Hines Catch Up

You've Got Mail {Easy Valentine's Project}

2012-02-10T12:01:00.002-06:00

I ran across these cute little mailboxes last year in the Target Dollar Spot.

I decided this year that they need some spiffin' up!
First I added my girls' names with stickers from Hobby Lobby

Then a little XO on the flags...

I had these candlesticks hanging out in the bottom of my china cabinet and knew they would make perfect stands for the mailboxes!

I simply hot glued the mailboxes to the candlestick....and the best thing is that when Valentine's day is over I can easily remove the mailboxes and peel of the hot glue and use them for something else!
TaaaDaaaa.....

I may add some more embellishments to the mailboxes, but for now I think they turned out cute!
Total cost: $1 for the stickers
If you do not have these items at home, the mailboxes were $1 at Target and you can find candlesticks at most dollar stores! Total cost $3!

I am looking forward to filling them with "mail" on Valentine's Day!

Linking up @
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com

Tick Tock...I am making over this clock!

2012-02-09T16:41:00.000-06:00

So I have this clock in my entry. It is ugly, but I love the shape....just hate the colors and the floral motif. I bought it when I was in my old world, dark colors, heavy furniture phase and now my taste has changed totally! This baby needs a new look!!

Here is what I have in mind.....

source: moraclockworks.com and pinterest.com

Paint aisle...here I come!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Restoration Hardware Mansard Mirror}

2012-02-08T10:14:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite finds for sure....not one, but two of these mirrors came home with me. They are different colors and I am trying to decide which one will live on my mantle!

Break the Bank:
Restoration Hardware Mansard Mirror
$315

Cheapskate:
Home Goods
$99

I think the lighter one is in the lead right now, but I am painting my walls lighter so I may change my mind! We shall see!

I am so excited with this great find!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Pottery Barn Hayes Mica Table Lamp}

2012-02-06T08:12:00.000-06:00

I did a lot of shopping this weekend and came across lots of great "cheapskate" items! Check back daily to see all my great finds!

Today's spotlight.....

Break the Bank:
Pottery Barn Hayes Mica Table Lamp
$179

Cheapskate:
Home Goods (of course!)
$39.99

It is not an exact match, but gives the same look at a fraction of the price!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Driftwood Mirror}

2012-01-31T13:55:00.000-06:00

Break the Bank:
shadesoflight.com
$149 (not a bad price but can be beat!)

Cheapskate:
Kohls
$75 on sale, plus use one of their 20% off coupons and get it for $60!!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Horchow Mosaic Mirror}

2012-01-16T09:25:00.000-06:00

I stopped into Stein Mart yesterday to look for some throw pillows....in case you didn't know, they usually have a great pillow selection. Yesterday, they did not have much, but that's okay....I discovered a treasure anyway!

Break the Bank:
Horchow Mosaic Mirror
$495 plus shipping

Cheapskate:
Stein Mart
$249

The Horchow picture is a little blurry, but this is the exact same mirror! I have nowhere for this mirror to go in my home, but I love it!!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Pottery Barn Mallory Pierced Lantern}

2012-01-10T08:03:00.001-06:00

While I was hoping to have a dining room transformation post ready for you today, my upholstery people, or shall I say former upholstery people, have slowed that project down. I had an email from them saying to let them know when I got the fabric in and they would come pick up my chiars. Well, I got my fabric in, emailed, text and nothing! I bugged them enough to finally get a reply saying that they were no longer doing upholstery. Ummm....ok. I am so bummed because they do lovely work and charge half of what I can find anyone else to do the work for! So for now, I have to wait until I can find someone else. With the cost of the fabric and the amount others charge to do the work, I could buy myself 2 brand new chairs. Doesn't make much sense, does it? Stay tuned...where there is a will, there is a way!

Moving on....once again, I came across another great find!

Break the Bank:
Pottery Barn Mallory Pierced Lantern
$139

Cheapskate:
Home Goods Lantern
$39.99

And there you have it! I am loving all the new items that Home Goods just got in!!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Pottery Barn Wire Birdcage}

2012-01-09T09:30:00.000-06:00

I ran into Pottery Barn last week to look at their new stuff and my-oh-my, they have some amazing things right now!

This birdcage caught my eye. They had it displayed exactly like this picture and I fell in love. Apparently my love of bird (not the real ones) carries over to decorative bird cages too!

Break the Bank:
Pottery Barn Wire Birdcage
$199

That price tag is a little hefty for a decorative piece in my opinion....so I left without this very large birdcage. Well, last night I stopped into Home Goods and look what I spotted....

Cheapskate:
Home Goods
$39.99

And then I spotted her much taller friend...
Home Goods
$59.99

I left with the white one! I have no clue what I am doing with it, but I will figure out something....stay tuned!

Have a fabulous week!!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Industrial Cart Coffee Table}

2012-01-05T08:03:00.000-06:00

Break the Bank:

RestorationHardware.com

Furniture Factory Cart Table-$1045

Cheapskate:
Kirklands.com
Vintage Cart Coffee Table-$279.99

...And the Kirkland's version is actually a tad bigger!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Ballard Bella Mirror}

2012-01-04T08:38:00.001-06:00

I have been mirror shopping the last few days and came across these look-a-likes!

Break the Bank:
BallardDesigns.com
Bella Mirror: $369

Cheapskate:
Kirklands.com
Ornate Gold Mirror: $149 (sale)

I love the thought of two or three of these hanging side by side to create a little drama in a room!!

Dining Room Redo {Chandelier}

2012-01-03T09:44:00.001-06:00

Remember this post? Well I took my own advice and ordered the Overstock chandelier! Now, let me tell you that both versions say "some assembly required" and what that means is that each little shiny crystal must be put on by you! Think of a key chain ring, you know the ones that break your nails trying to open them...about 200 of them. My fingers were bleeding! With that being said, I love the way it looks and even if I didn't there is not sending it back now! I really do like it though!

So, my dining room is well on it's way to a new look. My sweet hubby painted this weekend and the color is a little yellow-ish for my liking, but I am going to live with it until I higher a painter to change it! :) I cannot wait to finish up and show off the new look!

Jingle: {Wrap Up}...I know I am a little late!

2012-01-03T08:46:00.000-06:00

I am so behind on Jingle's antics, but want to make sure I have them all down so my child can read this in 20 years and see what an amazing mom I was.....I mean what an amazing elf we had! ;)

I have lost count on nights...

Jingle wrote on the bathroom mirror {Jingle was tired and needed a quick activity}

The day night, we found Jingle camping outside....of course Jingle did not have a sleeping bag, so he used an elf hat and Max used a ovenmit...smart little critters!

Jingle took the hubby's car for a spin and we found it parked like this...

The next day C woke up and found that Jingle had left. He left her a note saying he had to go back to the North Pole to help Santa pack the sleigh and he also left her a wrapped present under the tree in her room...a jingle bell necklace!

We had fun with Jingle this year...C is already looking forward to his return!

Birthday Girl!

2011-12-20T10:48:00.000-06:00

My baby girl is turning 4 today! I cannot believe how fast time goes. It hits me hard since I know she is and will always be the baby...no more babies for us!

Friday, I treated her to a "spa" day complete with hair cut, style, manicure, and she even got to pick out a new ring to complete the look. She loved it!

Round 2: We celebrated with family this weekend!!
Strawberry Shortcake was the obsession of the moment! I drove to 40 different stores trying to find a Strawberry Shortcake shirt, I finally found one Friday night around 8pm! She loved it so it was worth it!

Taking a ride in her new Jeep!

Not happy the party is over...

But that was just celebration number 2....today she found that Jingle had gone all out for her birthday!
She found this when she woke up this morning...

Happy Birthday to my sweet baby girl! We love you so much and are blessed to have you!

Jingle { Night 12, 13, 14 and 15}

2011-12-20T08:50:00.000-06:00

Jingle had been a very bad elf eating all of C's candy so C asked Cookie Monster to keep an eye on him. I guess Jingle was not being good, so CM locked him up!

The next night he found my post it notes...

And then turned the milk pink the next night!

Friday evening, we celebrated an early Christmas with my in-laws. C got a Barbie Jeep from them! The next morning, we found Jingle and friends taking a ride in the jeep....

Looks like they were trying to go "off-roading"!

Jingle {Night 10 and 11}

2011-12-14T08:50:00.000-06:00

Jingle has been a very naughty elf since he returned from the North Pole.

Here is how we found him yesterday morning....

C was not happy that Jingle had eaten ALL of the candy in the advent calendar. Luckily, I had extra candy to refill it with!

This morning we could not believe or eyes....the crazy elf was swinging around in circles from the ceiling fan!

I can only imagine what will happen tonight! ;)

Jingle {Night 8, 9 and 10}

2011-12-12T10:41:00.000-06:00

Saturday we work up and found Jingle and his new friends watching Christmas movies complete with popcorn, candy and drinks!

On Sunday morning, we woke up and found a note saying he had to return to the North Pole for a very important elf meeting, but he would be back as soon as he could. He told Channing to follow the trail of ornaments to find a surprise he had left for her! She followed the ornaments starting outside her room, down the stairs, through the hallway into the living room and finally was led to this:

This morning we woke up and were not sure if Jingle would be back or not....we looked around the house and did not find him. Channing decided to look one more time and saw a trail of snow by the front door.....she then followed the trail and found Jingle asleep on the shelf in the office! We think he must have gotten in late last night and was tired from his trip!

Check back soon to see what else he has planned!

Jingle {Night 7}

2011-12-09T10:53:00.000-06:00

Apparently Jingle thinks very highly of himself and figured we needed some pictures of him instead of the family pictures that were already in the frames!

Ohhhhh...Christmas Tree

2011-12-08T10:05:00.002-06:00

Our Christmas tree....a little cramped this year but I like it call it "cozy" instead!
More great iPhone pictures, one of these days I am going to learn how to work our nice camera!

Some of my favorite ornaments....
White vintage looking trees...Walmart $2.98

French script covered bird house....Target $5

Gold wire Eiffel Tower....Hobby Lobby $3.00, purchased several years ago

Santa topper....one day I would like to find a vintage mercury glass snowflake or star but for now Santa does the job!

