DIY Bookcase

I'm thinking that a lot of you may have seen this already, but just in case you haven't I didn't want you to miss out. Crafty Nest made the bookcase that you see above from the drawers that you see below. Love the way her mind works!

Mood Board Monday With MckLinky

It was fun hearing all of the comments yesterday regarding Mood Board Monday! Mama Thompson was loving the inspiration pieces and wishing she had a little girl. Sounds like Mom of 2 Cuties may actually be using them as a starting point for her 6 year old girl's bedroom (photos - pretty please! :-)). Chic Coles and Jennifer were loving the mood board idea. Laurel and Paula loved the trellis fabric and Kathy, Tracy, Tammy, Annie, and Kelly already had some ideas of how they would use it. Struggler had some ideas as well and suggested using MckLinky.

So... Here's what I'm thinking. At least at this point, Mood Board Monday still may not be every Monday, and there will be some Mondays where I'll do it, but it won't include MckLinky. However, on Monday, October 12th, I'll host the first Mood Board Monday with MckLinky. I'll post more "rules", if needed, on that day but here are some general guidelines for this first MBMWM (guidelines may or may not vary each time).

1. This is NOT a mood board competition for designers (although designers are certainly welcome to participate). THIS IS a fun way to share all of the creativity out there, and showcase how we can all start from one inspiration point and end up with a variety of ideas.
2. To be a participant, you need to create a complete mood board for a room of your choice using at least one of the two inspiration items shown below. Either the Delilah Window Panel from Pier 1 or the Garden Trellis Lime fabric from fabric.com OR both.
3. On MBMWM you will need to include sources in your post and give a brief description of the room. I know some of you out there are great writers (envious! :-)), but for those of us that aren't, please don't be intimidated by that. As long as you can create a mood board and generally describe it, we're good.

That's it! Whether you're looking forward to creating a mood board or just love the idea of seeing all of the different ideas, I'm interested in hearing your thoughts!

Hope you're having an awesome day!

SW Colormix 2010

Robert Allen Design/Sherwin Williams

I just received a publication in the mail today from Sherwin Williams highlighting their Colormix 2010, so I thought I would share it with you and see what you think!

The first color collection is called Refreshed. Sherwin Williams describes it as "Tropical blooms. Sunny days. Playful exploration. It's time to take a vacation and let our cares melt away. Happy spaces are here again, bringing fresh florals, bright juicy colors and exuberant combinations. It's the kaleidoscopic sprit of the '60s married to the jewel tones of the '80s, with a global twist. Cultural influences and motifs mingle freely, creating a bohemian mosiac that sings in perfect harmony."

Collection #2 - Rooted. Sherwin Williams says "It's human instinct to seek the safety of the tribe. In today's complicated world, there's something deeply satisfying about re-exploring the world's oldest, most enduring cultures. African, Aboriginal and Native American influences are converging to create a new tribal style with a drumbeat all its own. The colors are rich and earthy, with a hint of mystery. The appeal is as natural as the elements"

Collection #3 - Simplified. In Sherwin Williams' words "Less is clearly the new more. But the aesthetic is artful rather than austere, with well-tailored lines and sheer, translucent materials that reveal shape and structure. Clarity and integrity are critical. We need to know and trust what we're bringing into our environments. The hues are calm, subtle and nuanced, with undertones that shift according to their surroundings, for easy versatility."

And last, but not least. Treasured. Once again, here's Sherwin Williams - "A throwaway society? That's so yesterday. We're now making savvy, resourceful use of what we have, discovering untold stories in exposed, painted layers. From flea-market finds to artisan-made pieces, imperfections can lend rich character to our environments. The palette reflects the beauty of natural aging, mellowing and weathering, evoking quality materials that have stood the test of time and become heirlooms."

What do you think? Do any of these palettes "speak" to you?

Your feedback on Mood Board Monday was really helpful and it's helping me come to some conclusions. I'll post more about it tomorrow.

Mood Board Monday?

Hi! I'm back. Computer seems to be fine after it's little nap. It's done this before and I'm just not sure what the deal is. Maybe I'm on it too much? Very possible.

