Document life: Week 2, favorite book

Wow, 2 weeks in a row?   I actually followed thru 2 weeks in a row?  This week wasn't an amazing shot, but I did it.  It wasn't set up with cute pj's, a clean room & styled hair.  It was a typical night of the girls (unsuccessfully) getting K to sleep.  He never falls asleep.  He's allergic I think.  But I will always love this photo because it is forever ingrained in my mind as the book that all my children have loved.  It was my husband's book as a child.  Notice the loved binding on Green Eggs and Ham :)

So go on.  Document your own life and follow this girl for inspiration!  Next week's challenge is "just out of bed".  Good thing I will be the one taking the photo and not in this one.  I got some crazy morning bed head!

And on another note.  This may not be a new idea to you, but I think it's brilliant.  My friend is in the process of making a really fun video from this inspiration.  I think it's a great idea and can't wait to make my own!

K's Room

Well I gone and dun it!  I'm checking off some things on my to-do list and K's room is done! (for now)

This was BEFORE we moved in:

And here is now:


The green striped comforter cover is fabric from Ikea.  The orange pillow came from Ikea as well.  The grey patterned sheets and blue blanket are from Target.


This tool chest I found at an antique store for $40.  My friend just got the exact same one last weekend at a garage sale.  For $5.  Boo.  The sock monkey quilt was a gift from my sister when he was born.  I loved the vibrant colors and have always wanted to incorporate them into his room.


We bought this dresser when I was pregnant with my first.  We were sure it would be a boy.  8 yrs later we were right!


The K's I spent a year (plus!) collecting or making.  And the bed was free from a neighbor.  Score!


 Everything is pretty much the same since his room in our last house, except for these road signs.  They used to be above my fireplace.  They look much better in a little boys room I think.  I can't even imagine them above a fireplace now!

One room down.  5 to go!

Dining room Progress

Here's a look at my entry and dining BEFORE we moved in:

Nice.  Little too Tuscan and dark for me.

Here's the light fixture that was in the dining room.  Pretty.  And formal.  Not me.

                             

Here is the new light fixture:



My newly striped walls:



The photos of my parents when they were little, both on horses.  I love these photos.....


The light fixture was another overstock purchase and I loved the price!  You can find it here.  Total pain to install in my opinion.  Definitely need two people.  You have to shove the 3 wires through 40'' of metal rod.  Surely the worst part.  TIP:  Measure how long it will hang before you order this.  It was going to be about 7.5 feet high with my 12foot ceilings.  Lame for a dining room.  We fortunately had matching left over rods from our entry way light and were able to extend it  or we would've been in trouble.

Left to do in this room:
-Look into drapes. (Can you do drapes with shutters?)
-Recover chair seats in fun fabric. (What color should I do.  I need some POP!)
-Buy fun upholstered chairs for the end and head of table.
-Need a buffet.  (Fun color maybe?)
-Rug or no rug?
-A huge horse photo on opposite wall maybe?
-Centerpiece. (I stink at centerpieces)

I'm looking into some horse photographs for the opposite wall from my parents photos.  Here's some ideas.  Which one do you like?


Option 1)

via

Option 2)

via

Or Option 3)

via

I don't know why, but horse art is on my mind.  I guess I'm living out the whole "I want a pony and I want it right now!" phase.  Whatever I do, I need to go big.  Huge art/photos are another obsession of mine.....  Which one do you like?  Or am I crazy?  You can tell me if I'm crazy.  I promise I won't be mad.  I probably won't change though, cause that's the thing about crazy people.  They can't change crazy!

Entry way progress

Let there be light!  We finally got around to installing the new light fixtures from overstock and I couldn't be happier!

This was the light fixture before:




And the entryway before the black paint....



And here is the updated look:



I am in love with my new light.  I found it here




I think the light looks perfect with the rug I found at TJ Maxx



And you already know how much I love my deer head from Z Gallerie and the frame is from Ikea, spray painted white.  The wall color is Black Suede from Behr in flat.  It makes me happy.  I missed my black office walls in my old house.  Now I have a little piece of them.  I have some more accessories to figure out and am thinking of a new table with a pop of color.  Hmm, what color though?  Stay tuned- tomorrow is stripes day and I'll be revealing my dining room light and walls!