Merry Christmas!

Linking up to:
Honey We're Home

Anthropologie Inspired Snow Globes {My version}

2011-12-08T09:38:00.000-06:00

Remember this post?

Well, I finally had a chance to make some of these little treasures. My plan was to use mason jars that I had left over from my sister's baby shower, but I ended up using jars we had around the house. Why? Because once I had them all set up in the mason jars, the upside down writing bugged me. I just couldn't get over it and decided I needed jars with no writing on them. So, I made my husband use all the contents of the plain jars in our fridge so I could turn them into snow globes....yes, I really did! :)

Here is how they turned out:

Excuse the horrible picture quality! I love how they turned out and will be making a lot more! I displayed them on an antiqued mirror and the reflection really makes it a pretty display. I will probably add some of the snow on top of the mirror, but I know my 4 year old will most likely not be able to keep her little hands out of it!

Total cost...about $4!
Trees 2 for $1 at Dollar Tree
Nutcracker $1 at Michael's
Snow $2 at Hobby Lobby

I already had:
hot glue
jars
paint for the lids

I am going to go this weekend and see what other little trinkets I can find to make more of these. I think I will add to my collection each year! I am going to start saving all of the glass jars we use to throw in the recycle bin!

Jingle {Night 6}

2011-12-08T08:31:00.000-06:00

Jingle is getting to be a real daredevil these days...

Here he is with Lucy ziplining down from the upstairs! Crazy little elf!

Elf activities {Night 4 and 5}

2011-12-07T08:10:00.003-06:00

Jingle, our elf, has been a very busy elf!
Night 4: Jingle decided to replace C's vitamins with M & M's....C was excited to see her favorite candy!

Night 5:
Jingle and Max got into some trouble last year. This year they met up again to make S'mores!

Silly elf!! "He" almost burned down the house last night roasting those marshmallows!
Check back soon to see what else our silly elf has planned!
And in case you missed it, check out what Jingle did last year by clicking HERE!

Linking up to: http://www.mybackyardeden.com

Jingle has arrived!!

2011-12-05T07:30:00.001-06:00

We were so happy to when Jingle arrived Friday night. We were not sure if he was going to return or not this year. If you missed it, click HERE to see all the trouble he got into last year!

The arrival: (Day 1)
Friday night we decided to order pizza for dinner. The delivery man rang the doorbell, we brought the pizzas in and noticed an extra box. I asked C to open the box and much to her delight, she discovered Jingle was in the box!!

Night 1:
The next morning we could not find Jingle anywhere! C was a little upset and worried that Jingle might have gone back to the North Pole until I asked her to go wash her hands so she could help daddy make breakfast and she found this:

What a mess! Jingle had wrapped the entire bathroom in toilet paper!!

Night 2:
Jingle had big plans for this night but the rain caused him to change plans, he was bummed but decided playing puzzles with Lucy would make things better...

Night 3:
We could not believe what we saw this morning, Jingle must have been bored last night because he turned all the water in the bathrooms green!

Crazy Elf!! :)

You can check out last year's elf happenings HERE!
On Friday, we also went to see Santa. This was the first year C went happily to get a picture with him...usually there is a lot of coaxing. Nothing like bribing your child to go sit on a stranger's lap...the exact opposite of what you are supposed to teach them....hmmm? ;)

Cannot believe my baby is getting so big!
Hope everyone had a great weekend! Check back soon to see how our Anthro inspired snowglobes turned out!

Dining Room Decisions {Cane Chairs}

2011-12-01T07:30:00.000-06:00

If you have followed my blog for awhile, you know that my dining room is getting a new look. After searching high and low for months, I finally found a trestle table that I love! I already have some gorgeous antique chairs that were my parents. I really love them and am trying to decide whether I leave them alone or paint them. My original plan was to paint them a distressed gray/off white color but I am kind of liking the way they are against the lighter wood of the table.

So I started thinking about it and thought it might be really pretty to paint the wood, but leave the cane part the way it is. I found these inspiration pictures online and think this look might be the winner!

Photo: Elle Decor

Photo: Decorpad.com

Photo: Wisteria.com

So what do you think? I am thinking this is the perfect compromise!

Next up...picking fabric for the arm chairs!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Mercury Glass Owl}

2011-11-30T08:28:00.001-06:00

I came across an adorable mercury glass owl while shopping for fall decor last month. I bought him, displayed him and went about my business. I was browsing Westelm.com just to check out their holiday stuff and came across a "break the bank" version of my cute owl, so I thought I would share!

Break the Bank:
West Elm: $19

Cheapskate:
Home Goods
$3.99

Another great buy!!

Linking up @:
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2011/11/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no90.html

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Orb Chandelier}

2011-11-29T15:19:00.000-06:00

For your viewing pleasure...

Break the Bank:
Restoration Hardware Iron Orb Chandelier
$850

Cheapskate:
Ballard Designs Orb 6 light Chandelier
$399-$499

I really like the crystal drop on the Ballard chandelier...I think it adds a little glam to a pretty industrial looking piece!

Quick and Easy Christmas Centerpiece {Use what you have}

2011-11-28T07:52:00.009-06:00

Decorating is in full swing at our house. First up was the dining room table. This room is a bit of a mess right now since we bought the new table. I am in the middle of picking paint colors, new fabric and new accessories for the room so I did not want to go insane with the decor.

Lately, the table looks like this:

So, I cleared it off and made it look like this:

Total cost, around $4. Everything pictured were things I had around the house. Mirrors or large frames with fabric in them make great trays! The only things I purchased were the pine cones.

I found the pine cones at Walmart and loved the way some of them were "sugared" and others were a pretty metallic silver/gold color. And the best part....they fill the room with the smell of cinnamon!

Not bad for $4 and 5 minutes of my time!!

Happy Decorating!!

Linked up at:
http://www.bystephanielynn.com/
http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/
http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/2011/11/anything-goes-45-highlights-44.html
http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2011/11/tablescape-link-party-homegoods-contest/
http://www.athoughtfulplaceblog.com/

The Kid's Table...

2011-11-22T08:37:00.000-06:00

We have all been there. It's like a right of passage when you graduate to the adult table! With these cute tables, I doubt you would hear any complaints from the kiddos....

hwtm.com

marthastewart.com

ohdeedo.com

skiptomylou.com

spearmintbaby.com

Kids have it good these days...no more boring card table and folding chairs for them!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Turkey Day Tablescapes

2011-11-21T08:47:00.000-06:00

I wanted to share a few pretty tablescapes I came across for Turkey Day.....

designsponge.com

eddieross.com

marthastewart.com

porterhousedesigns.com

I do not host Thanksgiving at my home, but would love to someday....as long as I can decorate the table and someone else does the cooking!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Crystal Cone Chandelier}

2011-11-17T07:38:00.001-06:00

I have been eyeing this chandelier on the Pottery Barn website for awhile. I love it and think it would look great in a small dining room or you could use two over a rectangular dining table! The price was a little steep in my opinion, so of course I had to look online and see if I could find anything like it.....

Break the Bank:
Pottery Barn Clarissa Glass Drop Chandelier
$399 plus shipping

Cheapskate:
Overstock.com Cone shape crystal chandelier
$175.99 ships for FREE

It also comes in antique copper on overstock.com!

You never know when a lower priced "twin" of something you want is out there somewhere!!
Recall this post:
Pendant Lantern

I am loving Overstock right now!!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate {Mirrored Buffet}

2011-11-16T09:33:00.003-06:00

Another fabulous find I came across....

Break the Bank:
Ava Circle Mirrored Buffet
Laylagrace.com
$3080

Cheapskate:
Reflections Mirrored 3 piece set
homedecorators.com
$599 (sale price, reg. $799)~also ships for free right now!

I actually prefer the quarterfoil design on the cheapskate over the circles on the other one! It also comes in espresso brown! That my friends, is a pretty good deal!

Dining Room Design Board

2011-11-15T08:40:00.001-06:00

Now that I finally purchased a new table, I am ready to get going on my "new" dining room! Of course what I have in mind is so different than what I had before, it looks like the new dining room is turning into a mega-makeover for the entire downstairs! My husband is thrilled!

Here is the design board I came up with. It is not the final plan, but just is something I threw together to get some ideas going. I have known for awhile that I wanted to do a "gallery wall" of antique silver serving trays. The picture I have on my board is one I found online (refreshstyle(dot)com), not the exact look I am going for, but gives you an idea!

Here is what I have in mind...I am sure some changes will be made, but this gives you an idea of the basic feel of the room....

First on the ever so long to do list is to paint and recover my chairs! Hoping to find the perfect fabric this week and get started over the weekend!

I linked up at: http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Lantern Pendant

2011-11-10T07:34:00.001-06:00

I promise not every post I do will be a "Break the Bank vs Cheapskate", but I have been finding stuff that is to great not to share!!

Break the Bank:
Pottery Barn Hundi Lantern
$299

Cheapskate:
Overstock Glass Lantern Chandelier
$151.99

I mean you could buy 2 for the price of one...that is a great deal!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Peacock Accessories

2011-11-09T08:18:00.002-06:00

Peacock feathers and colors are huge right now. I have been seeing a ton of peacock inspired decor and I love it. While it does not really go in my home, my sister and one of my client's used these colors in their homes and they look amazing!

Check out these fun, festive finds....

Peacock Wreath....I can see this hanging above a mirror above a decorated mantel for Christmas. I have seen a tree decorated in these colors and it was fabulous!

Break the Bank:
Z Gallery
$59.95

Cheapskate:
Kirklands
$29.95

Check out these adorable frames...can't you see them used at a Christmas dinner table instead of place card holders!

Break the Banks:
Z Gallery
$39.95

Cheapskate:
Pier 1
$12.00

And of course you could complete the look with these festive placemats!

Break the Bank:
Z Gallery-Set of 4
$119.00

Cheapskate:
Pier 1
$15.95/each

I love the thought of breaking away from the traditional red and green Christmas colors and creating a fun, festive look with your decor. These items could be used at other times of the year as well...more bang for the buck! :)

Linking up at
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2011/11/wow-us-wednesdays-39.html
http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/2011/11/anything-goes-42-highlights-41.html

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Sequin Stocking

2011-11-08T12:40:00.000-06:00

Loving these sequin stockings!

