Some house updates

My husband asks, why in the world are you still decorating our house when we're leaving in just over a week?!  (Moving to St. Louis for the summer). My answer- because I'm bored and I'm obsessed with decorating.

Men just don't understand. They think it's absurd to be decorating every other weekend, but what they don't understand is that it's a process. You're never "done" because A. you get sick of something or B. you discover a new way to display/arrange things. I'm guilty of both, and yes every other weekend.

So this past week, I put my wonderful fabric find to good use. You may recall my post back a few weeks ago about this fabric. I ideally wanted to find a cute chair to upholster, but we don't NEED chairs or have room for them. So I took down our outdated Jesus picture (my bad!) and put these up instead... hopefully I am forgiven.

The how-to:

 although I know this is nothing original... canvas pieces are everywhere but I was amazed at how inexpensive it was.

So instead of buying canvases, Ikea has these $5 wooden frames that you just nail together so it makes a hollow square, then staple fabric to it. So easy, so cheap... project total about $23!

Leftover fabric + unused frame= additional wall art

So on a whim I updated our existing bedroom. Disclaimer- I dislike the headboard. Too stark of contrast with the white white, so down the road I'll redo that. But I got a cheapo sunburst mirror at Hobby Lobby, and then recovered our Ikea lamp shades with this sassy leopard fabric that was $2. 

Don't mind the crap stack of books.. but the pop of gold with the leopard just makes it for me. AND the chevron pillow. 

 There was a time when I had a box of jewelry on my nightstand and I was SO SICK of my son Carter getting into it, knocking it down, breaking, tangling and losing my jewelry. 

My solution, to match my lamps =)

 My kitchen's wall collage got a little udpate. 

My goldie on the bottom left was a recent $3 find from Savers. I love the big floral print with the white frame, and here's why: It actually was an original, painted by Aaron's (my husband) great-grandma. Sentimental=cool. It came in an old school gold ornate frame (what am I saying.. I love that stuff!) But I really like to mix a modern frame with vintage art or vice versa so it doesn't look too stuffy or granny.

 I painted the inside of my bookshelf white. Thanks to my hideous paint color in the house, I've tried every trick in the book to brighten up my front room, to not look like a dark dungeon. This isn't a HUGE difference but I think it helps. And I love my striped bowl from TJ.

color crazy

I love this site- http://www.frenchbull.com/ They just have the most colorful, fabulous things! The patterns are off the wall and are only for the daring, but check em out! It's not terribly expensive but Amazon sells most of this stuff for cheaper so if you're in the market for some pizazz, make sure you shop around =)

kitchen towels

love these little robot melamine plates for kids

floral platter- this is one of my favorite designs

rose cake knife. i don't have one of these. i think i need one...

fun mugs

lots of art prints including these silly little monsters

melamine tray- black & white stripe, of course it's my fav

striped salad servers.. not AS bright but oh so fun!

Hunger Games- read it!!

If you have not read the Hunger Games series yet, you need to get with the program. 

Not even kidding.

 K I wasn't the hugest fan of Twilight- I read the books, did see the movies (and admittedly fell asleep through one) but the Hunger Games books just don't compare, they are awesome.

The movie is supposed to be out next summer which seems like forever to me, but I'm already so excited for it!

 News was just released that Jennifer Lawrence is gonna be playing Katniss, the main character. I was a little surprised, since she's BLONDE but I can kinda see it.. what do you think, you Hunger Games fans?

Vintage glam

I discovered a blog a while back that I absolutely fell in love with. I'm a sucker for glam and I love bold colors, and I've become more and more of a fan of vintage. Leah from The Way We Are has amazing style and it totally shows in her house. (I think it helps to post pics of REAL people's homes, not just "unattainable" magazine photos, although her home totally could be in one of those!) Take a sneak peek at some of her spaces...

Her bedroom... the frame wall is way cool & the space looks very relaxing

 I think she's since switched things around, but I loved this setup!

The green dresser got moved to her little girl's room.. and it looks so adorable with the pink. Pretty certain she made that headboard

 Little desk area. Love the touch of fur and animal print!

 Pink and green kitchen

 Newly remodeled kitchen- of course I'm loving the white.. and that chandelier!

Some shots of her family/living room

Freakin sweet cowhide rug don't you think?

Awesome mirror

I LOVE this green sofa... paired with black and white is right up my alley

Black and white striped chairs- I'm obsessed. And she painted some office cabinets this lacquered yellow, and it's of course, amazing.

The whole room... so beautiful!!

Yes Leah has some amazing ideas & awesome style so check our her blog!

For Japan

There's an online store with some awesome paper products such as gift wrap, stationary, and calendars. Right now they are featuring their Japanese fine papers that are soooo pretty in my opinion, and 10% of the sales will go to the Red Cross Japan Relief Fund through the end of April. 

The papers are 25.5 x 19 inches and are so cool for card making or would make awesome art!!! And at only $8 a piece, that's a sweet deal. Check em out!!!

paper-source

Where to start

Since Steph has recently posted once or twice about the Gray and Yellow trend it's got me thinking. My bedroom is in desperate need of a makeover! My problem is I pick a theme I think I like and change a few things and end up hating it. So I have been searching the internet all the time looking for color schemes that speak to me. Thanks to Steph right now I am digging the Gray Yellow trend. Here are a few pics that have inspired me a bit lately. 

pics from Beautifulliving.wordpress.com
firstsense.wordpress.com and thelennox.com

milk glass

Remember that crap your grandma used to have all over her house called milk glass? That opaque, usually white glass that was made into her lamp base, and vases, and trinkets. Well it's back- just like everything else, and hey vintage everything is back. And I happen to love it! Last summer I shopped at a few antique shops in Ohio and was smitten with the fun textures and colors. There's just so many decorating purposes!

I'm totally digging these blues

 Bedroom collection?... why not I say

 My treasured little milk glass bowl with its lid

 I'm obsessed with moss... not sure why, but probably because it's such a rich green. So go figure that I really want to make these

 Let's play Where's Waldo-  milk glass version. Okay it's the chandelier. A pink milk glass one.. awesome

This image was what inspired me a few years ago- the little glasses in an office... could hold anything and everything!

So just FYI milk glass is still everywhere.. antique shops, flea markets, ebay and it's not too expensive. Or just steal some from grandma. I promise you she won't notice ;)