No Words . . . Just Music !

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As if Alabama doesn't get enough credit with just
producing Alabama Chanin from it's creative belly, check this out!
I can hardly wait to see this documentary!
Here's the WEBSITE. 
You'll want to see this too!

(Dear Beat Dropping, You'll want to put this on your 
to-see list when you get back from your adventure in Belize!
I hope you got that drum lesson and have a video of your own to share!)

Dear Santa . . .

~ image via etsy ~

Santa, I've been so good this year!

Finding this little guy in my stocking would NOT upset me!

Confessions . . .

This is why I scroll.

and scroll...and scroll!

For months I've been painting a bookcase/media cabinet that HandyHusband built for the family room re-do. Each phase has been a painful one for this cabinet. HandyHusband's dyslexia got the pieces all flipped around when he installed a drawer for CDs and that was a tearful discovery when he so proudly brought it home and tried to put it together. (Picture HH in the floor, on his back, with a tear rolling toward his ear.) But it all worked out. Back to the workshop, corrections were made, but it was now my turn on the project. I decided it needed to be "decoratively" painted, distressed and glazed. 

Unfortunately, I'm still on the decoratively painted phase...it's a pain!

It takes hours and hours. I'm pleased so far, but I was stuck!

Until I saw the image above this morning on PLAID!

Do you follow their blog? YOU SHOULD!

Images above were gathered from Benjamin Moore by PLAID!

Benjamin Moore Color stories are also a good follow!

Base Molding, HERE I COME!

{sneak peek: I told you he was handy!}

Another Southern Crush !

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I teared up when I watched this video!

It's an overwhelming feeling when you watch

a video on someone who is EXACTLY who your dream ME is.

I love how Natalie Chanin is putting people back to work.

I love how it is producing things that are handmade.
I love EVERYTHING about this line!

I've gushed over them before, HERE and HERE.

but I just had to share this video from Etsy's Handmade Portraits.

Natalie, YOU'VE BEEN CRUSHED...AGAIN!

I recently ordered the color cards for their organic cotton.

My needle will be in this soon... Maybe I can figure out a way to

get to a workshop and actually meet her! 

Anybody wanna go with me?

Completely Haunted . . .

I saw this Lucas Studio Interior on Cote de Texas

this morning and I can't stop thinking about 

this wallpaper!

Does anyone know whose it is?

I. HAVE. TO. HAVE. THIS.

HandyHusband is about to start the upstairs bookcase/cupboards

and I do believe this will be hanging on the wall behind them. 

HELP!

***UPDATE***

So sad...Joe Lucas just replied to my email whining...

It is a DISCONTINUED Osborne & Little Fabric

I could seriously cry tears over this news.

Pillow Inspiration !

~ Finders Keepers Market ~

The New Victorian Ruralist

love it!

I've got the whole family room redo to pillow up!

...Here's a peek so far...

{the background is to reupholster my sofa * the fabric with the fun medallions is my chairs which just arrived * I have 7.5 yards of the French Knot twig fabric and plan to use it somehow in the drapes maybe with a pecan linen * zebra linen trimmed in blue, pussy willow, and French knot monogram are for pillows on the chaise which will need a slipcover * the crewel is for 2 throw pillows on the sofa}

I need some darker fabrics. Have you seen anything fun that would work?

I loved those super chunky-giant corduroy chairs I posted yesterday.

I need that fabric to break up the duck egg blue on the sofa.

...I saw it somewhere this week in the blue...

but I liked that pecan color...or olive green would be fun!

My Bee Skep Needlepoint looks good in the mix too.

I gotta get that finished...only a few more leaves to go!

Maybe I'll needlepoint a rug for in front to the fireplace when I finish!

...It's a start, don't you think...

...being a do-it-yourselfer and on a tight budget is hard...

but I wouldn't have it any other way!

I've Got My Work Cut Out for Me . . .

The Great Family Room Redo...

Ok, y'all know that Hot Husband and I decided that once the dog passed away and the boy went to college that we'd start all of our empty nest projects. Out with the old and in with the new and clean, right? (And keep me from losing my mind and dying of loneliness.) Well, now I'm dying of design envy. I went to ~ Circa ~ today and did NOT want to come home.... We started decorating our home 20 years ago @ Circa so it was only natural to return now that it's time to do it again...

I want this sofa in my study, like yesterday!

(fyi, the study is not on the fix-it list. will never be able to sneak this in the house.)

(and brently, I spy a sonitrol sticker! woohoo!)

These are not greats picture, but I loved this adorable small display shelf. 

Of course I'd have to go spend even more money to find stuff

worthy of display, but I'm sure I could find a great

place for this in my new clean family room.

Another not so great picture of a piece I could

definitely lose some sleep over!

Can you tell? It's beige hide and irresistible!

The detailing on most of their upholstered pieces and their pillows

is enough to send a seamstress into emotional distress!