Break the Bank:
West Elm- $34.00

Cheapskate:
Kirklands-$9.99

Kirklands also offers more fun colors!

Mason Jar Snow Globe

2011-11-07T07:48:00.000-06:00

I was shopping this weekend and had to run into Anthroplogie...just because I want to live in that store, so I always stop in and check out what they have going on in there. They are visual merchandising geniuses in that place! I adore that store!!

Back on topic....I came across these sitting pretty on display:
Anthropologie Snow Globe: $18-$38

Aren't these adorable?? They caught my eye because they are so cute and because I happen to have a large amount of mason jars from my sister's baby shower sitting in my pantry! Remember these?

I cannot wait to get to Hobby Lobby, buy my supplies and get started on holiday craft #1!! I think this might be a fun project for the kiddos to help out with too. These would make a great teacher gift or a fun craft at a kid's Christmas party! Check back soon for my version! Can you see the different sizes all displayed in a grouping on a large mirror as a center piece? Or even on candlesticks to add height and interest to a vignette on a hall table! The possibilities are endless! What will be your first holiday project of the year??

Break and Bank vs. Cheapskate: Industrial Console Table

2011-11-03T08:01:00.000-05:00

The industrial look is huge right now. I have come across several of these pieces while browsing the internet or while shopping in my favorite stores!

This style of console caught my eye...and although it is not a right fit for my home, I do love the vintage, industrial feel to it!

Break the Bank:
Restoration Hardware
Dutch Industrial Console Table: $895-$995 (depending on size)

Cheapskate:
Homegoods
Industrial Console Table: $299

Can you tell the $600+ difference??

Neither can I!

Planning Shenanigans for Jingle

2011-11-02T10:04:00.006-05:00

Now the Halloween is over, I am in full holiday mode! Too early...maybe, but it's my favorite time of the year!

Last year I finally jumped on the "Elf on the Shelf" bandwagon. I found an adorable elf at Hobby Lobby for half off, so "Jingle" became ours. I had heard about the elves, but never really paid much attention to them. I knew a few people that had them and their elf would just love around to different spots around the house at night and the kiddos would wake up each morning and try to find it. I knew my little one would love it!! My older daughter will probably need years of therapy since she never really got to enjoy the elf like my little one does. The elf even ended up in the older one's room to which she reacted with an eye roll after spotting him....bah hambug! ;)

Anyways, I thought I would just move the elf around, but then in typical Lindsay fashion, I decided the elf needed to create chaos every night to make it more fun. Here is what I came up with through my own crazy ideas, as well as using some ideas of the internet and then adding my own touches to them!

The first morning we found Jingle in the kitchen, he had been busy baking cookies, hoping we would let him stay!

He took all of C's bracelets and decorated the tree in her room!

One morning we found him "fishing"!

He hosted a tea party in the gameroom complete with real cookies:

He was bored one night and made us some artwork!

He met some new friends and they had a reading party:

(During this time C was sleeping in our bed, don't judge, she was sick!) ;)

One day, we found him trying on all of my husband's shoes...

When we found him riding our reindeer, we figured he was missing his friends at the North Pole!

He found my dry erase markers and drew silly stuff on all of our family pictures:

We looked all over for him one morning and finally found his in the freezer, must have missed the cold weather at the North Pole!

We figure he is a teenage elf since he knew how to work A's iPod!

My favorite morning is when we couldn't find him anywhere....we finally looked in the garage and we were surprised to see he had used the couch pillows as a booster seat so he could drive to the store and buy us donuts!

He must have been tired from his driving adventure because he threw all of my magazines all over the living room and used my magazine rack as a bed!

One morning we found him strolling though the downstairs on C's tricycle!

Jingle and Max were fast friends and partners in crime...we found them making "snow angels" one morning...what a mess they made!

C was so excited to find that Jingle had decorated her room on her birthday, Dec. 20th! I think he had help with all the balloons!

Another favorite night is when Jingle painted daddy's toe nails while he slept! Daddy was a good sport! :)

Apparently Jingle likes midnight bowling!

We learned that we cannot leave candy out around Jingle...he was also a bad influence on Elmo!

Jingle brought the girls Christmas socks from the North Pole and wrapped them himself!

And sadly, on Christmas Eve we woke up to a note and elf cookies...Jingle had to leave to go help Santa pack the sleigh!

Fun, huh? I am planning Jingle's adventures for this year already. Jingle was going to appear on Halloween being the first trick-or-treater at the door, but "he" forgot to stop by. I have some big plans and cannot wait for Dec. 1st to get here!! Do you have an elf? Aren't they fun!?!

I linked up at http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/

Halloween Happenings...

2011-11-01T11:05:00.000-05:00

Halloween crept up on us this year! I swear it was 4th of July a week ago...where does the time go?

This year started off with my sweet little lady asking to be Minnie Mouse...the pink versions. Like a good mama, I hit about 15 stores before I finally found a pink Minnie Mouse in the right size. I called the hubby and asked him to ask the little one if she was sure she wanted Minnie before I bought it since there were no returns accepted, to which she replied, "no, I want to be the red one". Really???? I just saw the red one at the 15 stores I had been to, but the one I was currently at did not have the red one. I went back to Target and bought the red Minnie feeling like a good mother! I drove home and C wanted to try it on....she did....it was "scratchy" and "she wanted to just be Strawberry Shortcake". Really??? So the next day, I returned red Minnie and ordered SS off of Ebay. Done deal!!

SS came in the mail and all was right in the world. She tried it on and loved it. Fast forward to the night before Halloween....

I was talking about trick-or-treating and my child looks at me and says, " I am so excited for tomorrow night because I cannot wait to dress up as a butterfly"! Ummmm.....I didn't say a word and luckily she was so excited on Halloween that the butterfly was never mentioned!

And how cute did she look...

Love that little stinker! The teen was way to cool to dress up. pose for pictures or to hang out with us. She did hand out candy and walked with us for a block, but that way about it. I wish they didn't have to grow up!

This year I also discovered my husband could moonlight as a pumpkin carver...who knew?

I am going to hire him out next year...mama needs some shopping money! ;)
Hope you enjoyed Halloween too!!

Did you miss me?

2011-11-01T10:49:00.001-05:00

I am back!

Things have been crazy and I am probably not going to be blogging as much as I want to...BUT, I am going to just post when I have a chance and not worry about it when I don't have time!

I have about 5 weeks of this school semester left then I will have about a month off to enjoy the holidays with my family! My dad, who has been battling cancer since March, is still fighting and doing okay considering what he is up against! The kids have been keeping me busy, so free time is not something that I have a lot of. I miss blogging and I miss catching up with everyone else's blogs!

Moving on.....I finally found a dining table that I love and since it was on sale and I found a 25% off coupon, it came home with me last week. It is chillin' in the garage until I move the old table out, paint the room and get the chairs recovered, but I am so excited to finally have a piece for the "new room"! This purchase will push me to really get things going for that room!!

So, here she is!!!

photo: World Market

The antique chairs that I already have will be painted a creamy gray color and antiqued with a brown glaze. My two arm chairs will be getting recovered in some kind of textured fabric...hopefully I can find what I have pictured in my head...we all know how that goes! :)

Can you believe I got this table for $430? Score! :)
So...what do you think?

I know, I know....

2011-08-23T11:13:00.000-05:00

It has been forever since I posted anything. Truth is, I have been so crazy busy and I just need to take a break! I will be back soon!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Industrial Shelf

2011-07-28T09:09:00.000-05:00

These discount stores are on my side with my finds lately!!

Break the Bank:
Restoration Hardware
$2195

Cheapskate:
Marshall's
$299

And they had a console to match!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Mirror Image

2011-07-14T09:31:00.000-05:00

Look what I came across....

Break the Bank:
Uttermost Demarco Mirror
$375

Cheapskate:
Kirklands
$130

Score! :)

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Fragment Lamps

2011-07-13T10:50:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I promise that every post from now on will not be "break the bank vs. cheapskate" posts, but I have found so many treasures lately, I just have to share!

I have been doing a lot of shopping for my clients, as well as my own home and have run into some great finds!

Check out these beauties!!

Break the Bank:
Aidan Gray~
$375-$479

Cheapskate:
Home Goods~
$39-$49

Not bad for a $300+ savings!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Trestle Tables

2011-07-12T10:26:00.000-05:00

I am still searching for a dining table. The few I have found on craigslist are much better in pictures than in person. They all have a laminate coating on the top which makes painting them a royal pain. I did find several options while shopping at some amazing antique stores this weekend, but their price tags were not too buyer friendly!!

While I would love to find on old antique table to paint myself, I might just have to buy a new table that has the vintage look I am going for. I am going to keep searching for a few more weeks before I take the plunge and buy new.

I have spent lots of time searching the internet for options and came across these:

Break the Bank:
laylagrace.com (of course, I love this site)
$1978.00

Cheapskate:
Homedecorators.com
$849

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Break the Bank:
Wisteria.com
$2499

Cheapskate:
tevaliving.com
$1695

I am loving all these tables and will definitely go with this style! I mean who wouldn't want to dine here:

Wonder if the hubby would be on board with adding french doors to our dining room? ;)

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Outline lamp

2011-07-11T11:04:00.000-05:00

I am on a roll here with finding my cheapskates! They are practically jumping out at me when I walk into any home decor store! Now that I just said that, I probably just jinxed myself!

Break the Bank:
Wisteria Outline Lamp
$299

Cheapskate:
Hobby Lobby
$45 (that is when they are 50% off, which is every other week!)

Not an exact match, but for over $150 savings, I think it would work!

The search continues...

2011-07-08T10:18:00.001-05:00

Remember THIS POST?
Well, the search continues because that table sold before I could even go take a look at it. Bummer, I know, but I think I have found another one that will work. I am hoping to go look at that one this week!

Here are a few inspiration dining room images that have caught my eye...I have some big plans and cannot wait to get started!!

