Been Missing...

Sorry Guys, I'm totally aware I've been missing this March!  There's so much stuff going on, and I can't wait to share it all.  In due time, in due time!

Anyway, I will be back soon, I promise. 

I'm not MIA permanently.  :)

That's it.  Oh, and I miss you all.  What's been goin on?  Anything good?  Any links or projects to inspire me?

VOTW #10, Laundry List of To-Dos

Howdy, Folks!  Yep, it's Friday again, Friday evening even here in CA.  Sorry I've been slow to get this up- busy family night last night!

So, welcome, to another edition of VOTW: Victory of the week!

As I said last week, and the 8 other times before (can you believe this is week 10 of 2010 already?!  ALREADY?) to goal of VOTW is to to remember the small (or large!) Victories that we all have each week.  It's good for morale, stress, and our attitude to remember that sometimes, it's the small things in life that matter.  So, whether you're proud of a recipe, a project, your kids, or whatever, link up and let the world (well, at least the blog world!) know.

I know I've built these grand to-do lists before, but for some reason this weekend I seem to be extra motivated.  Go figure, huh?  Maybe it's all the extra sleep I've been getting.  :)

Anyway, my victory won't really be counted until about 9:00 on Sunday night, but for now, I'm working off of the lofty goal of doing the following things this weekend (some starting RIGHT NOW- well, after I post this...)

1. See if my buffet is still available (and offer $50 for it)
2. Find a basket for off season sheets for the linen closet (and fill that awkward space)
3. Paint ceilings that are above where the flooring will be installed and popcorn was removed (I've resigned to doing the other spaces later)
4. Get my Spring wardrobe weeded out, and go shopping (if necessary :)  )
5. Browse HomeGoods, clearance section first of course.  New linens for the bed are calling my name.
6. Check out lease options on some of the cars from this post
7. Fix the car seat protector (for the dogs) 
8. Read, sort, and recycle magazines

What am I doing tonight?  Sitting down with these magazines:

 

That's 2 Verandas, 2 Everyday, 2 Good Housekeeping, 3 catalogs, 1 Better Homes & Gardens

Oh, and for that awkward storage shelf I was talking about?  Yea, it had popcorn on it too!  The door was never re-attached after a few weekends ago, but either way, it doesn't go all the way to the ceiling.  Totally weird.  That's the space I need a basket for.  :)

  

 It's like the smallest linen closet ever.  sigh.  But, that's why I'm reorganizing, and using wasted space!

Sorry for the bad photography- used the iPhone tonight.  Another symptom of being lazy.  I promise to do better this weekend :)

So, what's your victory this week?!  Link up you fabulous friends!  We had 29 links last week- are we gonna beat that?!  

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

PS:  Did you see that we're almost up to 300 followers of D-A... (295 this minute!) Holy Moley!  And yes, I have totally slacked on getting our 200th follower up.  Now, it feels like it's going to be a let down that I'm scared to post.  :(  But, I promised, and I'll get that going soon.  :)

I miss you chairs...

Ever since last weekend's debacle with missing out on those $5 chairs, I've been pining over chairs of similar style: low back, upholstered, and totally updated.  After not knowing anything and re-vamping a Louis XVI chair back in October, I've learned so much about how to re-upholster. 

Anyway, here were the chairs.  Yes, they were $5 each, two for $10.  And no, I did not come home with them.  I'm sure they were purchased within a few minutes after I left them.  (Turns out these are called "Cane Chairs" and I've found them ranging in serious dollar amounts.  Dang, I really should have gotten them now!  Humph!  I even saw a pair sell for $4410 by a designer who just added new upholstery!)

The goal for these chairs was to clearly refinish them, but add them in front of the fireplace (you know, in the grand plan of eventually drywalling over that H frame brick fireplace we have, and adding the tv over that...) as another seating area in the living room.  Z just wondered where we'd put them NOW even.  Remember, the garage is 25% taken up by the wood flooring we've already purchased, and 75% taken up by crap and to-do projects.  Oy.  Don't remind me.

But, because the loss is still on my mind, I searched for some great inspiration that when I do come across another great pair, I'll 1. have the room (assuming we go for that SUV in the next month or so) and 2. I'll have a definitive plan!

So, without further ado, here are some inspirational photos I scrounged up on Google Image search. Enjoy!

 1

I love the rustic fireplace, and the white upholstery.  I doubt it would stay that way in my house with two crazy dogs?!

 

 2

Here's a fireplace shot.  Kind of what I was going for.  While I'm not crazy about the chair's print, I do like the set up and the wall color.

  

 3

Crazy!  Yes, I love the bold color.  Too 70's lime for me, but wow, what a statement :)

  

 4

This room appears very formal, but I really do love the double chair set up.

  

 5

 Another soothing shot.  The colors are so nice.  Spa like I tell you!

