{Blogging} Last Chance

If you haven't yet signed up for Linky Followers please consider doing so.  Pretty please?  You can find the link in my sidebar.  As I'm sure you are very aware by now Google Friends Connect (GFC) will no longer allow non blogger blogs to follow as of March 1st.

/ 1 /

And the bottom line is I'll miss you.  :)

 

XOXO,

{Blogging} Tag...I'm it!

I've been tagged!  In an online game of tag, it's now my turn to answer 11 random questions presented by Tiffany from Living Savvy.  Sounds like fun.  Why not?  I figured it was a good way for my readers to get to know me a little better.

Here are the rules...

You must post the rules
Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you; then create 11 questions to ask the people you've tagged
Tag 11 people and link them in your post
Let them know you have tagged them

And now the answers to my questions.  You just may find out information you never wanted to know  :)

1.  How many times a day do you check email, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest?

Too many to count.

2.  What is your favorite reality show?

It's a close tie between The Housewives of Orange County and The Housewives of Beverly Hills.  They're my guilty pleasure.  Yes, I DVR them and watch the reruns.

3.  Where would you have a vacation house?

Anywhere with warm weather and palm trees.

4.  Heels or flats?

Heels.  Totally heels.

5.  If you weren't {current career path} you would be ____________.

A jewelry designer.

6.  Hoarder, donate, or throw away?

I try to reuse as much as I own as possible, but I'm definitely not a hoarder.  I can't stand clutter.  I'll either hold a yard sale or donate what I can't find use for.

7.  Favorite fast food place.

Most don't know that I'm somewhat of a health nut.  I don't generally write about that here on the blog, but I'm totally into healthy eating, natural beauty, and fitness...for both me and my family.  But, if I had to choose a fast food indulgence, it would be McDonalds.  Those fries are just too good.

8.  What is the one item you want to change in your house right now?

This was a hard one for me to answer because being infatuated with design I am always inspired by beautiful spaces that I come across.  But the most immediate thing that comes to mind is an update to my master bedroom.  The space is nice, but I'd really love to create a calm and serene place for my husband and I.  Stay tuned.  I'm sure that it will be a project that I tackle soon.

9.  Do you have any hidden talents?

I have a mean outside shot.  :)

10.  Do you try clothes on before you buy them or try them on at home and then return?

I do a majority of my shopping online.  So I have to say that I try them on at home and then return.

11. What do you like most about blogging?

My favorite thing about blogging is the amazingly talented people I have met.

/ 1 / 2  / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 /

And now for your questions...

1.  What's your favorite non-blog related activity?

2.  What's your favorite vacation spot?
3.  Who is your celebrity crush?

4.  Who's fashion style do you most admire?

5.  What's your biggest pet peeve?

6.  If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you'd do?
7.  Signature cocktail?
8.  If I looked in your fridge right now, what would I find?
9.  Are you a morning or a night person?

10.  What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?

11.  Reveal one thing your readers don't know about you.

O.K. ladies!  Now, it's your turn!  I have tagged these 8 great bloggers because I admire their blogs...

Satori Design for Living

Maxwell House Interiors

View Along the Way
Shine Your Light
The Design Pages
Conspicuous Style
White Lacquer
DIY by Design

XOXO,

{Tutorial} Make Your Own Free Printable Art

Art can add personality to your home.  There's no better way to add your own style to your space than by adding artwork.

Here's how you can create free printable artwork that reflects your personal taste and style...

What you'll need...

Frame and Mat
Cardstock
Computer and Printer




First visit The New York Public Library Digital Gallery. It is a great resource for free and open access to over 800,000 digitized images.





I happen to love black and white botanical prints.  After a quick search I came across the images I wanted to use.  Search for Assiette to find the images I chose,  but you can do a search of just about anything.

Choose an image and print it onto cardstock. 

Place prints into mats and frames. The images seemed to worked best with a mat cut for a 4 x 6 opening.