As you can see, I am loving the neutrals with a little pop of color in the accessories! There is just something soothing about the light colors...maybe because my house has been so dark for the past 8 years! I am also loving the mix of old, antique looking items with new, more modern pieces! I am off to look at a table....cross your fingers that is will work!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Mercury Glass Jar Lamp

2011-07-07T09:24:00.000-05:00

I have been drooling over this lamp for awhile now. I came across it on Laylagrace.com and adore it, but the price tag keeps it online and off my table!

Break the Bank:
Laylagrace.com
$115 (base only, add $100 for shade)

My sister and I were taking a stroll through Home Goods the other day when she spotted this beauty on the bottom shelf:

Cheapskate:
Home Goods
$49.99 (with shade!!)

Pretty awesome find...and as you can see, it is sitting on my end table!

Break the Bank vs Cheapskate: Chevron-Zig Zag Rug

2011-07-05T09:07:00.000-05:00

Chevron print is everywhere these days! Check out these rugs...

Break the Bank:
West Elm
$179 (5x8)

Cheapskate:
Overstock.com
$79 (5x8)

Good deal!!

Uncle Sam I am...and a no-sew burlap runner

2011-07-01T08:40:00.000-05:00

Uncle Sam came out of storage this week and loves being the center of attention. However, he was clashing a bit with my table runner!

I remembered I had a huge piece of burlap that I had used as a table cloth at my sister's baby shower so I thought I would attempt the no-sew burlap runner I had seen out in blogland numerous times!

After a little of this:

I came up with this:

Excuse the iPhone pics!

Not too shabby for 15 minutes of time and no money spent!

Table envy...

2011-06-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

Operation dining room redo has begun! I am a little overwhelmed because I am going back and forth on exactly what I am wanting in that room. I have a ton of ideas so I just need to pick one and roll with it!

What I do know is that a new table is a must! I have had my parent's dining furniture since I got married 14 years ago. While it has worked for us thus far, it is time to change it up a bit. I will be keeping the hutch and chairs but the table has seen better days, so it is being replaced.

I have been on laylagrace.com looking at tables for inspiration. While I would love to drop a few thousand on one of these beauties, it is just not an option!!

I am loving all of these..every. single. one. of. them.
Photos via laylagrace.com

Now, because my husband would shoot me and my children would starve, none of those will be living in my home. BUT...I came across this little gem on Craigslist and am going to look at it this weekend...

Doesn't the shape remind you of this one:

With a little sanding, paint and distressing...I just might have my dream table...for thousands cheaper!

Out with the old...Part 2

2011-06-29T08:49:00.000-05:00

BIG changes are coming to my house! I listed a few more things on Craigslist and had a nice lady come by to look at a lamp. She bought the lamp, and my curtains, and 5 pieces of art, as well as 7 things right off of my kitchen counter tops! Apparently I run a store out of my house and did not even know it! She emailed me yesterday and is coming back for more today!

So...this has jump started the makeover I had in the works. Now it is just going to happen much faster than I thought!

Here are a few of the things I said good-bye to:

I am so excited to get started on my new space and have a ton of ideas! The new look will be a total change from this heavy, dark, old world style! Hello vintage finds with modern touches!! Stay tuned for my progress!!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Tripod Table Lamp

2011-06-29T08:37:00.001-05:00

Tripod Table Lamp~
Break the Bank:
Restoration Hardware
$345 (on sale)

Cheapskate:
Target
$39.99

I think I would opt for the Target version and call it fabulous!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Garden Stool

2011-06-28T09:08:00.000-05:00

It's not just for your backyard anymore my friends!
The "garden stool" is taking over these days! You can use these just about anywhere indoors and out! I have used them in my client's homes to take the place of bulky side tables or ottomans. They can be used in pairs to make a very bold statement too!

Here are a few examples used indoors and out:
Source: decorpad.com

Source:
Potterybarn.com

So many options!!
So here is the good stuff....

Break the Bank:
Wisteria
$129

Cheapskate:
Ross....Yes, I said Ross!
$29

They also had a really pretty moss green! I am thinking about going back to get it, surely I have somewhere for it to go!!

Can you tell the $100 difference?? Me neither!

Chair Reveal....Finally!!!

2011-06-27T09:18:00.016-05:00

Remember this post? Probably not since it was so long ago! Well I finally got my craigslist chairs done and I love them!

Before:
Hello 1992....

After:
Hello lover....

French script fabric...love it!

I really like the way they turned out!!

In other news. I had a lady come by yesterday to look at something I had listed on Craigslist...she was here for about 30 minutes and bought half of my dining room and a fourth of my kitchen! I was not expecting to sell everything so fast but was planning on selling eventually. She walked about my entire downstairs pointing at things and saying "how much for that"...I kid you not, it was crazy! I guess my dining room makeover got a jump start since there is not much left in it!! First decision....to paint my furniture or leave it? Hmmm??

If you are a visitor from one of the link parties, thanks for stopping by!! Feel free to leave a comment letting me know you were here and where to find you...also, you are welcome to follow me if you wish! Thanks!

I linked up @: http://dittledattle.blogspot.com

http://bystephanielynn.com/

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2011/06/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no69.html

http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com

http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/

http://www.domestically-speaking.com/2011/06/79th-power-of-paint-party.html

http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com

http://primitiveandproper.blogspot.com/2011/06/piece-of-work-wednesday-furniture-link_28.html

http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2011/06/annie-sloan-chalk-paint-project.html

http://www.remodelaholic.com

http://www.myrepurposedlife.net

http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com/2011/06/furniture-feature-friday-favoritse-link.html

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Pharmacy Lamps

2011-06-24T17:33:00.002-05:00

My new love.....pharmacy lamps! I am looking to replace my bulky, oversized lamp on my desk in my office and decided that a pharmacy lamp would look great in the space! I did some online shopping, as well as looked in a few stores. I think the one I will end up with is one that I found at Hobby Lobby, but I am waiting to buy it next week when it is 50% off! Here are some others I found during my search!

Break the Bank:

Restoration Hardware
$179

Cheapskate:
Target
$49

Target
$39

I was pleasantly surprised to see one similar on the Walmart website! I love all the more budget friendly options out there!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Restoration Hardware Fishing Weights

2011-06-20T09:05:00.000-05:00

I came across a blog a few months back that featured these old fishing weights from Restoration Hardware. They aren't "my thing", but I do like the look of them stacked on books or used as bookends on a bookshelf! With their hefty price tag, they would never make it into my shopping basket though!
Photo: Restoration Hardware

Break the Bank:
Restoration Hardware
$99.00/set of 4

I was strolling through Hobby Lobby this weekend and these caught my eye...

Cheapskate:

Hobby Lobby

$10.99/weight, BUT every other week their metal decor goes 50% off, so you could score a set of 4 these for around $22!!!

Another awesome find! :)

I am in LOVE with gallery walls!

2011-06-16T09:31:00.000-05:00

I made the choice to sell most of what was going on in my family room in order to change things up a bit to reflect my "new" style. I have been busy planning out the new space and taking time to find things that I love! I debated about what should go above my couches to replace this:

(I cringe looking at that picture...isn't it funny how your taste changes?) Nothing is wrong with it per se, I have just outgrown that look!

I have decided to do a gallery wall above my couch. I want it somewhat eclectic, a mix of mirrors, pictures, and other things. I have been searching the internet and magazines for a little inspiration and have found several that I am in love with. I have 2 mirror that are the start of my collection, but I have a long way to go. I am thinking about hitting up some thrift stores and antique malls to buy some fun vintage/antique frames...with a little spray paint, they will be as good as new! Cannot wait to see what I can come up with!

Here are a few I came across while looking for inspiration....

decorpad.com

Lonnymag.com

Domino Magazine

Pottery Barn

decorpad.com

Love the open backed frames!

I cannot wait to get started on my own gallery wall! :)

Do you have a gallery wall? I would love to see it!

It's the little things....

2011-06-08T10:21:00.000-05:00

I came across this adorable mason jar the other day when I was out and about. I passed it several times, but for some reason kept going back to it. They had the numbers 1, 2, and 3 and I decided to go with 3. I am not an even number person and 1 just seemed to scream "we're number #1" from my cheerleading days! :) So 3 was the winner!

At $2.99, I knew I could find something to do with it! Hubby gave me a huge bouquet of flowers yesterday, so I picked a few out of the arrangement and put them in the jar...

Love it!

I love having fresh flowers in the house! I have decided fresh flowers will be on the grocery list each week for the rest of the summer!

A vow and a bow...

2011-06-07T11:09:00.000-05:00

14 years ago today I was a very nervous 20 year old girl. I wore a white dress with a very LARGE bow on the back! Luckily, I can say 14 years later...the only mistake I made was picking the dress with the very LARGE bow on it!

Marriage is hard, it is give and take, it is a roller coaster sometimes. It is challenging and not always fun, but it has been worth it! Happy 14 year anniversary to my husband! I love you, J!!

Now for the laughs....
Wedding photography has come a very long way in 14 years!!

VERY LARGE BOW! Told ya!!

14 years and counting.....

Out with the old....

2011-06-06T14:48:00.000-05:00

Holy home decor! I listed half of my house on CL this weekend just to see what would happen. Well....I sold most of it and have people coming this week to look at the rest. My house is going to be empty because I kind of did this on a whim, without thinking, without planning, without having anything to replace these sold items! But, that is okay....because my summer school class was cancelled so now I have time to shop!!!!

My taste has totally evolved....started 8 years ago with a very old world, dramatic, "Donatella Versace gold, black and red" and heavy look and now I am loving a softer, lighter, more "vintage with a modern twist" feel. Since I cannot sell everything I own...I am working with the furniture I already have, but am painting and adding all new accessories! I am excited...and so is my husband! Right, honey?? ;)

I said goodbye to this:

And cannot wait to say hello to a new look!
I did some painting this weekend and will hopefully have something to show you later this week!!
Have a great one!

Anthropologie Inspired Baby Shower

2011-06-03T10:24:00.011-05:00

My sister's baby shower was a huge success! Everything turned out the way I had imagined it! We wanted to go vintage but in an Anthropologie kind of a way. Here is what I came up with.....