You may remember that I mentioned in passing last week that I was thinking of starting "Mood Board Monday". I still haven't completely decided how the whole thing will function, and if it will be every Monday or if it will always be done the same way. It just sounds like an idea that could be fun... Your feedback is welcome. I decided at least today's would be more interactive.

I found the trellis fabric above at fabric.com for $8.98 a yard. I really wanted to use it for a mood board for something and the lime was the only color that they had. Then I ran across these window panels at Pier 1 for $34.95 each and, even though I'm going strictly by how they look on the screen, they seem like they would work pretty well with the fabric. But for what? My first thought was a girl's bedroom. I thought the trellis fabric could be used to upholster an inexpensive headboard or make a bedskirt, or both. Or just used to make shams... The trellis fabric could be used on it's own as an accent in any room really if you liked the lime hue.

What room would you like to see it used for, if anything? Would you use the fabric and the window tx together (the pillow is from Target btw) or just the fabric as a starting point for something completely different? Or are you just not liking it at all?

Thanks to Love the Decor for reminding me that The Nester is having her huge 24 hour giveaway. It ends tomorrow night (Tuesday, Sept 29th) so be sure to hop over and register for all of the great prizes!

Shopping Gift Card Giveaway WINNER!

I apologize for the late post on this. I intended to get it done right away this morning, but I've had a very frustrating computer day today for no reason that I can put my finger on. Everything I ask my computer to do seems to be almost more than it can bear, and it decides to hang up or shut down at will. It was starting to make me very crabby until I remembered that considering all of the problems I COULD be having today, this is a pretty minor detail. Right? While I've been waiting for my computer to do it's thing I've reminded myself to count my blessings, which are many. Amazing how it puts things into perspective and lowers the blood pressure! :-)

The comments for the giveaway were kept as they were, in date and time order, with any duplicates removed. If you commented in a separate comment that you had posted about the giveaway, that comment was included. If you posted about the giveaway and included it in your original comment, but not in a separate comment, an extra entry was added at that point in the comments. Confusing enough?

The winner was determined via the randomizer, and the lucky winner is KATIE! (see comment entry below). Congratulations Katie! Hopefully you're reading this, because there is not a link to a blog or e-mail from your comment so I don't have any way of contacting you. Please e-mail me your mailing address and confirm which gift card you want and I'll get it out to you!

Thank you so much to all of you who participated in the giveaway and all who have signed up to be both followers and subscribers! The response was surprising, and somewhat amazing, to me and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. The more people who follow, of course, the more important your feedback is to help me make the blog most helpful to you, so keep the comments and e-mails coming!

I'm hoping to get another post out today, but I can't make any promises. I'm shutting my computer down for a while hoping that if it gets a little nap it will feel better. :-) Thanks for your patience!

Hope you're all having a great day!

DIY Wall Art Inspiration

Hope you're having a great Sunday! Just a quick post...

This art from diyideas.com uses repeating placemats to make a dramatic statement. With all of the different colors/styles/textures of placemats out there, imagine all of the different looks you could create. This is a simple project and complete instructions are available on their site.

Crafty Nest (tutorial on site) hangs family photos from drawer pulls using pant hangers! How creative is that???!!!

Here's a fresh take on doilies by the Crafty Nest (tutorial on site)...
Heather at Home Sweet Blog (tutorial on site) painted and stenciled her own wall art.

Don't forget that the Shopping Gift Card Giveaway ends today at 11 p.m. CST!

Chocolate Anyone?

Chocolate Filled Bon Bons (recipe here)

Canadian House and Home Photo Michael Graydon

It's very rainy here today and a little coolish. This type of weather always puts me in a nesting, baking mood, which of course means chocolate! (Is there any type of baking that doesn't involve chocolate? I'm not aware... :-)) Thus, the very random chocolate post.

I not only love to eat chocolate but I also wear a lot of brown, and I love brown in decorating. It's such a great neutral and, although I've kept this post pretty straight chocolate, brown can be paired with any color. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet... It all works!

Whether it's for your design or your diet, hopefully you'll find a little chocolate inspiration here...

I love this sophisticated bedroom designed by Jennifer Flanders.

