a project! If I can get inspired that is!

Any comments and suggestions would be appreciated!

Here is a look at my foyer area: A huge massive wall on the right that connect to the other massive wall in the living room.

This door leads to our office. The open stair case leads down stairs.

This is the office. I don't like the color of the walls, the fact that the walls are not squared meaning the walls are shapped like the ceiling, I don't like the blinds, I don't like the color of the faux finish, I don't like the niches. I don't like the carpet. Hmmm....sounds like a project!

This is a look from the foyer area looking down the hall to the master bath with the powder room door to the right. The open stairs to go downstairs. Another niche and a curved ceiling. Both faux painted!

In the hall by the powder room looking back to the gigantic wall with living room on the right. The curved doorway leads to another bath and 2 bedrooms to each side.

Bad picture looking into living room and dining area.

The living room with its gigantic fireplace

I'm standing near the powder room looking through the kitchen into the dining area. I hate the shape of these ceilings. The walls are faux painted and so is the ceiling.

This is in the hall by the powder room near the back entry

This is the powder room. Again, faux painted. But's it is my favorite in the house!

The master beadroom in progress. Another tray ceiling! Faux painted.

The curtains to be sewn and hung! The rods are up though!

Seriously looking for wood furniture pieces on craigs list as this is my night stand!

A look into the master bath. More curved ceilings!

Well, there it is....can you tell I've got work to do!
Thanks Danielle for making me put it all out there!!!

LLLLLAAAAA!!!! found for a song!

Yes, that's me singing!! Don't judge me...you know you want to break out in a song too when you find a super duper find...for super duper cheap!!!

Well, this mama in all it Gi-normasness, is 2 ft wide and 5 ft long...and priced in at $24.99 UNLESS you hit the 'color of the day' baby!!! $12.00 LLLLAAAAA! Look at the frame!

Isn't it awesome? You know me, it's not staying like this...my plans are to paint the picture out and then paint the words Bon Appetit on it! And hang it in the kitchen (just like they show in Pottery Barn or Ballard Designs). I'll be sure to post when it's done! (finally an indoor paint project).


The other super duper find is this:
Love the color and print of this comforter set. The price was probably a bit higher than I would normally pay ($14), but it comes w/all the extras (like a bed skirt) and when you're dealing with this....

You know that you can't get a new non-matching skirt or fabric for this! It matches my daughters room perfectly.

Anyway, those are my finds....off to sing some more!!

Would love your comments and follows!!!

Linking up to: http://decormamma.blogspot.com/

http://www.remodelaholic.com/2010/02/remodelaholics-anonymous-week-5.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Remodelaholic+%28Remodelaholic%29

It's the simple things, right?

We're off to Cedar Rapids, IA in the morning! My daughter is skating at the Midwestern & Pacific Synchronized ice skating competition. So, it's been a busy practice week! Needless to say, not much got done in the way of home projects. The big ones anyway!

I did manage to keep my nerves at bay with a few smaller projects though. And, well, I still feel like I accomplished something. Probably more so, because it is the simple things that continue to pile up? right?

I managed to make a table runner for the kitchen table. I didn't like ANY of the choices out there...so I made my own. With some left over 'cheapo' unbleached cotton fabric. Which I LOVE!!! The price at less than $3 a yard and the natural look it has! All I did was set it on the table, cut how long I wanted it, folded over the sides, and sewed a straight stitch. I left the ends untouched, but frayed the fabric a bit. I like how it turned out!

My next "easy peasy never got around to it" project was this photo frame. I love gathering frames, but seldom take the time to add MY pictures, so I spent a few hours adding my pics and then added the monogram in the middle. Not a hard project...just one I can check off now!

After this busy fun filled weekend in Iowa, I am looking forward to tackling some bigger projects!

Go KICKS Go!! (that's the name of our synchronized team)

Thrift Store Surprises

I am so excited about my recent Thrit Store finds! Wonderful surprises at each place I went...


It started 'Up North' at our "Cabbage" cottage/cabin. I often get overwhelmed with the thought of trying to decorate not 1 house, but 2! When I go shopping I can hardly remember what I'm supposed to be looking for.

Well, this weekend, the guys were ice fishing and the girls (and by that I mean my daughter and I) took a drive into our little 'Up North' town. My intention was to go to one of my favorite junk stores. You see, in one of my previously overwhelmed visits I passed on an item that I now can not get out of my mind. It was a cute antique toy iron and ironing board made by the Gabriel Toy Mfg. (our last name is Gabriel) It wasn't on my 'list' so I passed it up and have been regreting it ever since. Sadly, this day, the store wasn't open...the sign on the door read "Open by chance during the winter months." and so I moved on to the next thrift store...

where I found these ....awesome Wisconsin Cheese Boxes!


