Happy Easter from my sixth grade self. I remember how much I loved this white collar that went over my dress. (Did you all wear these?) But, now that I look back, it’s clear my brother and sister upstaged me that year. . .
This coming week is my kids’ official Spring break. So, I’m taking a real vacation. Like the no-computer kind of vacation. I need several days to just enjoy “offline” life and play. Hope you all have a good week.
Thanks to all of you who shared projects in my first link up. This was a little experiment, but I thought it went pretty well. Maybe we’ll do another one in the near future. . .
I read every post and love how resourceful you all are. Here are some of my favorite “working with what you have” ideas:
Brandi transformed her very basic kitchen cabinets by adding molding.
Becky gave a Target wine rack a campaign-style makeover with paint and new hardware.
A great stairway update (and an adorable tiny entryway).
Katie shopped her house, recovered, and repainted to transform her home office.
Erin shares another (beautiful) example of working with a dark kitchen.
Kristin took a small space and made it an organized command center for her family.
Rebecca turned an overwhelming built-in into something beautiful. (You have to see the before.)
Trish made her red couch work by changing the paint and adding a few accessories.
Have a rug you’re tired of? Paint the back—without using a stencil…
Lisa details how she made this tiny master bedroom closet work for her and her husband.
Kris updated some memo boards with ticking stripe fabric.
Metallic paint gives an old chair new life.
Holly gave her closet a makeover by shopping her house.
Have a great Easter weekend!
I think every room needs a little bit of natural texture. Add that to a beautiful pattern, and Chinese shutters become a great option for wall art. I used a set (that I found at the flea market) for a client’s long living room wall a couple of years ago:
I love the intricate detail of the ones I’ve been seeing. But, I don’t necessarily love the prices. Though not a bargain, here are a few of the “less expensive” options I found when searching Ebay:
West Elm also sells a fretwork mirror that has a similar feel:
Just a little something to keep an eye out for in my never ending hunt for treasure. . . Have any of you spotted some (reasonable) options for these or something similar?
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We’re in the process of making some decisions for the new upstairs bathroom, formerly known as the toy closet. It’s a small space, so there’s not a lot of room for any wild ideas I might have. And, even though it’ll eventually be shared by two boys, I want it to be pretty age-neutral. (It’ll probably also serve as the bathroom for any houseguests, too.)
As I look through photos for ideas, a few themes seem to be reoccurring: simple with industrial touches, contrast (probably in the form of white and charcoal), and mostly open shelving (how much stuff can boys really need?!).
photography: Emily Jenkins Followill
And, since we’re on the subject of home improvement ideas, my friends at the Home Depot asked me to share this with you. You can receive $5 off your next purchase of $50 or more (plus future savings, tips and insider benefits) by registering for their Orange Insider newsletter here:
The canvas I ordered from here arrived a couple of weeks ago, and I just got it hung. I ended putting it in the hallway where the huge abstract used to be. Although the old painting worked great in the living room of our last house, something about it kept bothering me. It just felt too brown and orange for our house now. And, you know if something doesn’t feel right, it’s the one thing I hone in on every time I walk by it. . .
(The abstract was a deal, by the way. I found it on Craigslist several years ago for $125, so I feel like I got the good out of it. I’m not totally sure where it’s going, but I’m hanging onto it for now.)
It took me a minute to get used to the smaller scale in this spot (it’s 36x36”), but I actually think it works better. And, I must be subconsciously going with a black and white theme around here.
By the way, the painting is by Lisa Golightly, who also has an Etsy shop. I would love to use a few more of her prints around my house.
Why you might reconsider before getting rid of an old sofa table. (I love when furniture is used in unexpected ways and places.)
A really good Ballard Designs headboard knock-off for just $75, and with the help of a handy husband.
On being “real” as a blogger. And, as a person. I always like that.
I swear I totally already invented these in my head and now, I found them online (and currently out of stock). There goes my fortune! Have you used them? I detest loading and unloading 101 bags every time I go to the grocery.
I’m pretty sure I’m getting ready to paint something in my house some form of minty green. The more I see it everywhere, the more I like it. For now, I’m just putting it on my feet. (And, they’re on sale. And, they look slightly lighter green in person.)
I’m not canning anything, but Ball sent me a 6-pack of their limited edition blue pint jars that they’re making to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the “perfect mason jar.” I just like the blue they bring to my patio, where I’ve been playing around with them, waiting for it to feel like Spring. They can be pre-ordered here.
This was suppose to be one of those quick, five-minute kind of projects. I brought this cute mirror out of storage (it originally hung in the powder room) taped it off, and was going to give it a quick makeover with some coral spray paint and put it in my office.
Instead, I lost the can of spray paint somewhere between the house and the garage. (Spent 20 minutes looking for it.) Then, I made a trip to the hardware store to buy more spray paint in the same color but it was no where to be found. (Spent another 20 minutes at the store looking for that.) Came back home, resolved to paint it a new color, and ran over the dang mirror with our van (because I had forgotten I left the already-taped mirror in the middle of the garage floor).
Here’s to hoping that seven-year bad luck thing doesn’t apply if you just run over it and don’t actually drop it. . .
Have you attempted any projects lately that seem to be cursed?
(I just like reading your stories.)
When we moved into our house almost two years ago, the bedroom carpeting was ten years old but looked brand new. Enter the Clark clan, and we nearly destroyed it in two weeks flat. You can only imagine what it looks like now, under some strategically placed rugs. . .
So, when Mohawk Flooring offered to let me try their SmartStrand carpet in the form of a bound rug, I was up for the challenge. Plus, we’ve put nothing but a TV (and a few other things) in our new playroom so far and needed a soft surface. . .
If you’re not familiar with SmartStrand carpet, it makes a lot of promises:
In fact, Mohawk has even tested this carpet with rhinos and elephants. Seriously.
Watch this:
So, sure, it can withstand zoo animals. But, what about five Clark kids?
To test it out, we decided to have a little “playroom-warming party” in our new space. We are usually pretty good about making the kids only eat in the kitchen, so when I told them we were going to eat ice cream sundaes on a brand new rug, they thought Momma had officially lost her mind. But, they were happy to oblige.
Besides the whole stain-resistant thing, the best benefit for me was that I could “chill out” and not be so worried about every bite that was spilled. And, that’s always more fun for everyone.
We actually did have a few spots on the carpet after it was all said and done. And, as promised, it came right out with warm water and a little liquid dish detergent.
I’m thinking this might be the perfect rug to move to one of the kids’ rooms, or under a kitchen table. . .
If you happen to live in a zoo like me, Mohawk Flooring is giving one of my readers a 6x9 SmartStrand carpet- bound rug (in the Global Vision style, Sequoyah Dusk color—see it here). Entering is super quick. But, don’t leave a comment on this post. Instead, go here to enter.
Contest ends April 8th. Mohawk will select the winner and I’ll announce it on my blog in mid-April.
PS—Thanks to Mohawk Flooring for sponsoring this post, giving me a SmartStrand carpet to try, and letting me share all of my own opinions about it with all of you.
