Work VS Play . . .

Sometimes, my work just feels like I'm playing.

Rediculously Cool !

Ok, I know I have all I really need,

so I always say, "If I can't make it, I don't really need it."

because I NEED to make stuff.

I'm loving these paint rollers from 

THE PAINTED HOUSE by Clare Bosanquet

VERY COOL!

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!}

Color My World !

I think Leslie Sinclair has certainly figured out the 

KEY to BEAUTIFUL design and because I have

an insanely busy week ahead and behind me,

I've decided to extend HER BOOK GIVEAWAY.

If you've not visited Segreto's website, please take a moment 

to click in and get inspired. Personally, I need to redecorate

my entire home after my visit! This is my inspiration for

my very needy guestroom!

This coffee table...no words!

Maybe I should just move to Houston so I can have Leslie color my world.

For now, I'll have to settle for THE BOOK.

The Resource Directory in the back is worth a million bucks!

The pages, all 300 of them, are priceless!

From the embossed linen cover to the satin page marker,

this book is by far my favorite and most useful

interior design book that I've ever owned,

but my to-do list is now staggeringly long...thanks Leslie!

Follow Leslie and CrushParty on Facebook or her blog

for chances to win your own copy! It's surely worth a click or two!

Don't Forget About the GiveAway !

"Segreto, Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors" is more than

a portfolio of a painting firm's work. It's one of the most

beautiful collections of interior photographs I've ever seen.

I want to show you the entire book. 

I could sit with you and turn page after page and you'd hear me say, 

"Oh, this one's my favorite." as I pass every page, so you're just going to 

have to be "in it, to win it!"

...Make sure you check out her painted furniture...

...and the children's rooms are irresistible...

...These floors and risers...oh my...

...and this kitchen...

I HAVE NO WORDS!

truly my dream kitchen!

This is just a tiny peek inside what awaits you @ their Website.

I'd show you more, but the little noise the pages make

as you turn them in her Book Preview are delightful!

I know, silly, but while you're there, please look around!

To be entered in the giveaway to win the book you must

"like" Secrets of Segreto on Facebook or follow her Blog!

Want more chances to win? 

Like Crush Party or click follow in the sidebar 

and I'll throw your name in the hat twice!

I'll pick from EVERYBODY here next Monday, October 3rd!

Good Luck!

Pile It On . . .

~ SERENA & LILY ~

My mom saves me all her of catalogs and every time I visit, we pour over them with our coffee in the morning. There was a new one in the pile this trip and as I started to tear out the pages, I realized that I was going to tear every one, so I just brought the whole thing home with me. Then, of course, I ended up on their website and building a wish list...

From ~ Bedding ~

to ~ Furnishings, ~

 ~ lighting ~ to the ~ floor ~

...you'll find rugs, gifts, fabrics and more...

I thought this was the ~ sweetest baby blanket ~

I've ever seen and can't wait for someone

to have a baby so I can gift this!

Remember the 2 seagrass poufs I wanted?

Good things come to those who wait!

Replace one of those poufs with one of these ~ cubes! ~

...their ~ Paint Palate ~ is irresistible...

yes, I did tear this page from the catalog for 

my inspiration board!

They promise a ~ Bazaar ~ update on May 21st!

Of course that's ~ PrettyStuff's ~ graduation weekend,

so I'll have to sneak a tiny minute to check out the finds, because

from the looks of the previous items available, they won't last long!

...and if that's not enough...

...check out the sale pages...

...I found another fabulously priced baby gift...

...so...

Visit their website!

You are assured your very own crush list!

~ Serena & Lily ~

Orange Fence . . .

"When a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose?"

..."orange fence"...

watercolor...a cow at Gray's...Tiverton, RI

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 ~

I Adore . . .

...these painted floors...

image via ~ MFAMB ~

Wall Crush!

Simon Watson via ~ PrettyStuff ~

...I think these may be my new family room walls...

...or maybe the guest room...

...yeah, the guest room...