Showing posts with label living room. Show all posts
Showing posts with label living room. Show all posts

1.22.2014

Going to Target for tennis balls: AKA the makings of a gallery wall

It started with an innocent trip to Target to pick up some new tennis balls so I could wash my pillows (I saw something on Pinterest and had been disgusted with myself that in my 26 years of living I've never once washed my pillows)

Naturally, in an effort to get the most cardio out of said trip, I HAD to push my cart around the entire perimeter of the store, and up and down every aisle.

Which is why I ended up in the picture frame aisle. The picture frame aisle full of little red signs from heaven. Known to most as clearance stickers.

And suddenly I HAD to touch them. And lay them out. And everyone walking past me that evening at Target was all 'what the hail is this weirdo doing sitting on the floor in aisle C7??'



Things got a LITTLE weird when people started asking me to point them in the direction of Draino and dog biscuits, but I realized I had a red shirt on and smiled and spouted off random aisles. I left Target with six or seven new frames, and headed around the corner to TJ Maxx to scope out their selection. Suddenly I was on a mission.  A mission that no longer involved tennis balls and clean bedding, since I completely forgot that at Target.

I used a few Christmas gift cards and walked out of the Maxx with two very full bags and headed home to play. Instead of going with all black frames, I picked up a mix of woods, metals, white ceramic and black frames to add a little more interest and make it look less catalog-y


I understand that some people are very organized and excellent planners and cut out templates and measure and use stud finders, yada yada yada. Meanwhile I grabbed a box of nails and a hammer and just started making holes.

Somehow it seemed to work out decently.


Now I have spent the past two weeks trying to decide what exactly I want to put INTO my frames.
(Does anyone else miss the days when they would put fake families in picture frames, at least that way my wall would LOOK like someone cared about me) 

It looks a little lot better than the ohsoboring bare wall that used to adorn my living room!

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2.19.2013

Our kind of crazy

Valentine's Day is weird to me.

I'm the kind of girl who shows up to the cities "four star restaurants", 10 stages below 'dolled up', and dines to my hearts content on martinis and sliders. Anyone care for a lesson in humility?

Needless to say, the whole 'gussy up and enjoy impossible-to-hear conversation in a packed house of Valentiners for overpriced heart-shaped meals' isn't exactly my thing. And when LT confessed that this was his first true Valentines day, I decided he definitely didn't need to succumb to that torture.

I threw out the idea of a non-schmoozy Valentine's celebration. Perhaps a night in, which evolved into cooking dinner together, which ultimately settled upon homemade pizzas and building a fort.

(When you don't have a rolling pin, you get resourceful)
Armed with an air mattress  every spare sheet and blanket in my house and a few strands of Christmas lights we set to work.



A little bit goofy? Maybe. But it was laid back, and chill. It was our kind of crazy. It was just us. One chicken ranch pizza, some Matthew McConaughey movies, the coziest fort and a box of girl scout cookies later... I was in Valentine'd bliss.




And yes, said fort is still engulfing my living room. I think Holly was right when she informed me it looked like a "forever fort"

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11.10.2011

A little bit of fall

Exactly one week from today marks the 1 year anniversary of the buying my house! Yep, November 17th was the day I got the keys!

Except, even though the house was mine, all mine, way back in November I didn't move in til January. So this marks my first true 'holiday season' as a homeowner. 

I'm still easing into all the holiday decorating hoopla, but my mantle has gotten a little bit of a fall touch!

I picked that wooden frame up at Goodwill for like a dollar a few months ago! It had the ugliest 'ship at sea' print in it... but I love the frame itself. And that candle... heaven in a jar (Yankee Candle's Mountain Lodge)

And just for sheer entertainment purposes, here was the mantle this exact time last year before the house was mine. Snazzy, no?!

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4.11.2011

Successful weekend

I paid off my couch this weekend. Woohoo! Mini victories!! There were big things I bought when moving into my house... the couch, and the appliances.


I hateeeee having 'credit card debt' hanging over my head, but everyone convinced me I should go ahead and do the "18 month no interest" financing, just so I can hang onto the cash in case something were to go wrong. I took their advice... and grumbled every month when I got those two bills ha. So I'm extremely happy to be down to one!

Can I get a mini hallelujah?!


That hallelujah is fitting, considering I got Jehovah'd this weekend. Nothing against them, I just don't prefer the door-to-door religion thing.

I woke up to a thunderstorm on Saturday and did a little sewing and crafting. I am working on a wreath for my front door... it involves burlap and a fabric flower... I can't wait to finish & share!!
I caught up with a friend over non-sushi sushi that night (I get a roll with tempura chicken and mango, it's heavenly)


I worked on my yard all day Sunday - and even developed a bit of a farmers tan. YES! We had a gorgeous weekend, full of sunshine and blue skies! I've got soo many flowers popping up, which makes me so happy! It's odd buying a house in the fall... you don't know what's gonna be on your plate come spring. I can say I'm pleasantly surprised so far!