Let me know if you create your own free printable art from The New York Public Library Digital Gallery.  I'd love to see what you do.  :)

XOXO,

Linking to...
C.R.A.F.T.
A Blonde's DIY Life
A Bowl Full of Lemons
Project Queen
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Home Stories A to Z

{My Home} Bookshelf Styling Part I

My living room bookshelf has been a work in progress.  After painting the back a charcoal grey my focus has turned to styling.

Part I has been to use as many accessories as I could that I already owned.  You can see how I shopped my own home and updated some accessories here.

    

In addition to shopping my own home I created these art pieces.  I have to say that I absolutely love them.  They are so me.  :)

On Monday, I'll be sharing the easy way you can create your own free printable art.

    

I have to say I'm really happy with how it's coming along, but I don't feel finished.  I'm totally in love with the white accessories against the charcoal background.

Part II will be to add additional pieces I love as I find them.  I want the bookshelf to feel as if it were collected over time.


What have you been up to?





XOXO,





Linking to...
Shine Your Light
.

Oh, How Pinteresting! {2/24/12}

Look what I pinned this week...

All photos courtesy of my Pinterest page.

Did you have a pinteresting week?

XOXO,

Guest Posting at Satori Design for Living

Shauna over at Satori Design for Living has this fun challenge called The Designer Challenge Series.  She provides you with three furniture choices and then asks you to choose one and to design a space around it!

Here are the three furniture choices Shauna provided me...

Long Wooden European Console from Wisteria

Ro Sham Beaux Circle Console from Zinc Door

Upcycled Mahogany Chest from Etsy (no longer available)

 

Which one do you think I chose?

Take a look at Shauna's great design blog to find out and to see the room I designed around it.

Thanks Shauna, for asking me to be part of this fun series!

 

XOXO,

{My Home} The Snowball Effect

It's bound to happen.  Just as I finish one project, I'll walk into another area of my home and I'll notice another project that just has to be done...immediately.  Because it clashes/is outdated in comparison/doesn't match the style of the rest of the home/insert any other excuse here.  Funny whatever the project may be, it didn't seem to look so bad or wasn't in such need of a makeover before. 

This is exacty what has happened in my main bathroom.  Since the rest of the adjoining spaces have been newly painted, the main bathroom looks dingy, dirty and outdated in comparison. 

Hence, the snowball effect.

So, in the name of a good project and a decent before and after I will keep it real and share with you the mess my main bathroom currently is because on a total whim, in the middle of three thousand ongoing projects, with guests coming over on Saturday and with my son currently home for the week from school,  I decided that this was the perfect time to start sampling paint colors.  I know...brilliant.  Sometimes I'm my own worst enemy.

Welcome to my hot mess...

The current wall color is Benjamin Moore Navajo White. It's a pretty white, but has a yellow undertone that now seems to clash with the adjoining spaces.

You may notice in the pictures that there are letters above the paint samples.  This is my attempt at keeping track of the paint color names.

Here are some of the colors I sampled...


Benjamin Moore November Rain
Benjamin Moore Ballet White
Benjamin Moore Sonnet
Benjamin Moore Pale Oak
Benjamin Moore Clarksville Gray
Benjamin Moore Dolphin
Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray

And now back to my regularly scheduled programming.  Focus Jean, Focus.  :)




XOXO,

{Retail Therapy} Rug Thoughts

I've been searching for an area rug for my living room.  I find a beautiful style, and it's not the right color.  I find a color I love, and it's not the right size.  I find the right size, and it's way out of budget...or worse, out of stock!  Aaaaaaargh! 

Just some thoughts...

Dash and Albert Catamaran Stripe

6' x 9'  $298.00

Overstock Marrakesh Trellis


7'6" x 9'6"  $308.54



Overstock Chelsea Rug



7'9" x 9'9"  $278.79




Overstock Alexa Rug




7'6" x 9'6"  $288.14







Which would you choose?  Do you have any good sources for area rugs?




XOXO,

Oh, How Pinteresting! {2/17/12}

Look what I pinned this week...

 

 

 

 

All photos courtesy of my Pinterest page.

 

Did you have a pinteresting week?

 

XOXO,