Interior Designer Jennifer Flanders

Of course I thought this chocolate wallpaper and staircase with the contrasting white was striking, but what really interested me was the fact that they covered the risers with metallic tile and encased the bottom stairs in stainless steel.

myhomeideas.com

Love the milk chocolate walls here. Also love that they mixed up the chair styles. They used a completely different chair here, but you could mix it up just by adding slipcovers to some and not to others.

Southern Living Photo Jeremy Samuelson

A little chocolate graphic punch...

Canadian House and Home Photo Ted Yarwood

My friend introduced me to this David Rio Chocolate Chimp (great name, don't you think?) Chai Tea when she bought it for me as a gift. So good... I typically just buy my chai tea at Sam's Club, but if I really want a treat, this is it!

Amazon.com

House Beautiful Photo Jose Picayo

I'm always attracted to a painted, striped floor. Don't have one and don't know that I ever will, but I like them.

House Beautiful Photo Eric Piaseki

Rustic sophistication...

House Beautiful

I thought this Pottery Barn vignette fit well into our chocolate scheme, but I especially like the way they layered the mirrors to the side of the chair. Need to find a spot to do that in my house!

Pottery Barn

West Elm

Target.com

Speaking of chocolate, I'm making these VERY simple bars for a neighborhood picnic we're having this weekend. They are seriously the most simple things I've ever made and the most asked for. You may already use this recipe, but if you don't you should try it. I also don't know what they're called so if you know, tell me! (They're not Scotcharoos because those use Karo syrup).

BAR RECIPE:

1 cup Peanut Butter

1 - 12 oz. pkg butterscotch chips

1 - 12 oz. pkg chocolate chips

6 cups Rice Krispies

Melt the peanut butter and butterscotch chips in the microwave and stir until blended. Add the 6 cups Rice Krispies and mix. Spread in buttered 9 x 13 pan and refrigerate until firm. Melt chocolate chips in microwave and frost the bars. Let them set until chocolate is firm. Cut and serve!

Hope you all have an awesome weekend!

The Shopping Gift Card Giveaway ends this Sunday, September 27th!

Linking this post to Hooked on Fridays! See what everyone else is hooked on.

Wallpaper in Bits and Pieces

Country Living Photo Laura Moss

If you love wallpaper, but just can't commit to wallpapering a room, here are some ways for you to incorporate your favorite wallpapers into your decor.

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ON YOUR DESK:

(It seems like I've seen this somewhere, but I can't remember where, so if you've posted about it let me know!) Wallpaper the top of your desk with your favorite wallpaper and then have a piece of glass cut to protect it.

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Framed Wallpaper Art

from 10 Wallpaper Projects at diyideas.com

Framed wallpaper samples made by the The Crafty Nest

(found via Mod Podge Rocks)

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Purchase some great ready made frames to display your favorite wallpapers.

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Wallpapered file cabinet made by Casey at Fossil

(full project details on Design Sponge -

originally found via Mod Podge Rocks)
These wallpapered doors are just one of the ideas that can be

found in Martha Stewart's Fresh Start: Wallpaper Projects

(there's a great headboard here too!) _______________________________________________________

You could wallpaper the back of a cabinet like we saw in this post.
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If your fireplace is sheetrocked, use wallpaper for a dramatic focal point.

Or paint the fireplace, then wallpaper the rest of the wall in a high contrast

paper like they did here.
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Create a headboard like this one from Canadian House and Home

Photo: Stacey Brandford

Two of the ideas from BHG's Quick and Easy Wallpaper Projects

Mood Board Monday starts next week? Just something I'm thinking about...

Shopping Gift Card Giveaway ends Sunday, September 27th!

Wallpaper - Do You?

fschumacher.com

Have you noticed that wallpaper is back?

A lot of the papers I see out there are a visual treat for me, but I highly doubt I'll ever actually purchase any. I'm just not a wallpaper kind of girl. The idea of putting it on my walls puts me in panic mode. :-)

It's possible I might consider using a tish in a niche...

Canadian House and Home Photo: Michael Graydon

or possibly on just one wall...

Canadian House and Home Photo: Angus McRitchie

In a small foyer? Country Living

How about you? Do you love wallpaper? Hate it? Neutral?

More about wallpaper tomorrow...