The invites: I designed and printed the invitations myself. I used cardstock paper in a "brown bag" color to create a vintage vibe. I saw this bird and knew "she" needed to be on the invitation...this is what I came up with:

The shower:

Hosted at the home of my mother, her backyard set the stage for a beautiful day!

Patio:

Backyard dining area:

Center pieces: I used vintage children's books, potted flowers wrapped in fun fabrics, rose bowls with candles and moss and vintage accessories to go along with our theme!

Birdcage that I already had in my own home:

Owl figurine from my own backyard!

White bird that I had in my daughter's room!

Inside, the food table was covered in burlap and decorated with bright colors and vintage finds:

A simple "banner" was made from onesies and painted wooden letters...hung from lace, twine and ribbon to create a fun backdrop for the food table:

Fun pink birdcage, bright vases with small arrangements, bird candle and votives on one end...

Old milk crates, apothecary jars, standing chandelier, vintage children's books and fun wooden blocks on this end...

We served sweet tea and lemonade in these adorable mason jars decorated with bright ribbon and lace....and used more wooden blocks as cute decor

I also tea stained, stamped and added ribbon (that matches the baby's room) to these cute tags. Each guest wrote some "words of wisdom" on the tag and then the tags were hung on the birdcage with tiny clothes pins. The birdcage will hang in the baby's room and display all of the messages!

The fun tags:

I painted the birdcage a soft grey color to match the nursery:

Here it is in the nursery, ready to hang....

We did not take as many pictures as we should have. I wish I had thought to take more, but I was busy running around orchestrating everything. It was a great shower for a great person and I cannot wait to meet my niece!!

Family at the shower:

I linked up @:

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/

http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/06/vintage-inspiration-friday-40-indigo.html

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://dittledattle.blogspot.com/

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/

http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/

http://www.elements-interiors.net/

http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/2011/06/anything-goes-party-21.html

http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2011/06/celebration-inspiration-party-all.html

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Lattice Rug

2011-06-02T11:25:00.003-05:00

I have decided I am changing just about everything in my house. We have lived here almost 9 years and I have made some changes during those 9 years, but now I am ready for a complete overhaul. We are talking major changes! Now my budget and my taste don't always go well together, but I really want to take my time and find things that I love! I just listed a ton of stuff on Craig's List and already have people coming by to look at a few things!

This rug, which I do like...I'm just am ready for a whole new color scheme, is apparently like liquid gold. I have had several people interested and have a lady coming by today to look at it. Hopefully it will get a new home and I can use that money to buy a more modern, lighter rug!

Speaking of rugs...I have been shopping for a new one to replace the one above. I have come across some gorgeous rugs both in stores and online. The problem is at over $1000 for a 5 x 7, these are all out of budget for me!

I did come across this rug and then saw it's almost twin at a much more appealing price, so welcome to this week's Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate feature!

Blue-grey lattice rug

Break the Bank:

Overstock.com

$173.99 (not awful, but...)

I was in Garden Ridge shopping and came across this:

Cheapskate:

Garden Ridge

$99.00 (woohoo)

Pretty good, huh??

Hope everyone is having a great week!

I linked up to: http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/2011/05/anything-goes-party-19.html

One store....

2011-06-01T15:48:00.001-05:00

I am having major issues uploading pictures, so instead of the post I was going to do, I'm switching it up a bit!

I have been dreaming up my ideal home. We are not moving anytime soon, but I am making some major changes to the decor of our current home. I hate what I have going on...loved it 9 years ago when I designed it and hate it now. Blah!! I have been staying up late searching websites, blogs and online stores for items that I have designed in my head and need someone to sell them to me! :) So far, a little luck, but I have a long way to go.

So randomly, today, while I was online looking at rugs, I thought to myself if I had to pick one store to decorate my home from what would it be? Then I thought, if I could only pick one store to buy clothes from where would it be?

So....I decided to have a little fun and see what you guys come up with!!
Take my survey! Tell me: if you had to pick only one store to________where would it be?

1. Decorate your home from?
2. Buy all of your clothes from?
3. Grocery shop at?
4. Indulge at (somewhere you would not usually go, but have money burning a hole in your pocket)?
5. Purchase gifts from?
6. Buy your children's clothes from?
7. Buy shoes from?

My answers:
1. So hard to pick one, but right now I am feeling Restoration Hardware, but laylagrace.com is becoming my favorite site!
2. Nordstorm's (but I love Forever 21 for the trendy stuff)
3. Market Street
4. Barney's
5. Love Sample House
6. Nordstoms or one of the many boutiques we have in Dallas
7. Northpark Nordstrom's shoe depo...the BEST ever!

Your turn!!

It's been awhile...

2011-05-31T10:38:00.000-05:00

I'm here, but this is not going to be an exciting post. Just a little note to say I am alive and will be back soon! So much going on and not enough time in the day to get it all done! Blogging has taken a back seat but I am looking forward to being back soon!

Happy Tuesday!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Knot Mirror

2011-05-06T00:36:00.000-05:00

OMG! This edition could take the cake!

Check out this out:

Break the Bank:

Knot Mirror

Horchow.com

$575 plus shipping

Look what I found sitting on clearance at Kirkland's.....

Cheapskate:

Kirkland's

$49.99

I mean really....over $500 cheaper...I almost bought it just because I felt obligated to with that price!

Pretty thrifty, huh??

Wowzers....

2011-05-03T15:30:00.000-05:00

Tons going on over here! School is almost out for me, which is good...but, it also means FINALS! It also means my social, blogging, fun, relaxing time is GONE for a few weeks!!

The next few weeks look like this:
Tonight: A's soccer game
Wed: school/ stat. test
Thurs : study
Fri: study
Sat: gymnastics, b-day party, wedding
Sun: Mother's day, study
Mon: soccer/psych final
Tues: study
Wed: Statistics final
Thurs: Catch up on all my DVR'd shows I missed b/c of school
Fri: baby shower prep. work
Sat: sister's baby shower
Sun: Get drunk b/c I do not have ANYTHING else to do!!!! (JK, I barely drink)

Rest for 2 weeks and then start summer school....blah!!

I cannot wait to post pictures from the baby shower. I have been working hard on this shower and cannot wait to see it all come together! I am AUNTzilla!! :)

Keep Calm....

2011-04-29T09:12:00.001-05:00

Hehe!!

I must say I loved Kate's dress. So classy and appopriate and the v-shaped neckline added a little

"va-va-voom" in a very tasteful way!

I am pretty sure my invitation got lost in the mail...however, I had my eye on a few hats just in case!

I would have worn my signature color of pink and one of these adorable hats:

Cute, huh??
Happy Royal Wedding Day!!

Look what I found...

2011-04-28T16:38:00.000-05:00

Remember this post? Well, after searching every TJ Maxx, Marshall's and Home Good's in my area, I decided to give up on that bedding. I haven't really given it much thought and I've had plenty going on so my bedroom was not a priority. I happened to check online at Urban Outfitters where I came across this:

I love it! I love the color, a soft gray...and the ruffles give it that romantic, vintage feel without it being over done. I think this might be "the one"! Isn't she pretty?

What I am wearing Wednesday...

2011-04-27T09:08:00.000-05:00

I am going to a wedding in a few weeks at the Dallas Arboretum. I love weddings! The bride is someone I have known since birth. Her father and my father have been best friends since middle school. Of course the fact that she is getting married makes me feel so OLD!

I love getting dressed up, but do not really have too many occasions to do so these days. I was pleasantly surprised to find a dress the first time I went shopping. It was the third dress I tried on and it fit like it was made for me. The bonus is that it was on sale and I had an additional 20% off coupon. So I ended up with a $100 dress for $40! Not bad!!

The dress:

I LOVE the color...nothing says spring wedding at the Arboretum like magenta! :)

Don't laugh...self portrait, had to see what the hubby thought!

I needed shoes too, so I strolled into DSW and went home with these:

Hard to tell from this picture, but they are off white with a shiny "snake skin" print. The picture does not do them justice...they are really cute and actually pretty comfortable! Now I just need a cute clutch, some accessories and a tan! :) I am thinking brushed gold accessories??? Thoughts?

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: Kirkland's Edition

2011-04-25T09:25:00.001-05:00

Accessories....in my opinion, they make a room. Some items are worth spending the bug bucks on and some are not. Most items you find that are pricey usually have a cheaper look-a-like somewhere out there, you just have to search!! In this post, all my cheapskates were found at Kirkland's! A few examples of what I came up with......

Sienna lamp~

Break the Bank:

picture via Pottery Barn: $80-110

Cheapskate:

picture via Kirkland's: $39.99

Crystal lamp~

Break the Bank:

picture via Pottery Barn: $179-229

Cheapskate:

picture via Kirkland's: $39.00

Glass fish vase~

Break the Bank:

picture via Z Gallery: $38.00

Cheapskate:

picture via Kirkland's: $28

Florette pillow~

Break the Bank:

picture via Z Gallery: $49.95

Cheapskate:

picture via Kirkland's: $9.99

Persian Rug~

Break the Bank:

picture via Pottery Barn: $699.99

Cheapskate:

photo via Kirkland's: $399

Filigree Vase~

Break the Bank:

photo via Z Gallery: $99

Cheapskate:

photo via Kirkland's: $25

So tell me....is there something you have your eye on that you would like to find it's cheapskate twin?

I linked up @ http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/

Well look at you, Kirklands!

2011-04-21T13:29:00.000-05:00

So I ventured into Kirkland's the other day just to take a look around. I am not a huge fan of Kirkland's but I do find some fun stuff in there from time to time...a cute nightlight, seasonal decor, a throw rug...small little things. I must say though, I have changed my opinion of Kirkland's since finding some treasures during my latest visit!!

Here are a few things that caught my eye...

I am thinking that rug might be in my living room soon!

Love these prints!!

That is a shower curtain....decorating secret: buy 2 and use them as drapery panels!

Love that sassy settee!

Love that mirror!

I think Kirkland's is going all Z Gallery on us...and I like it! Check back for my "Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate" Kirkland's edition coming up soon!!

An award, a project and a party!

2011-04-18T10:48:00.000-05:00

I got an award! Thanks to Type A for picking me for the creative blogger award!

