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!  :)

VOTW Recap + slowwww load times

Wow, you guys (gals) WOW!  Another great showing of all those small (or large!) victories!  I love it.  You all inspire me to keep up my projects.  Isn't it amazing how everyone's take on a project is so different?  Keeps the juices flowing.

So, here we go with the recap from Friday's VOTW #3 Party: 
(by the way, I hope to have an "I was featured" button soon.  Let's cross our fingers for next week... AND, did you notice I now have the code available to both my blog button and the VOTW button?  Grab and go, and add to your blog easier now!)

Rocio, over at Casa Haus, Planted Aloe Vera.  Yes!  Healing powers abound!  Even if it's just pretty to look at.  Is it bad I want to plant summer flowers now? :)

I just love these sweet mini mailboxes for Valentine's Day that Brandy linked up from Home Sweet Home:

I want to go to one of Kasey's parties!  Look at that yummy food!  She's planning to host 10 parties in 2010.  mmm, party food...

 

Jamielyn over at Chocolate Sundaes turned one of those oh-so-common random thrift store finds into an adorable Ribbon Holder.  I'll take two!

And wouldn't you know it, Abbey was back at it with the kitchen organizing.  She's like my kitchen organizing hero.  Look at how flippin organized this is!  I could actually cook in there.  Lets not get too carried away.

And, finally, chipboard + scrapbook paper: it's like a moth to a flame.  They just go together!  This adorable top 10 reasons I love you book that Steph made is perfect.

 thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU Friends!  You made my week!



AND, just one short day left to enter the 100th post giveaway here at Design-Aholic.  Make sure you check out the POST HERE to leave a comment and enter.  :)

 You could win the banner above, just in time for Valentine's Day!

On a side note...

Is anyone else experiencing super slow load times tonight?  Blogger is taking a log time to read some of the google code it grabs to load my page.  Hopefully you weren't turned away.  I'm not sure what the problem is!  Please don't take this as normal site issues!  :)

*UPDATE* My Wists code, a third party wish list if you will, was the problem causing slow load times.  Things are now loading at Lightening speed again, after the removal of the wist code!  I hope the problem is only temporary though, because I really like the wist feature.  oh well, for now. 

 

VOTW Recap + back to human

Welcome to Monday...  errr, for most of us, it's actually closer to Tuesday.  I'm finally starting to feel human again today.  I think I've got cabin fever now, and have watched every show possible on HGTV.  :)

Thanks to all that participated in our first actual VOTW party this past weekend!  The MckLinky is now closed, but stop by the post for the links... they're still active!

I wanted to give a shout out to each of you... I loved stopping by your posts, and learning more about you.  And, be prepared to share another victory this and every FRIDAY!

Shout outs to:

Abbey: Nice work on the clean fridge.  I'm now embarrassed over my own!

Brooke: L-O-V-E that wood + felt artwork.  It's on my to-do list for shurssss...

Childmade: Amazingly thorough tutorial on the cutest Lightbulb Snowmen.  I see this winter decorating is catching on :)

 So, now, what will your victory of the week (VOTW) be for THIS week?!  AND...  Remember, that 100th post is coming soon with a special giveaway.  Stop by over the next few days to get further info.

(and grab the button by saving it to your desktop :)  )

Enjoy this week's posts- back to crafts soon, and a post to show you the new office furniture once I can actually walk around the house on my own.  Z did a good job putting it together with minimal help from my sickly self.  Love him!  :)

Bye for now!

Note to Self: Bookmark your project links!

Here's a note-to-self (and a strong suggestion to you...)

BOOKMARK.THE.LINKS.TO.PROJECTS.YOU.LIKE/WANT TO DO

I haven't been able to locate a link I know I viewed.  See, I did a double take at the thrift store today, and picked up this floral ceramic lamp base.  It looks like a jug, but simply cannot stay that way.  It's got potential! 

I'm looking for a project where someone took a lamp base similar to mine, and turned it into this Pottery Barn Version:

(which I also can't seem to find the exact name, or sku for anymore.  ugh!  I do know it's $189 though, yowsers!)

Anyway, if any of my bloggy friends out there have seen any projects rencently, similar to what I'm refering to, please, please PUH-lease let me know!

Resolution #4:  Bookmark your project links

Holiday Link Parties Recap 2009

As the Christmas Season nears it's peak (Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!), I'd like to thank the fabulous blog hostesses of the many link parties I joined up to.  Being new to this blog world, I didn't have any idea these great "parties" existed, and what a great thing they've been for me!  I've gotten exposed to so many great sites, and of course, the people.