Happiness ProjectvWeek 2: Organizing

So a follow up from last weeks challenge. Epic FAIL!   I chose MORE ENERGY as my first challenge.  Sleeping more, eating better, working out, drinking water, etc.  After 1 week of this goal I'm actually up 1 pound!  And no, it's not muscle or I wouldn't be wearing sweats today.  Working out is actually really miserable.  How do people enjoy it?  I don't get it?  It doesn't make me feel happy other than a huge relief when its finally over.  Last week, on a scale of 1 to 10,  I was around a 7.5 on the happy scale.  After last weeks challenge, I have to LOWER my happy scale to a 6.8.  Basically, week one stunk!  I need a new happy challenge.  Maybe a happiness project for the impatient & lazy?  Yeah, that sounds more up my alley.  I'm going to continue working out & eating right this week BUT, at all costs, avoid stepping on the scale.

Let's move on, (shake it off girlfriend) and focus on something else.  Ahem, ORGANIZING.  An organized home is a dream of mine.  I'd love to have closets that were well designed.  I love labels and baskets & clean counters.  After this last week of failed attempts at upping my happy dance, I think I can find happiness success at finishing up some pesky projects that are cluttering up my closets and counters.

Here are some of my goals for this week:
1.  Hang new entry way light
2.  Hang dining room light
3.  Hang pictures & art in master bedroom
4.  Attach letter K's to K's room
5.  Hang road signs in K's room
6.  Hang art in M's room
7.  Unpack boxes in the office

Obviously, my To Do list is basically finishing moving into my house.  I think it will make my brain more zen-like to not see stacks of photos and art leaning agains every wall in every room of the house.

Happiness Project Score Week One:  FAIL
The nice thing about week one being a complete disaster is there's no where to go but UP!  Like my Pollyanna attitude?  I prefer describing it as Pollyanna attitude rather than calling it what it is, DENIAL.....But anyway, back to happy stuff.  Here's some organizing genius that are inspiring me this week:

 via

                                                                                    via

via 

via Pottery Barn

Good luck finding your happy's people.  Hopefully you'll have better luck than me..... 

Living with M

My daughter should start her own blog or etsy site.  At 10 years old she has more creative genius in her pinky than I'll ever have.  And while I complain about the endless amounts of tape, needles & thread and scraps of paper that are continually cluttering up every. single. room. in. my. house!  I will say, she comes up with some amazing creations.  Here's a few of my favorites (mostly) from this week.  Yes, just this week!  That's a lot of crafts!

She made this bunny for her little brother.  He lovingly named him Germy.  That's a brother for ya!

Her first try at a pillow, actually, her first try at sewing.  Pretty good eh?


This is what I found on my desk this morning.  And a lot of tiny scraps of paper to boot.  There are always scraps of paper around....


Here's where the tape comes out.  Friends come over and the TP dress designs come out.  This is her attempt at Project TP Runway....



 A quick little water color of a grasshopper before lunch. Again, brother's request.



My favorite- the owl.  She mastered french knots after just showing her once.  Impressive eh?  We have a new obsession for owls here.  Real owls creep me out just a little though.  I prefer the funky colored creative owls myself.  And don't get me started on snails.  They're gross.  But not this one.  This one is Adorb!




I'm pretty sure she has a fun career ahead.  Hopefully she can hire someone to clean up after her, because that is a full time job!  Trust me, I'd know.....

navy obsession

Navy blue.  I feel like I'm looking at my closet from 1996.  It was all about navy and brown & gold.  Well it's back baby.  And OH! how I've missed you!  My sista is busy ripping off wall paper and re-texturing two bathrooms.  I was excited to hear about her navy bathroom (and possibly bedroom) walls!  I can't wait to see how it turns out.  But until then, I've been collecting navy wall ideas just to ensure how purrrty they will be!  And I've got to say, you can't go wrong with navy.  It's stunning!

 Looks fantastic with white trim and accessories.

 Looks amazing paired with orange and lime green!

 Beautiful with dark brown furniture....

 Love it with the chartreuse towel.....

 I've had my eye on this bathroom for awhile.  Gold stenciled ceiling say what?!

So navy walls work in a living room, powder bathrooms, nursery, dining rooms and bedrooms.  Um, so they work anywhere?  Exactly what I thought!