So sweet of her to think of me!! :)

This weekend was a busy one. I am planning a baby shower for my sister and have been working on some of the decorations and such. I designed and printed the invitations myself and may have found a new hobby! We are going for a vintage, Anthropologie inspired shower and I have so many ideas...I may go overboard with this one! It was so much fun working on the invites and they turned out adorable...just as I had pictured them! I had to "white out" some of the info. in case there are some crazies that read my blog! ;)

I also worked on "tea staining" some tags I am using for a little project at the shower. It was so easy to do this project, but left me with tea-stained fingers. If you ever decide to do something like this, wear gloves!!! Here are some pictures of what I did:

You can see the one tag before it was stained and the others that had already had a tea bath!

All done and waiting for the next step:

I have a cool "plan" for these tags...stay tuned for the end result! I love planning parties!

Speaking of parties, on Sunday I attended a charity event for the North Texas Food Bank. It was the Taste of the NFL hosted by the Dallas Cowboys at the Glass Cactus. It was a lot of fun. There were several Cowboy's players (present and past) as well as coaches. My friend (and my best friend's boyfriend) is on the host committee, so he invited us to the event. Here is my friend Tara and I at the event:

And another picture with the host of the event, Demarcus Ware:

Horrible picture of me, but it was the only one I had! Overall, it was a great weekend, just went by way too fast! Hope everyone has a great week!!

Break the Bank vs. Cheapskate: French Script Accent Pieces

2011-04-12T11:43:00.004-05:00

I am loving the french script fabrics! Remember this post? I have seen these fabrics just about everywhere from bedding to table runners...I am still trying to decide what fabric to use on my chairs!

I think these ottomans would add a little bit of interest to any room and could be used just about anywhere!

Break the Bank:
Ballard Designs
$450

Break the Bank #2:
Horchow.com
$399 (for one and look how small they are)

Cheapskate:
www.schneidermans.com
$248

I actually prefer the last one due to the larger size, bigger print and the price, of course!

Loving these adorable chairs as well....

Break the Bank:
Ballard Designs
$840

Cheapskate:
Overstock.com
$265

I am really loving this look, but I know this trend will go out as quick as it came in. While I would not cover an entire couch in this fabric, I think these accent pieces would be a great addition to any room!

Monday Confessions....

2011-04-11T11:36:00.000-05:00

I confess....
~That I did not work on any of my projects this weekend. :(
~ I did a lot of shopping though!
~ I had GNO twice in 3 days...who do I think I am?
~ I listened to country music at the gym yesterday because I am getting sick of my usual treadmill tunes aka gangsta rap.
~I went to the gym yesterday because I ate about half of the Easter candy I bought for my girls' baskets last week.
~When I got home from the gym, I went to eat Mexican food with the family..oops!
~I fell off the one Dr. Pepper a day wagon and am trying to get back on. 3 per day is not a good thing!
~I am obsessed with "jumpers"/"rompers" for summer although I feel a little goofy using those words when talking about an fashion trend for adults

(love this!)

~I am ready for school to be out already...for me at least. I need a break!
~My daughter "likes" some stinky boy who hugged her at the school dance on Friday...I. Do. Not. Like. This. At. All.
~I secretly loved that when said boy called my daughter on Sunday, she missed the call. Time to change her number! ;)

That is all I got for today! Happy Monday...Enjoy your week!

Sneak peak and other stuff....

2011-04-05T14:14:00.000-05:00

Busy, busy, busy...things are CA-Ray-Zeeee!! Work, school, kiddos' activities, doctor's appointments and so on is making for some crazy days as of late! I am trying to keep my head screwed on straight and often find it caddywompous ( I love that word)! Anyways lots-going-on here!
A few announcements:
~A's relay team got 4th place at the district meet, they were disappointed, but I was proud!
~A made the soccer team, this is sport #5 this year that she has made. If you know me well, then you know what a huge athlete I was too.....are you laughing yet?
~C is a total hot mess. The chick is CRAZY! I am thinking about drinking and/or doing drugs in the future because this kid is going to give us a run for our money. Her daddy told her to clean up the other night and she replied with "are we going to start this again". I told her to listen to me the other day to which she replied, "whatever, grumpy". While watching Tangled the other night, she told us that she "did not like that style" when the prince cuts Rapunzel's hair off. HOT MESS....please help me!
~I am going to work on projects this weekend. I have to, it is driving me nuts to have unfinished "stuff" sitting around the house.
~Here is a sneak peak of something in the works...cannot wait to finish!!

~I just designed invitations for my sister's baby shower, who knew that was so darn fun. Now I want to add invitation designer to my resume. I'll share them when I do a "baby shower post" coming in May.
~I am going OVERBOARD planning said baby shower...someone stop me, I need therapy. It is going to be fabulous though!! Cannot wait!!

Okay, that is about it from here. Hopefully I will have some funtabulous projects to share with you next week!!

Tootles!

Decisions, decisions: Fabric Frenzy

2011-03-30T14:45:00.002-05:00

I am just now getting around to sprucing up my Craig's List chairs. They have been sitting in my office looking like 1980 stopped by for a visit. They are ready to get a fresh new look! Here they are as is:

They will be getting a nice coat of black paint and some distressing (hopefully) this weekend!
Here are a few fabrics that I have my eye on....
Love this one....

Love this one with the colors switched. It also comes in natural with green wording that is very pretty too!

I like this one, but the fabric is cotton and very lightweight...I think I want a little more texture, but it is cute!

Love these two...

The above one is the same as the one below, it also comes in a really pretty green color that is at the top of my maybe list!

French script on linen with birds....I think they made this fabric for me...just do not know if the color will work?

Thoughts on the fabric? I know it is trendy and I am totally fine with that. I am sure I'll want something new in a year or so anyway! ;)

I am hoping to get the chairs started this weekend and finished up next week. I also have my adorable side table I bought at Canton to paint! Is it weird that I am thinking about switching my game room couches with my living room couches...and the coffee tables too? I want to new look!! Someone stop me!

Dollar, dollar bills....

2011-03-29T10:00:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts. I have been juggling work, mommyhood, school, and getting my dad situated so I do not have much free time. Thankfully things seem to be slowing down a little so I can make a little bit of me time...I will even take 5 minutes!!

I ran into Michael's the other night to buy some card stock and feel like it is mandatory that I have to go down the $1 bins and look through each one. There is just something about cute note cards, fun magnets, little trinkets...and so on, that I just have to look at. I had just thrown out the color pasta that I had in my apothecary jars in the kitchen and replaced one with artichokes and needed something to put in the smaller jar. When I saw these, I knew they were going home with me!

Fun, no? Apparently I have a thing for book pages/newspaper print. Who knew? :) At $1/apple I could not resist!

I also came across this in the $1 bins:

I am going to add it to my somewhat boring-front-door-wreath to spruce it up for spring!
Do you love the dollar sections in stores as much as I do? Does anyone else feel like it is mandatory to visit these sections at every store visit, or am I the only crazy one? :)

The Beauty Edition

2011-03-24T08:38:00.001-05:00

I feel like a writer for Vogue or something, only I'm not...Instead of writing this "review" from my swanky, Manhattan high rise office, I am writing it from a laptop while sitting in my toy filled game room in Texas. Next best thing? Don't answer that! ;)

I ran into Walmart the other day to get milk, juice, bread and any other junk that I passed on my way back to the dairy section. I had a cart full of stuff and was headed to checkout when I saw the "beauty" section and remembered that I could not squeeze one more ounce of conditioner out of the bottle in my shower. So, I went down the hair care aisle and saw this:

The little tag that said "sulfate and paraben free" caught my eye. I knew it must be mega-important because they wanted to make sure you saw it! I then remembered reading an article about how sulfate is what makes the shampoo "suds up" but it is not so great for your hair. I have seen sulfate free shampoo offered by pricier brands, so I thought what they heck. At $3.69, I was not investing a ton and would be okay with trashing it if it did not work. The aisle was pretty bare, only a few bottles were left so I must have not been the only person who was eager to try it. The checkout lady commented that they had been selling a lot of it. I then learned it is a Walmart brand product. Interesting!

The next day, I was giddy to try out my new shampoo...my life is VERY exciting by the way. When I used the shampoo there were really no suds. I felt like my hair was not getting clean at all. It seemed very heavy and hard to move around my hair. After rinsing I still was not convinced my hair was clean but went ahead with the conditioner. The conditioner was awesome! Right when I put it on my head, my hair turned really silky and manageable. After rinsing it was so soft and felt really clean. Combing it was easy...no tangles at all. I dried my hair and loved the way it looked and felt. I am a huge fan now! I have gotten use to the sudless (is that a word) shampoo and it does not really bother me anymore. I cannot say enough good things about these products. I love them!

Anyways, thought I would share. I know I spend a crazy amount of money on hair care products so I am thrilled to have found a great, inexpensive product! If you try it out, let me know what you think!!

For Japan, With Love

2011-03-18T19:41:00.000-05:00

So I was bored....

2011-03-16T10:21:00.003-05:00

And had some paint leftover from the pantry makeover...and thought "what could I paint". Another nap time transformation was in the works! :)

I have had these trunks since we moved in almost 8 years ago:

I like them, but wanted to give them a new look. I am in the process of changing this room and making it lighter and brighter. So I went to work! Painted and distressed:

It needed something else, so I added black paint to all the straps and edges:

Much better!

Before:

After:

Ignore the lamp....that whole area is getting a makeover soon! I've got some rearranging to do! :)

Check out the link parties here:
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
http://www.elements-interiors.net/
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/
http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/

Conversations with a 3 year old....

2011-03-15T12:13:00.000-05:00

3 year old: Mommy, this Barbie's hair looks crazy
Me: yep, it sure does
3 year old: Her hair looks like yours, mommy
Me: Gee, thanks!

~~~~~~

3 year old (while on a stick horse with a cowboy hat on): Look mom, I am a horse girl.
Me: Cute, but do you mean cowgirl
3 year old: No, I am not on a cow, I am on a horse...I am a horse girl
Me: Well, you do have a point!