Seriously, the attention to detail is beautiful!

I want to incorporate this detail when I reupholster the sofa!

And this is definitely on the wish list! 

We need to add an extra chair to the seating arrangement and 

I WANT THIS ONE!

The focus at the moment, however, is getting the sofa reupholstered,

replacing our club chairs and storing the old ones for 

one of the kids to adopt and slipcover.

(I'm guessing that will be ~ PrettyStuff ~ as she graduates from college in May!)

Circa has an incredible back room of lamps and shades.

I'll need to go back with a need-list and maybe

a lamp or two in hand.

If you've been to my house, you know about the "room" I refer to

as "the studio." It's where all my "stuff" happens.

Years ago I "acquired" (uh-hm..found on the curb) 

a sideboard that I crammed full of knitting magazines,

beading supplies and...well stuff, but Circa had several pieces that have

maybe inspired me to get it painted and use it in the family room for the TV.

There's a piece (16 drawer chest!) at ~ Rooney Robison Antiqes ~

that I'm dying for, but then I couldn't get new chairs...sooo

I have to just admire it on Thursdays, but I think I 

will buy these glass bottles!

(dear husband, hot husband, can I go ahead and get these

before Woozie buys them?)

So, as you can see, I have my work cut out for me. There's lots of painting and sewing in my near future, but at least it helps with missing the kids. We're ordering club chairs today and I think by the time they arrive, I will have finished the Hobbs's Room Makeover and the pillows for the Master Bedroom. I'll be able to focus on the list I created for myself today. Being able to do-it-yourself is a bit of a budget blessing, but it's also a curse...You can't justify anything you can make yourself and I'm afraid after what I saw today, my handy work won't measure up... 

I borrowed all of the Circa pics from ~ Their Shop Blog ~ 

and you can acquire more Rooney Robison crushes ~ HERE ~

WANT !

I want ~ this ~ for Hobbs's bedspread,

but it's not going to happen.

It would look great with the blanket I got from 

~ White Flower Farmhouse ~

...It looks great with the grey in the ceiling...

Canvas The Joint . . .

I finished one of Hobbs's bolster pillows today.

I have no idea what I measured when I started these things,

but when I put the pillow form into what I thought was a finished project...

NOT! 

I was almost finished and it was about a foot too long!

I was so focused on getting them the right size around, I guess

I forgot to actually measure the length, so what was suppose

to take me one hour tops, ended up several, a total refitting.

and lots of poking around with the seam ripper.

Seriously, I almost cried. UGHHHH!

But at the end of the day (and the foot of the bed)

One bolster pillow checked off my list.

It looks like a duffle bag and 

I lettered it with sentimental locations.

(My feet up there are standing on one of them!)

Pillows for guys are hard. Most guys aren't exactly fans of throw pillows, but I think Hobbs will approve. I'm keeping the trim to a minimum and when I do use it, I'm using the tough manly stuff (hemp). It's insanely difficult to sew as it is so dang thick and stiff. As you can see, my cording join sucks, but it was not a friendly cord and I was so close to throwing it all in the trash, but I figured Hobbs wouldn't care. And if I would quit pointing it out, maybe no one would notice. I wanted to be finished with these two bolsters before Hobbs comes home tomorrow for Thanksgiving Break, but it's not going to happen. What's left to make? 1 bolster, 2 Euros, 2 Standard Pillowcases, 1 18" Pillow, 1 coverlet, a pillow for the rocker, and finish the curtains. There's lots of stuff to frame and hang, but it's starting to look put back together...Maybe by Christmas break?!

A Timely Inspiration !

We have these fabulous vintage canvas pillows

~ @ Rooney Robison Antiques ~

They have been a great inspiration for the

big redo of Hobbs's (my gone to college son) room.

I just finished reupholstering an old rocker and need to move

on to making the bolsters and pillows for the bed.

A trip to Mary Jo's and ~ Front Door Fabrics ~ is in order, 

but I'm collecting inspiration to make my shopping list.

I just saw this bag on ~ Free People ~

and I'm ready now!

I'll let you know how it goes!

Here's a sneak peak at the chair and the ceiling!

He liked the "so far" when he came home for Fall Break.

I'm so slow...wish it was finished!

Sorry there are no action shots of me painting that ceiling.

A video would have been interesting, but lots

of bleeping out of questionable language!

(psst, you can click the collage to make it bigger and see more detail.)

Born with a Silver Spoon . . .

via ~ TheNester ~

But then what do you do with it?

love that fabric too!

How Do You Spell New Guest Room ?

~ Rikshaw Design ~

Ok, add yet another redecorating project to

the empty-nest-to-do list!

(available @ Cottage Chic here in Charlotte)

Gimme Some Zink !

Just saw this console table on 

~ Cote de Texas ~

She posted a great home today...go see.