On another topic, I was surprised and honored to receive 3 more awards this week (you may remember that I still haven't done that post I promised on the one I received from DIY Showoff!). The new awards were from Janell at Isabella & Max Rooms, Linds from That's So Cuegly, and Tammy from In Stitches. Thanks so much to each of you! I'll be posting about the awards and passing them on within the next week.

The Shopping Gift Card Giveaway ends Sunday, September 27th!

A Little Buffet Makeover

I just received these photos from my little sister and had to share them with you. She's a big garage-saler and when she was here visiting, quite a few years ago now, we found this piece at a garage sale for $10. It was the end of the day so I told her to ask them if they would take $5 for it and they did! It was painted white and she used it in her home that she had at the time for a while.

More recently it's been sitting around in the garage of her new home. Her husband was thinking that they may have gotten their $5 worth out of it and it should be headed for the dumpster, but she just couldn't let it go that easily! She started to sand it down to stain and refinish it but decided that was going to be way too involved of a project. She asked me what I would do with it and I said, "PAINT!", of course. Being more motivated than I am in the "getting your DIY projects done" category, she picked a paint color and went right to work. She just cleaned up the original hardware and put it back on, so the cost of the project was just primer, paint and sealer. Didn't she do a good job?

Creative Photo Display

Pottery Barn

Have you seen this page from Pottery Barn's new catalog? Look closely. Notice where the family photos are? Thought it was a fun idea... Just don't get them too close to the flame! :-)

The page where this photo is (link above) is actually selling dried pomegranate vase filler in case you're interested.

On another note, thank you so much to everyone who has signed up to be a follower since yesterday morning, everyone who has commented on the gift card giveaway and all of you who posted about it! I have to admit, I'm in a slight state of shock... :-)

Also, if you've become a follower and haven't commented on the giveaway post, please do so if you are interested in the giveaway. Otherwise, I won't know that you're entering. Thanks!

If you haven't yet entered the SHOPPING GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY, be sure to check it out!

Shopping Giveaway!

1-800-Flowers.com via Celebrations at Home

Let's celebrate! (aren't those carnation cupcakes adorable, btw?) I mentioned the other day that I wanted to have a giveaway to celebrate hitting 100 followers, so here we go...

First I just wanted to say I really appreciate all of you who read this blog and comment and send e-mails. It's nice to know that you're out there reading! Please continue to give me your feedback and let me know what you like, what you don't like and what you would like to see more of. Also, if you use any ideas from this blog, I would love to hear from you and see some photos of what you've done! Someone told me the other day they were going to make the mumkins. I'm hoping I'll get to see the finished product!

Now for the giveaway. One lucky follower will receive a $35 gift card to be spent at their choice of one of the stores shown below!

Since this is a giveaway to celebrate followers, you need to be a follower* or become a follower* to qualify for the giveaway.

• If you are a follower and are entering the giveaway, leave a comment telling me which of the stores shown below you would like to receive a gift card for!
• FOR AN ADDITIONAL ENTRY: Mention this giveaway in a post and link back, then leave a comment letting me know you've done so.

(EDIT: FOLLOWING means that you have signed up to follow via the "Follow" button in the sidebar of this blog under the "Thank you for following" title, which will add you to the list of followers. If you've done it correctly, you will be added to the list of followers that you see there (either at the beginning or close to the end, depending on your profile). I received some questions on this, so I just wanted to clarify.

That's it! Good luck!

Giveaway ends on Sunday, September 27th at 11 p.m. CST.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

Creative Use of Small Spaces

diyideas.com

1. Turn a closet into an office.

Use curtains instead of bi-fold doors. When it's not in use, slide the curtains closed! Using the curtains provides a decorative, as well as functional, element and they don't "intrude" into the space the way bi-fold doors would when opened.

bhg.com

2. Use a window nook for a desk. Notice how they used corbels to support the desk top.

Country Living photo: David Prince

3. Careful planning allows you to get a lot of function from your space. Notice how Amanda has incorporated storage, display, seating and lighting on this wall. Notice, too, that none of this would have to be custom. She used a regular sofa, and you could purchase premade shelving units at whichever price point your budget allows.

Amanda Nisbet Design

4. Reclaim the wasted space under your stairs.

Amanda Nisbet Design

bhg.com

bhg.com

Giveaway tomorrow!