~~~~~~

While talking about my sister being pregnant:
3 year old: is that baby going to sleep in a little bed or a big girl bed?
Me: well, she will be little, so she will sleep in a baby bed
3 year old: She is going to be so cute and tiny, can I pet her?
Me: Well, I suppose you can
3 year old: But she is still in Monica's tummy
Me: Yes
3 year old (yelling): She ate her
Me: laughing uncontrollably
3 year old: Mommy, did she eat her
Me: You should ask Monica next time we see her! :)

Kitchen Pretties

2011-03-15T08:03:00.000-05:00

I finally got my Winterberry Cottage prints framed and hung! I love the way they look.

It took me awhile to find the frames I had in mind. I came across these are TJ Maxx and loved the look but hated the gold. Nothing a little spray paint can't fix!

Bye-bye, gold...hello, black!

It turns out that I missed a few spots, but I actually loved the way it looked. You can see a little gold peeking through the black...it looked neat so I left it!

I had these chef prints that I bought when we moved here almost 8 years ago. I wanted to get rid of them for awhile, but never found anything that I loved to replace them...then I saw the Winterberry Cottage prints and knew that is exactly what I wanted!

Bye-bye cute little chefs....you will find a new home when I sell you in my garage sale coming up next month!

Hello new art....loving the birds for sure!

I heart my new art! :)

Copy Cat...Book Bundles

2011-03-13T23:38:00.001-05:00

So, I've seen these "book bundles" sold at several big name stores and in catalogs for very big prices. For between $25-$39, you can become the owner of some old books with the covers torn off, wrapped in jute or twine and then stacked up.....OR you can head down to the Goodwill, purchase some old books for $6.00 and create the look yourself! I decided on the $6.00 version!

The ridiculously expensive version:

Photo: Ballard Designs

Photo: Pottery Barn

Photo: Restoration Hardware

My CHEAP version:

First: Off to Goodwill~I picked the ones that had discolored pages

Second: Rip off the covers!

Third: Find them a home...mine are in a birdcage on top of my armoire. I did not have any jute or twine, but will be "bundling" a few of them together to add some interest. I love them! After I get them situated for good, I am going to set a ceramic bird on top of the stack! Easy, cheap and cute!

Now...I must say, I was surprised to read how many people despise the fact that a book has been the victim of abuse...ripping off the covers. I was trying to find the price for the RH book bundles because they sold out on their site and they no longer list the price so I had to google it. I came across several blogs that hate the idea and had very strong opinions on the matter. I, for one, bought books that were very "loved" and the covers were mostly coming off on their own. I do think it is ridiculous to pay so much money for these at the stores/catalogs mentioned when you can easily make them for next to nothing. I didn't even think about it causing such an uproar though. Hopefully I will not get any hate mail for ripping the covers off my Goodwill buys. I figure I helped out the community by purchasing them from Goodwill and I helped out the environment by re-using old books!! What do you think...be nice! :)

Bedding Bummer!

2011-03-10T12:36:00.000-06:00

A few Sundays ago, I stopped at TJ Maxx looking for some picture frames. Once I am there, I have to go down each and every aisle of the home section because you never know what you might come across! I happened to stumble upon some Cynthia Rowley bedding that I adored, problem was is that it had some light blue edging on it. I thought to myself, if only they made this with black edging, it would be perfect for my bedroom makeover. One aisle later, my dream had come true. I spotted the bedding with a black edge and the angels were singing.....until....all they had was full/queen....no KING! Bummer! I then went to each and every TJ Maxx and Marshalls that I could get to before closing time and had no luck finding it. I did hit up eBay and found it, but it was $90 more on eBay. Darn it! I am going to keep searching...where this a will, there is a way!

Here it is...I love the girly ruffle and the way the black makes the ruffles stand out. I want to pair it with a patterned blanket underneath and fold the bedspread down...add in modern pillows...grey walls....metallic pewter ceiling...new drapes....and the list goes on....I will not be using all the pillows that are pictures, that is a little too much ruffle for me!

I always tell my clients to pick the bedding first then go from there, so I have to take my own advice! I just need to locate this bedding!!

Here are some other things I have found that might make an appearance in my new bedroom! Our furniture is black and very ornate, so I want to keep the black to a minimum in the rest of the room.
Wall color (?): I have to find the "perfect grey"!

Pillow: Dwell Studios

Pillow: Dwell Studios:

(you knew birds were going to be in there somewhere!

Pillow: DIY pillows on Etsy

Lamp: Lamps Plus

Curtains: Anthropologie (probably not using these, but something similar)

Chandelier: Overstock.com

These are just some ideas I have so far...looks like yellow is winning as the accent color!

Smarty Pants and What we wore Wednesday!

2011-03-09T10:46:00.004-06:00

I decided to participate in a Wednesday blog "thing" I have seen on other blogs called "what we wore Wednesday". So here it goes!

Last night we went to my daughter's induction ceremony for the National Junior Honor Society! She is such a smarty pants. In order to be in NJHS, you must have a 94 (at her school) or above average in the 4 core classes and be nominated by faculty for great leadership qualities, attitude, work ethic and overall personality. We are so proud of our daughter, not only does she play every sport they offer (except tennis), she maintains straight A's and has a great attitude. Hopefully her sister will follow in her foot steps...we shall see since she is our "challenging one"! Does the alternative school have a NJHS? I kid, I kid! :)

So here we are:

Hubby:
Pants: Nordstrom-I don't want to know
Shirt: Nordstrom Rack-I don't know, but cheaper than above
Shoes: Nordstrom-above $100
(as you can see the man hates to shop and goes to one store)

Smarty Pants:
Dress: JC Penney-$21 (reg. $39 before sale price and mailer coupon)
Shoes: Payless-$21 (reg. $24.99, but sign up for text coupons and recieved 20% off right then, okay!)

Me:
Dress: Forever 21-$19
Boots: Kohl's-$37 (reg. $110 before sale and mailer coupon)

Can we tell who the bargain shopper is? ;)

Sassy pants was much to busy eating cake to pose for our picture!

Sassy Pants:
Dress: Nordstrom Rack-$19
Shoes: Sequin ballet flats (her favorite shoes ever) from Walmart- $9

I had to take this picture, sisters 10 year apart wearing basically the same shoes...

Here is my girl getting her "official" NJHS member certificate:

Not the greatest picture, but the best I could do while shhhshing the little one and taking pics at the same time! So proud of my girl!! Tonight she is running in her 3rd track meet of the season and I have to miss it because of class. I am so bummed! Luckily she will have plenty of cheerleaders in the stands to make up for her mama not being there! Good luck A!!!!

Birthday, Canton buys and the winner is.....

2011-03-07T09:35:00.002-06:00

I'm 34 today!! I get to spend my birthday evening taking a statistics test and then sitting in psych class for 3 hours...fun times! Luckily I got to celebrate yesterday with dinner, presents and cake....thanks to my sweet hubby and amazing girls! I am so blessed to have such an awesome family!!

In other news, Canton was a blast! I had a slow start and had only found one thing. It was closing time and people were packing up when I saw this table: It is NOT staying red, I just put it here with some accessories to see what it would look like! I had seen one earlier in the day but the lady would not budge on her price, so I kept walking. This had a sticker on it that said $35, my mom asked the guy if that was the lowest they would go...he yelled over to some lady and said how much for the red table, she yelled back $20...I yelled "SOLD"!!!

I knew it would look great between the Craig's List chairs in my living room. As mentioned, the red paint is going bye-bye....so I now I have 2 chairs and a table to paint, but I am excited! I love the lines on this table and cannot wait to start working on it!

After that we headed to the car, loaded our purchases and took off....we made it half way to the highway when my sister spotted a store called Paul Michael's...we veered across traffic and pulled in the exit, but we made it there! When we walked inside, our jaws dropped. It was a decorator's paradise. So much home decor, furniture, lamps...and so much more. They offered several different styles too, which was good since my sister, my mom and I all have very different taste. About $400 later, we left very happy and very broke! If you live anywhere close to Canton or are planning a trip to Canton soon, you must go to this store...it is awesome!!! My sweet sister bought me this mirror for my birthday:

I love the distressing and the antiquing on the glass!
And I purchased this mirror to go along with the black one (these are the start to my mantle makeover):

We had so much fun and I cannot wait to show you what else I found when I get it all "gussied" up!!

Now the fun news:
The winner of the pillow cover giveaway is:

StacyTheMagnificentMommy!

Congrats to you! Email me @ livingroombylindsay@yahoo.com and I will get you in touch with DIY Pillows to claim your prize!! Thanks to everyone who participated, I am hoping to have a new giveaway coming up soon!

Last Chance

2011-03-06T12:58:00.000-06:00

You have until 11:59pm tonight to sign up for my pillow cover giveaway!! Check it out HERE!!

Good luck!!! Check back tomorrow to see who won!! :)
Happy Sunday!

I'm beat....

2011-03-05T23:22:00.000-06:00

...But I scored some awesome finds at Canton...as did my sister and my mom. Other than the chilly temperatures and the crazy wind, it was a great time! I cannot wait to share my finds with you, but right now I am off to bed! I think we walked 2,434 miles today, I am exhausted! Goodnight!

Weekend happenings...

2011-03-04T13:28:00.000-06:00

I am in the middle of cramming for a statistics test but all I want to do is google "painted, glazed cabinets". I've made up my mind that I am going to do it. Who knows when this will happen with school, kids, work, and other projects, but it IS going to happen at some point!

I got my Winterberry Cottage prints in the mail and they are adorbs!! I cannot wait to get them framed and up on the wall...that might be happening during a study break this evening! I am heading to Canton tomorrow to treasure hunt with my sister and my mama. I have a long list of things I am searching for, so hopefully I will find some great stuff at great prices! I hope to spend Sunday working on some of the projects I have sitting around my house. I have random things in random places and it is driving me crazy!

Monday is my birthday, along with a math test and psych class, so I will probably celebrate with my hubby and girls on Sunday. I cannot believe I will be 34! I guess I am weird, but I like getting older....and wiser (hopefully). Ask me in 6 years though and that might change! For now I am going to celebrate an amazing 34 years of blessings and look forward to what the future holds!!