This table is haunting me. I even sent the picture to the master of my honey-do list along with the kitchen pics. I know he's sitting at work rolling his eyes because I send him something "I think he can make for me" daily. But we're in the middle of LITTLE fixes and tweeks in our modest little home to make us happy about being there. It's empty now (not stuff, kids, but not this weekend) and we'd love to hitch our wagon to the next star, but reality is that we're pretty planted for awhile. First it was the laundry room, since it's pretty much the entrance everyone uses. I'm sure I'll post pictures when we have all the stuff on the walls, but Jeff did a bang-up job on the wooden counter tops and beadboard walls. Of course now I think he can tackle the kitchen with his saw and nail gun, but we moved on to Hobbs's room first... well, because it has never been worthy of the artist that lives in there. We're not finished with either of those projects and I'm off planning the next. Does anybody know where a do-it-yourselfer can find zink? I'm thinking my kitchen island so I need a big piece! Those of you that know me are shaking your head saying "typical, what does she think she can make all by herself now?" But new stuff makes all your old stuff look really old. And I don't mean in a fine antique kinda way... Except the way this sconce is hung on this old door...I'm gonna do that somewhere too! PrettyStuff, you want that in your room?!! 

visit ~ Cote de Texas ~ to see the rest!

Clearly Joni is one of my favorite 

interior design bloggers.

Cote de To-Do List . . .

via ~ Cote de Texas ~

Joni posted this picture from Southern Living today. I love the benches! Nobody feeds my to-do list like Joni Webb of ~ Cote de Texas!~ I've had a window seat ~ for my kitchen ~ on my honey-do list for forever. When Jeff doesn't like the idea, he doesn't jump right on it, so I'm thinking he hates the idea.

When I asked for beadboard in Hobbs's room and the laundry room last week, all you saw of him was a cloud of dust and two elbows. He ran to The Depot for all of his supplies. The old mini van was on two wheels turning out of the neighborhood and returned with the tailgate tied down to beadboard and molding. Within an hour, he was ripping tile off the wall so fast it blew my paint samples off the counter! Now don't go tell him I put this picture on the internet, but something tells me he'd be all puffed up proud of himself. Yes, he's 54, and can still wear his high school jeans... he swims several miles a week and spends his fare share of time in the weight room. It's enough to make a girl starve herself to death, but I'm proud of him... not proud of that stupid 20 year old stupid, stupid paint job but you didn't notice part that right?

via ~ Cote de Texas ~

Ok, back to the benches. If I did this, I could move my Hitchcock chairs into the dining room to mix with my shield back upholstered dining chairs. I think I should a-little-bit slipcover those too, but that's another idea for when I sneak my pink dining room into the house...

Suzanne Kasler via ~ Cote de Texas ~

see, I told you she rules my to-do lists in every room

I will have these pink drapes!

And I will show you Hobbs's Room and the

Laundry Room when I finish, 

but I'll warn you...

I'm slower than Christmas about decorating.

Hobbs looked like this last time I did anything

other than laundry in his room...

But it has to be put back together

by the time he comes home for Fall Break.

He IS coming home for Fall Break, RIGHT!?

Faux Real ?

Today, I read my ~ Cote de Texas ~ mail and

Joni had posted pictures of a wonderful cottage

for sale in San Antonio. Go see the rest of the

post, but the Master Bedroom was my favorite!

I loved how the bed was made with a simple linen bedspread. I think I'll do that when my coverlet needs replacing. I also loved the pair of linen smooshy club chairs. Don't you love the seat cushions... They make you just want to climb in. Now, let's talk about those antiqued mirrored doors... I think they are the best "reminder" I've scrolled across in a long time. Jeff keeps asking for honey-do projects since we're going to have an empty nest. I've always wanted a gianormous mirror leaning (to make me look skinny like in the dressing room at Anthropologie... but that's another rant... I mean post.) against my bedroom wall. Jeff's gotten pretty handy with his saw that I got for my birthday so I'm going to show him these pictures and I'll let you know if he takes the bait...

~ Horchow Arched Mirrors ~

~ Horchow Mirror with Candle Sconces ~

~ Horchow's Imperial Mirror ~

~ Jensen Maass ~

~ Antique Attic ~

~ J.Covington Designs ~

~ The Bella Cottage ~

To antique a new mirror, you'll need to remove the paint that usually covers the back of mirrors with paint stripper. Being careful not to scratch the silver coating.  With a spray bottle of Muriatic Acid, lightly spray any area on the back of the mirror anywhere that you want distressed antique spots. Let the acid sit for a minute or two and then remove it by wiping with a clean rag. Once you've removed enough of the mirrored surface, Paint the back of your mirror black. This is what gives you the black distressed spotting on the mirror.

If you have a favorite old mirror

or even just one on your wish list,

send me a pic or a link. 

I'd love to see it. 

I also LOVE this mirrored nightstand,

@ ~ Anthropologie ~

which could also be a DIY project!