This is my favorite bush, it's blooming a bright coral color right outside my sun room.
Russell is a fan of it too!


And I also made some super delicious chocolate chip cookies. I've been auditioning new recipes the past year or so... these may just be my favorite so far!




 In fact, I'm eating a few right now for breakfast!

Hmm what else... oh yea, my plate wall in the dining room no longer exists... one plate crashed down yesterday shattering, so I removed the rest for now. I guess I spoke too soon about my love for CommandStrips!

Here's hoping my 4 day work week flies by... i can't wait to jaunt off to Vegas on Friday!!
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3.22.2011

Filling up the walls

Aside from taping the entire Classifieds section of the paper to my wall Sunday, I've been doing some other decorating here and there too! It's so nice to finally get some things up on the wall and knick knacks around (that aren't just things waiting to be put away!)

I got my mirror spraypainted and hung in the bathroom, as well as painting and hanging some little accent mirrors I picked up at Goodwill for $0.49 each!


 I decided to spruce up my laundry area in the basement with a rug of Chris' that was just sitting there rolled up in the corner. (Hah see that blur of Russell in the corner? He loves to run hot laps around the basement!)
And don't ask me why the washer & dryer hookups are on completely separate walls. For that, I do not have an answer.

A few weekends ago my mom and I went to Exit 76 Antique Mall (if you're ever in the area, stop! It's huge and wonderful) and I found, among other things, these antique corner moldings for $5 a piece
 I scooped up three and they now hang on the wall between my kitchen and downstairs bathroom!

 I also hung up my masterpiece that I created at Wine and Canvas!
 It now lives over my reading chair in my living room!

 I can't forget about the adorable vintage scale I got at Exit 76 too! It's on my hoosier cabinet in the sitting room (that still hasn't had any work done since I last showed you hehe)

 Hmm what else... oh there's my chalkboard in the kitchen! Also from an antique store. (That my mom left a note on when she dropped something off at my house while I was at work!)


Oh, and lastly. Godbless this little angel who popped over to my blog to let me know that my hopes of a fluffy rug aren't lost. (Which is a good thing, because it's really starting to grow on me!)
I plan on having a little grooming sesh with my rug this evening. (Perfect timing, considering Aly bailed on me for our dinner date we had planned tonight!)
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3.18.2011

rug burn: sneak peak

I came home to a big ol box sitting on my front porch stoop yesterday! I knew it was my Flokati rug from Joss & Main! I hurried inside, pulled it into the house and ripped into it.  I had been anticipating my big shag rug since before I even moved into my house!

Russell spent some time inspecting it, he wasn't quite sure what to think.

I'm not quite sure what to think either.

To be honest... it's not that soft, or thick. Does anyone else have a Flokati rug? Are they all like this? In pictures they look so billowy and full, mine feels more like a matted dog.
Is there a trick that I missed out on? Are you supposed to brush the rug or something!?

I'm kinda bummed! And considering returning it....
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3.10.2011

rug burn

I still don't have internet in my house.



I nearly had it a few weeks ago, it was all ordered and an installation date picked out.... until AT&T called me back and said "Sorry... we actually don't offer THAT package in your area, but we do offer THIS one that's only $30 more a month (equally nearly $50/month)!


My response, sorry but I'm not paying THAT for internet a month! KTHANKSBYE.


Why is it so dang expensive, seriously?!


So, I do my shopping while at work. But don't tell. I bought a rug yesterday from Joss & Main, and in my rush to get-it-ordered-and-close-the-window-before-boss-sees I put in my old zip code with the shipping address. DOH.


I immediately emailed the customer service addresses once I noticed, but haven't heard back yet. Grrr.



If you didn't pick up on the hints... I ordered a white Flokati rug. I have been debating/saving up for like 3 months and I finally decided upon it and took the plunge!

Don't yah think it'll look wonderful in my living room?!



I can't wait til I get it! (If I do hah... if they fix the dang address that I screwed up!)


[all imgs from decorpad; except the ones of my own living room hehe]
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1.25.2011

Living Room Progress

The living room is probably the room that has gotten the most "attention". We (ah hem, my mom) finally hemmed the curtains this past week, and I'm now scrutenizing the bare walls everytime I'm in there. I've got a few ideas up my sleeve using some things we already have lying around!

Let me refresh your brains by showing you the MLS listing photos from before the house was mine...


 
And what it looks like now, minus the old lady furniture, wallpaper, and plethora of faux blooms...



 (Don't mind the extra curtain rods taking residence on the wall over there)
Miss Livy's matching chair!
I can't wait until spring so I can get this cabinet sanded down and painted
 This chair has proven to be SO comfortable!


 And I found this antique soda crate at the antique mall last weekend... I fell in love with it and knew I had to bring it home with me! I love how the green lettering matches the curtains!

So... any suggestions for over-the-fireplace art/decor pieces?? I'm stumped! I believe there will be a mirror(s) of some sort going over the couch, so I need to come up with something other than a mirror for the fireplace!

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