I have decided that since I am drawing the winner of the pillow cover on Monday, my birthday, that the right thing to do is just to keep it for myself! Thoughts???? Kidding of course!!! If you have not had the change to enter my giveaway, it is not too late....you have a few more days! Check it out HERE!! Check back Monday to see who the lucky winner is!!

Enjoy your weekend!! :)

To paint or not to paint....that is the question...

2011-03-03T14:33:00.001-06:00

So I am over my kitchen...the decor, the granite, the back splash...all of it. When we built this house, we had very few options to pick from. I hate what I picked...I swear that the tile I liked looked totally different than what we got, but oh well. Moving on....I think I want to paint and glaze my cabinets. I think it would lighten up the room and give it a fresh look. Dark was "in" when we built this house 8 years ago and now it is "out". I tend to have my own ideas of what is "in" and "out", but I do want a change. Painting would be much cheaper than ripping out the cabinets, back splash and granite and starting over and it would create a totally new look! And none of that is even an option right now...painting is though! :)

So what do you think? Thought, opinions, concerns...spill it! I am open to suggestions, especially if you have done something like this in your own home.
Kitchen now:

Cannot wait to replace those chef prints with my Winterberry Cottage prints as soon as they arrive:

The back splash looks really dark in the next picture, but it is not this dark in person. I do not take good pictures at all!

Here is what I have in mind, although my kitchen is not this fancy! :)

Photo: kitchencabinetsdesign.us

Photo: Ruckerhomes.com
I think I would go a little heavier on the glaze because I like a little more variation in the color, but I like these looks. What are your thoughts?

***Don't forget to check out my giveaway HERE, only a few more days to enter!***

Laundry Service....Laundry Room Reveal

2011-03-02T09:08:00.013-06:00

It is laundry room reveal day. It is not totally finished, I still need some more "stuff" but for the most part, it is complete. I love it! Doing laundry is much more fun now! :)

I did not really take a before picture, just picture white walls, white shelves and an ugly light fixture and you have the before! :)

Here is the after:

One problem...The chandelier makes a funny design on the walls....I need to try out different bulbs to see if this issue can be fixed.

My most favorite part, the bird cage chandelier....

Hanging rack for drying clothes...found at IKEA for $5.99

Vintage ALL container...found at an Antique store several years ago...

"Housekeepers Box"...still waiting for her to show up one day, until then, it is my box....

It's amazing what a little paint and some fun decor can do to a blah room!!

I linked up at:
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/
http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/
http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/
http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/06/vintage-inspiration-friday-40-indigo.html

For visitors from these link parties...welcome! I would love to hear your comments and be sure and leave your blog address so I can stop by! And as always, you are welcome to "follow" my blog if you wish to. Thanks for stopping by!

Shop Talk

2011-03-01T09:30:00.000-06:00

I had a great weekend filled with treasure hunting and shopping. I have been wanting to change things up in my house for awhile now and want to do it slowly and find things I really like!

I had some plates above my window in the kitchen that were Parisian themed. I liked them, but bought them when we were building our house several years ago and just got sick of them. They were one of the first things to sell in my garage sale and since then, I have been on a search for some cute plates. Saturday, while browsing several stores, I found these 3 plates that I just love!! I still need at least one more and have found a few vintage finds on etsy that might work! (The bird is my favorite!)

I also came across these books that I immediately picked up and put in my basket. I love the covers and that these are actually real books. The twine bookmark adds some charm too!

Look what else I found...vintage book pages....LOVE THESE!!

Cute, no??

We also ventured to Van Alstyne and picked up my Craig's List chairs. They are in perfect condition and I only paid $20/chair. They are getting a nice coat of paint and some distressing, as well as some new fabric. Hopefully I will have some time this weekend to search for that! Here are the chairs:

That sums up my weekend! This coming weekend is Canton First Monday Trade Days and I think I might go! I need a little table to put between the chairs and I am hoping Canton will have the perfect fit!! We shall see!! That is all I have for today...have a good one!!

And, in case you missed it....check out my giveaway HERE!!

Giveaway Time: Pillow Talk

2011-02-28T08:44:00.002-06:00

I am so excited about this giveaway! I was on etsy.com, once again, looking for some cute throw pillows for my bedroom makeover and came across this great shop, DIY Pillows! I love that she sells the covers since I already have so many throw pillow inserts from my old bedding. Who doesn't have an old throw pillow that needs a face-lift? Her prices are so reasonable and her fabric selection is awesome! I have my eye on several for my bedroom, I just need to make a decision about the accent colors I am going to use!! Look at these fun prints:

This one will for sure by in my bedroom soon:

Check out the rest of her items HERE!

So many great choices, it is going to be hard to narrow it down!!

Okay, so here is the fun part...giveaway time! Lisa has offered one of her 16 x 16 pillow covers to one very lucky blog follower!

Rules and Entries:

First:

1. You must sign up to follow my blog if you have not already.

2. You must sign up for the DIY Pillows newsletter by emailing Lisa @ customerservice@FabulousButFrugal.com.

3. When you have done these 2 things, leave me a comment letting me know!

How to enter:

After you complete #1 and #2...

1. Each follower gets one entry just for following and signing up for Lisa's newsletter! :)

2. Visit DIY Pillows HERE and tell me what fabric you like the best. (1 entry)

3. Mention this giveaway on your blog and then comment with the link to the post. (3 entries)

4. If someone comments and tells me they came over from your blog post, you will get an additional entry! (1 entry)

*The first person to comment will get a bonus of 3 entries!*

Winners will be announced on Monday, March 7th (my birthday! ). Good luck!

*You must check my blog to see if you won, you will have one week to contact me before I will draw a new winner! Make sure and check back!*

Seriously....Ross?

2011-02-25T14:54:00.004-06:00

So, my sweet "shopper-in-training" and I hit the town today. I was on the search for a certain "thing" for a project that is in the works! We hit all my usual stops and then we walked by Ross and I thought, why not...you never know. I had not been in there in months. I really have never found much in there, but I am always up for a challenge. I must say that I was surprised at the selection today. They have some amazing throw pillows, some I have seen at other stores for twice the price! They also carry some glass jars very similar to the ones I used on my pantry makeover. They have some great storage baskets as well! My little shopper and I were about done and I was empty handed....until I saw this:

Obviously, it came home with me! I love it....as mentioned in this post, I am in love with burlap, but have held back from buying anything because I do not want to go burlap crazy. At $14.99 though, I could not pass this little sweetie up!! I know it has a bug on it and I hate bugs, but this bug is cute in a "french market, queen bee" kind of way. Search "burlap and bee" on etsy.com and see my bug's friends...lots out there! I also love the white wording on the shade...it might translate to "killer bee" instead of "queen bee", but who is really going to know? ;)

So cute!

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

I have another AWESOME GIVEAWAY coming up Monday so be sure and check back then!!

Craig's List find:

2011-02-24T08:26:00.000-06:00

I've been chair shopping for my living room for awhile now. Remember THIS post?? Well I decided against the animal print and decided I want something a little more modern as far as the fabric goes. I still am shopping for the perfect choice. I have been checking Craig's List 10 times a day for chairs that had the look I wanted. I came across 4 chairs that were being sold a set. I kindly offered more than half the asking price for just the 2 arm chairs the man had and he said no, buy the set of 4 and just sell the other 2. Ummmm, nope, don't want to mess with it. While shopping last weekend, I came across 2 chairs just like the CL ones in an antique store and knew I had to somehow get those CL chairs. It has been 2 weeks since my last try so I decided to be sneaky, use a different email address and try again. .....And it worked!! I will be picking up the 2 chairs this weekend and paying less than my initial offer. I am good like that! ;)

Here is a (bad) picture of the chairs from the seller, I am buying the 2 arm chairs.

I love the cane backing and then way the arms curve at the end. I think they are getting a coat of black paint and of course a little distressing. I will hopefully find the fabric this weekend and start my first reupholstering project! Has anyone done upholstering out there in blogland?? Any secrets??

I will post after pictures soon!! I am so excited about this project!!!

Feeling Grey

2011-02-23T15:05:00.000-06:00

I have no idea why, but I have this obsession with grey right now. My whole house is black, reds, greens..no gray, but I am loving this color! I am ready for a change, but changing the entire house is not going to happen right now. I do, however, have a certain master bedroom that needs a new look!! I love my bedroom furniture but I am sick of the bedding and color scheme. I am thinking a make-over is in the works!! I am picturing a medium, charcoal grey for the walls...maybe a metallic finish for the main wall, crisp white bedding and a pop of color with the accessories (maybe apple green, salmon, yellow??)...my furniture is distressed black with lots of intricate details. Wheels are turning!! :)

Some inspiration:

(Hello lover...)

Photo: decorpad.com

Photo: Decorpad.com

Photo: decorpad.com

Photo: Anthropolgie.com

Photo: Target.com

Phtot: ZGallery.com

Photo: ZGallery.com

Photo: Horchow.com

Photos: Fabric.com

I think I have definitely talked myself into the grey and I am loving all the options out there...now I just need to convince the husband to paint!

HOT MESS

2011-02-23T09:40:00.000-06:00

This girl has a mind of her own....

Enough said!

Nap time=craft time....

2011-02-22T08:26:00.009-06:00

The house was quiet yesterday and I was bored...I had a window and some red paint calling my name!
Before:

Hello Red Paint....I know it is bright, it's new home needed some color:

I painted it all red, even the old paint that was chipping, then I went back and sanded over it...I love the way it turned out!

I wanted to add a little something else and remembered we had turqiouse paint left over from Channing's daybed project, so I added a little blue on top and then once again sanded over it.

All done....although I have some edges to clean up, but you get the idea!

It looks great in it's new home...check back next week for the laundry room reveal! :)
Sneak peak:

Check out the link parties here:
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/
http://www.domestically-speaking.com/2011/02/61st-power-of-paint-party-art.html
http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/
http://sewchatty.blogspot.com/
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

Window....

2011-02-21T12:55:00.000-06:00

Here it is, isn't it charming? It is getting a fresh coat of paint, but I am going to keep the old paint on there as well and chip away some of the new coat to keep the vintage look! Can't wait to see how it turns out!