  

 6

 While the shape, and all over upholstery is great, the pattern is probably too bold, unless in the right room with pared down accessories so the chair could shine!

  

7

I don't do much with wood tones, but it's an option...

  

 8

 Another well put together room- I love that the red chair is played off in the red art above the fireplace.

  

 9

Love the wall color, and the linen color on the fireplace.  White upholstery again.  See comment #1.  sigh.

  

 10

This I could live with!  White painted distressed wood?  Linen fabric?  Yes, and yes!  Me likey.  And, look at those nailheads trimming it out!

   

 11

eh, not really fond of the combo here (too contrasty for my taste, or else it's a bad photo) but I do love that white.

 

 12

 Another one of my favorites.  In fact, this one may be part inspiration for the new master re-vamp.  Whenever I get around to that.  :)

 

13

Ooooh, silver pleather, and white?  yum!

14

The yellow and black is a classic statement.  Kind of like my yellow wreath on my black front door.  :)

 

15

Super funky, but I love the white paint!

So, that's the idea.  What's your favorite?  Have you scored a great chair deal, or otherwise, and then made it your own?  Do tell!

And word to the wise- after thrifting for a while, I suggest having easy access to a vehicle to take your potential finds home.   Less disapointment that way :)

Wow, I'm blushing to have been awarded these!

Oh My Goodness.  I'm blushing! 

Over the last few months I've been graciously given 3 blog awards.  Wow!  My blog friends- all you reading are included- are amazing!

First, Kim @ Cheap Chic Home awarded me the Sunshine Award.  The Sunshine Blog Award is awarded to bloggers whose creativity inspires others in the blog world.  I will pass this on to a few bloggers as well!

I pass this award to (blogs I read all the time!):
Domestically Speaking
Fern Creek Cottage


Then, Rene @ Cottage and Vine blessed me with the Beautiful Blogger award.  The Beautiful Blogger Award is passed on to bloggers that inspire others as well!

I pass this award to:
Amanda @ Serenity Now
My Backyard Eden
Girly Stuff


And, I received the Happy 101 award from a few of my favorite real life house bloggers- Amanda @ Little House on the Corner, & Mrs. Chic @ Chic Little House.  This is a great award that is perfect to pass on to other bloggers and can really just make your day! As a bonus, you can list things that make you happy!

I pass this award to:
Casa Haus
 Notes from the Heartland

Love Lee Homemaker

So again, I'm honored to be amongst all you bloggers.  I'm having fun here, and I hope you enjoy the site.  Now, pass yours along too!  :)

Bad Craft, part 2

Sometimes I can do it right... other times, like I posted yesterday, it's wrong.

Either way, this little project was a no-brainer, once I figured out the things I had to do, and the pattern I ultimately settled on.  (the pattern selection was the most time consuming!) 

First off, I started with this seen-better-decades frame that I got for $5 at the thrift shop.  I painted the frame, and covered the print with a white canvas fabric.  I used spray adhesive for the front side, then hot glued the edges around the back (one of the things I did NOT do in the error version of this craft).  Since the marbles from my failed attempt pulled right off, I didn't waste anything more than the fabric.

 

 

 

Then, with my warmed up glue gun, I determined a pattern (but not after playing around with a few before!) and glued the marbles down in the desired pattern.  Pretty simple, huh?  Like this wreath from October...  Hmmm... I'm getting ideas for a new wreath :)

 

  

hehe, didn't do this version, but the possibilities are endless!

The pattern is very geometrical.  I realize I like straight lines.  After all, I've posted about this pattern here, here and even here.

 

  

  

  

Enjoy, and I hope I inspired some of your own crafts :)

Bad Craft, part 1

Trial and Error is good- you live, you learn, right?  That's what I'm telling myself.

This will be the post about the Error.  The trial, and success story will be tomorrow.  :)

My initial attempt at creating some artwork for the end of the hallway, in addition to using up some of the green flat sided marbles (like the ones I used to make this wreath in October) I picked up months back at the dollar store didn't turn out, well, quite as expected.

Here's what it looked like when I realized this was going to be the error half of this series post:

Yes, that's the fabric peeling back away from the frame it was in.

While it was good to start with, I realized I did a few things wrong.  I used this Pottery Barn clover mirror as the shape inspiration... I suppose I was thinking of doing a St. Patrick's day project, but why?  I never have decorated for St. Paddy's day before.  I think I was just lucky that my marbles were green.  :)

 

 

Full Tutorial tomorrow, but here's what the frame I purchased looked like this first and this is a taste in how I put this together.  And, how I ultimately had to re-do it.

 

  

For a few days, it DID look like this:

In the end, it's hanging in the hallway with a new pattern.  Here's a sneak peak:

Anyway, stop by tomorrow for the full reveal on the version I think will stick for a while.  :)

PS:  Don't forget to leave me a note on my SUV post.  I'm totally enjoying reading the very informative comments.  I've even read some of them out loud to Z!  :)