Sunny Skies Ahead

I finished a project!!!!  It's a miracle when you take into account the amount I'm working, how picky I am with paint colors and the fact that I don't own an electric sander.  Painting two little bed side tables seems like the quickest, easiest project right?  Well, I have to admit...I didn't have any snags.  It was easy.  But time consuming.  It took me three days.  hahahaha  But I DID it!

Here's the before picture in case you forgot what they looked like:

I love the lines of this piece and it has sentiment in our family.  It was my great aunt Syb's before she passed away.  It was tired, though, with water rings on top, two different wood stains as well as two ear flaps that extended the table top but also made it look terrible.  Here's what a little sander and a $7 can of paint did:

Isn't it sweet?!  It's the perfect shade of butter yellow and it's my one BIG pop of color in this room.  This picture makes these side tables seem like they are going to overwhelm the space with yellow, yellow, yellow, but never fear.  All of the neutrals coming in will quiet it right down.  My next project is also a paint job.  I plan to tackle the two dressers next.  Wish me luck and stay tuned to the blog for more updates!

Inspired

I was looking through Centsational Girl's blog this morning and was reminded of a project I've been wanting to tackle for a while now.  This wall is a play on finish and I think it's absolutely divine.  I love that they've done this in their bedroom, but I was thinking it would look great in our foyer.  Check out the post here and tell me what you think!

Truth: Creativity or Hard Work

People tell me often that they wish they were creative...like me.  I should take that as a compliment.  I really should.  But we're being honest here, right?  I'm not more creative than the average person.  I just work really hard at the things in my life that "require creativity".  It is my personal belief that for the most part anyone can be or do anything they put their mind to.  If a person decides they'd like to be a singer, it's completely possible.  They may learn slower than someone who has natural talent at it from the beginning, but it is still possible.  They will need to get lessons from the right people and be very diligent, but again...it's possible.  Same with dancing, photography, interior design, and any other craft that is considered to require creativity or talent.  

Photography does not come natural to me!  It took me a full year before my first boss in the photography world trusted me enough to take my own pictures.  That's about a thousand photo sessions to practice.  No joke.  I have learned through much diligence and the proper training to be a technician (not an artist) and work really hard to prepare for my clients so it SEEMS like I'm full of ideas and creativity when the actual session happens.  How's that for truth!!!  It's the same with design, decor and diy.  I have no formal training and quite honestly have never done anything like this before.  But I want a pretty house.  :) So I've been researching and practicing for the past few years in preparation for all this.  Andrew is soooo sick of seeing HGTV on the tube when he gets home, but I let it run ALL DAY in the background in hopes that I'll soak in a little more information that might help me make our house beautiful!

Sooo, why write all this?  Because the next time someone says they wish they were creative like me, I will be able to tell them that they are!  I would LOVE to hear what all you amazing creative people are doing with your homes.  Do you have pictures?  If so, please send them to me and I'll post them on the blog!!!

Emma loves our new couch

This month has been crazy!  Decorating and house stuff has come to a complete halt at least until work calms down a bit.  But we finally got our new couch delivered and the whole family is really enjoying it!  Especially Emma.  :)

She's the perfect little accessory to the perfect couch!  You can find her any time of day lounging or napping in between the cushions.  (I'm not the only one in the family that LOVES pillows.)

One question - does anyone know of a prettier way to keep our hardwood floors protected?  We have antique brass wheels on the front side of the couch, but are afraid if we don't cover them with those awful black rubber things, they'll scratch the floor right up.

Get Inspired: Fashion

Now more than ever before, fashion is inspiring interior design in a HUGE way.  Oh Joy!, one of my favorite blogs, has an entire column dedicated to finding the similarities between these two driving forces.  It's called This & That and has totally opened my eyes to the way I should shop for my home.  If I'd wear it if it were a cute skirt, I should consider a similar pattern for a rug in my home.  So simple!  Here's a few examples of This & That's fashion and design comparison:

Don't you love it? It makes me want to go through my wardrobe and pick out the design for my dining room right now! ;)