So, without further ado, here is a recap of the parties I attended over the holiday season, with a permanent link to their site.

 Cottage & Vine

I posted the Be-jeweled wreath there:

 

The Nester

I featured my Indoor, and Outdoor Christmas spaces post there.

 

 Funky Junk's

I featured my Indoor, and Outdoor Christmas spaces post there.

 

 Centsational Girl

The two projects I linked up to here were the Pearl Passion Ornaments and the Red Ornament ("finally") wreath

 

Thrifty Decor Chic

I featured my Indoor, and Outdoor Christmas spaces post there.

A big thank you to all for hosting these, and I hope that I can host one myself next year.  Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year- all the best in 2010!

First Feature

I just wanted to give a shout out, and a big thank you to Kate over @ Centsational Girl-

I'm not sure if you've checked out her holiday ornament party round-up yet, but the ornament wreath I made was featured!

This one, you know, the "finally wreath":

On top of being featured, I of course got some ideas for next years projects (which start in, what, May?!  I kid... sort of...)


PLUS!  I just found out today, Tierra, of Pebbles & Poppys ALSO featured me on her site!  Thanks!

She profiled the Be-Jeweled Wreath and the Pearl Passion Ornaments:

My favs from the Centsational Girl 2009 Ornament Party Roundup:

(from Decor to Adore very Pottery Barn.  In fact, I gave someone one almost exactly like this a few years ago from PB!)

(from Domicile Style)

(From Little Red Roost)

Anywho, another decor post coming soon, but for now, I really wanted to just show my appreciation for the feature.

Thanks Kate- you're the reason I blog now!  :)

DIY Ornament Party, 2009

My Fav, Kate, over @ Centsational Girl is holding her link-up, DIY ornament Party today!  Yahoo!

Too bad I didn't get my stellar projects done in time...

I did link up though, with the Monogram Gift Tag post & The "Finally Wreath" made of red ornaments, because the monograms can be turned into ornaments laters, and the wreath, well, it's chalk full of ornaments!  :)

Take a gander!

Thanks Kate!

Painted Furniture- destination post

As I was on the flight to Denver this morning, I started going through many of the craft room, decor, and craft project ideas to give them keywords to easily find them later.  In the midst of this, I saw a common theme with my pictures- Painted Furniture!  Love the use of color to add a noticeable pop, and also the way dark, very black furniture looks.

So, in order to test out my new keyword searchy here on my lil mac-booky... I give you some of my favorite pieces of painted furniture.  I've collected them since 2006 (yikes, one of the pictures I'm posting was "last modified" in 2006?!)

Whites

I love these rustic looking chairs, and their placement at the stairs.

Oh how I love chocolate brown paint and sturdy white furniture!  (why don't I have any of this in my house???)

This bathroom is so tranquil- I actually have a medicine cabinet in my bathroom almost identical to this one.  I love that there's no mirror.

Isn't this a beauty?  Check out one of my favorite blogs, "Painting the Roses White" for more info.  Thanks Rebecca!

Oh, and check out Life In The Fun Lane, where Holly paints everything a shade of slight off white:

Colors

This green Pottery Barn dining set makes me so happy!  It's sitting in an otherwise bland room, yet really looks all pulled together with the great pop of color!

(this is probably the main inspiration for my first painted furniture piece.  Check that buffet out here)

This small table really catches my eye in the great cheery color, even though the table isn't really my style.

This grid pattern of multicolored squares really livens up a room.  How cute for a nursery or place space...  Notice the little painted tables and chairs.

Cool blue, what else can I say?  I think you're my favorite color right now...

 

How fantastic red is- so easy to dress up and down!  Accessorize with fruits, and you're good to go!

 

 

Doesn't red just make you think of Christmas?  I think I would like some hot chocolate, umkaythanks.

 

ooooh, blue, I lurve you...

 

And just to say neener neener to tradition, look at this classic piece in a great modern color- lime/yellow!

 

Blacks

Look at that smooth finish... ahh.  brings joy to my heart.  Check out the Just-A-Girl blog to see this post, and the rest of Chris's projects!

Black is timeless.  These chairs below fit perfectly in the overwhelming ecclectic room.

And, the coveted Pedestal table.  I'll have you as a one nightstand some day!

What do you think about painted furniture?  Have any pieces to share?

:)