Living in Wisconsin now I thought...I'm not letting these go. I'd regret it!

I only paid $5 for the big one and $4 for the smaller one! They are huge and awesome~ and a great conversation piece.

So, as I'm talking to the nice lady she says "you look like the type that likes these kind of stores." Not sure what that means (I was carrying my Coach purse), but heck yeah! So she told me of a thrift store in the next town 'north'...so off we went! Where I found....this!


It's a nice size piece of fabric. It was marked a $1 and when I went to pay the nice lady said that there's a sale on all non-wearables...so it was 87 cents. I'm turning it into a floor pillow for the Cabbage! Such great colors!


Now my next find was a bit closer to home. I just caught the thrift store bug from the weekend and I wasn't done! I was actually looking for furniture for the Cabbage at the local Salvation Army, but that was kind of a bust. I couldn't believe how pricey it was. But, I did find this....


It was marked $4.99 (totally not worth that price) but I was willing to pay it because the money goes toward a good cause AND it would go awesome w/my pine cone dishes and cake platter (that has no topper) that I have at our Cabbage. I have to admit, I pondered over it...and then this lady SCREAMS "5 mins left to get your items 50% off". What? okay, $2.50 much better!!! Sold! I get up to the counter and the cashier looks and says "$4.99 for this? It has no bottom. I can't do that to you." She wound up charging me 60 cents for it! After what ever price she thought was good minus the 50% off plus tax. Woo Hoo for me!!

I was so thrilled with my Thrift Store finds this week! Now off to 'pretty-fy' them!

Linking Up at:
http://www.coloradolady.blogspot.com/

http://decormamma.blogspot.com/2010/01/frugalicious-fridayand-giveaway-fresh.html

Fa-REE Bed gets makeover!

Don't you just love it when someone gives you something for Fa-REE? It's always even better when it's a piece of furniture, isn't it? Well, my mom had this stored in her garage for ever and well, let's just say I was happy to take it off of her hands. I see potential, don't you?
(Hi husband)
This, is the after. The paint went from a green and yellow w/a gold rubbed glaze to:

A creamy white. It fits the guest room decor perfectly...well, the room is a work in progress.

FREE is good!

I'm linking up to:

http://decormamma.blogspot.com/2010/01/frugalicious-friday-giveaway.html

http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/

I've been featured!

Jane at Finding Fabulous http://decormamma.blogspot.com/ is starting a weekly feature called
She's Crafty...Love that Craft!
So, me being the crafty person couldn't wait to see a new craft...one on a budget at that. Much to my surprise...I see MY project!!!
How exciting to open up one of your favorite blogs and see yourself!
Wow!
Thank you Jane, you made my day!

P.S. The button she made is super cute...but, I can't figure out how to bring it over to my blog! I'll try real hard!

check it out!
http://decormamma.blogspot.com/2010/01/shes-craftya-new-feature-adorable-no.html

Fish lamps on the fly!

Okay friends. I've been lurking....but I've been busy. Well, not too busy! but enough to call a project complete. It all started with a trip to Bass Pro Shop. My husband loves it! We have a cottage/cabin...I like to call the 'cabbage' and Bass Pro Shop gives me some great ideas. The kind of store you go in and you just know you can't buy it, but you can make it!


I found myself in the lamp department and was inspired by this shade followed by the thought "I can make that!" A little twine and christmas ornaments....that's what I'm talk'n about!
Here's the inspiration:





I remembered I had these lamps and shades in our basement. Not even the finished part of the basement, but the ready for the GW part of the basement. Not sure what I was thinking when I got them...it may have been the buy 3 lamps for the price of 1 package deal you see so often.
(the floor lamp is not pictured)



So the lamps, virtually free...the Christmas ornaments...clearance! like a buck! So I bought a bunch. You never know when the urge to create for the cabbage might happen. So I bought, well, more than 3!

I did darken/distress them a bit with some burnt umber paint. Just a wash! Actually I did this to the wooden part of the lamp as well. While the fish were drying I added the twine around the top and bottom of the shade using Liquid Stitch. Love that stuff! Make sure to leave the twine longer on the top to hang the ornament from and to tie (just like the inspiration).

Don't you just LOVE?!


Will be linking up: