Lunch Break Christmas Jackpot!!!!!!!

The Target Onespot is on point for Christmas.  It was made for me.  And it suckered me in, big time.

Red, white, black and burlap and chalkboard.  And plaid!  Is there a surer way to get me this year, than plaid?

Run, don't walk down to Target before all the good stuff is gone.  Except not to the Torrington store, because I got the last of the pillows and some other stuff.  Hopefully they restock!

Here are my picture of the haul:

Really digging the storage baskets in a flame stitch and buffalo check, plus the chalkboard signs in the front.

Black and white striped ribbon, and 2 very cute red candle tins

Red and white snowflake coasters, Snowflake straws, and red glass mini jars to use on my planned Holiday Cocoa bar, PLUS a couple of white and black plaid placemats.

$3 pillows!  Enough said.

The cutest mini trees ever.
 

A Morrocan Inspired Red Living Room Vision Board, for Jennifer

Hello,

I have been itching to do something creative today but I am tired and although I have a million projects in various non-finished states, I decided to do something easy.

My sister Jennifer is inheriting some lovely brick red furniture (a sofa and loveseat) when she eventually moves down South this spring, and she and Joel are going to be house-hunting.  It had me thinking about Jennifer's style.

Now, while Jennifer is a traditionalist, the thing I love about her is that she is VERY far from boring.  She's not a neutral girl, if you know what I mean.  While she would not take as many design risks as I might, and in general, she is attracted to traditional or transitional furniture with a modern spin, she isn't afraid of color.

Jennifer also has a thing for Moroccan inspired prints just like I do (hello, quatrefoil for everyone.  Quatrefoil kicks chevrons behind any day of the week.)  And she also has a thing for Pier 1, so at first I browsed Pier 1 for some throw pillow inspiration.   And this is what I came up with for an inspiration room.

I used some items she already owns (some red, gold and brown mercury glass style tall candleholders, those Marrakech brown metal lanterns in small and large from Partylite, and the type of couch she will be inheriting, a Capiz shell wall clock.)  And then I inserted my own spin.   Those chocolate colored poufs seemed perfect for the children to lounge on, and I hope she would agree, that while this is sophisticated, it could also be family friendly.  That coffee table is from La Z boy, and the top lifts up and toward you to become a tv tray.   Busier patterns and darker colored couches are ideal for a little Micah Kevin and his tendency to spill.  I know, because I live with him.  I thought that rug (also entitled Marrakech) from Target was perfect to hide dog hair and stains while still remaining fun and colorful but mature.   This is definitely an adult space with room for the kids and the pets to snuggle in.

I hope you all enjoy, and Jennifer I hope you like it. 

Source List:  Media Console, Endtables and Coffee Table:  La Z Boy
Poufs, Slipper Chairs, Quatrefoil Mirror Set, Turquoise Throw Blanket, Storage Shelf with Baskets, Rug and Lamps all from Target.
Throw Pillows, Gold Quatrefoil Hurricanes, Capiz Shell Clock, Birches Painting, Tree with Bird Quad Painting, Capiz shell Vase, and Mosaic Red Tall Long Artwork, and Antique Red Bookcase all from Pier 1
Chocolate Brown Trellis Curtains: Christmas Tree Shops
Mosaic Hurricane and Marrakech Brown Lanterns: Partylite

Autumn Appreciation...

Wooden Pillar Holders and Pillar Trio: Partylite (discontinued); Paris print: internet; Hello Fall wooden sign: Target dollar bin section; maple leaf ribbon: Michael's Crafts; Owl tealight holder: Dollar General; Aqua Rooster Pitcher: Food Network line at Kohl's; Burlap leaves and sprays: Michael's Crafts; Brass Scroll Sconces: Partylite (discontinued);
mini pumpkin: Big Y Stores

I have been remiss in my blogging duties again!  But our house has been bustling since my last update.  My sister had her baby and while I have been trying to organize our house for Fall, it has just not been coming together as I had hoped.  Translation: I have been lazier than I'd hope to be.

But I have managed to get some Fall décor up.  Notably, I am not the best photographer anyway.  But I find that our Craftsman home, which is beautiful but rather dark thanks to all the wood trim and paneling, is particularly difficult to photograph.

So, here are the pictures and forgive my lack of skill.  I am sure you will get the idea.

Silhouette Teapot: HomeGoods; leaf jar holder: Partylite, glass clock: Thrift shop find; Autumn leaf glass tray: Pier One; white plate frame: Michael's Crafts; mini white pumpkins: Big Y stores

Fabric Photo coffee table book: Ikea; turquoise leaf metallic lampshade: Target; Leaf fabric for toss pillow: Jo-Ann's; Black sweater throw pillow: Walmart

Aqua frames: Target; Clean House sign: specialty shop in Mystic, CT; French inspired Clock: Ikea; Red painted M: letter and craft paint from Michael's Crafts

Red patterned tablerunner:  Target circa 2013, Threshold brand; Ironstone basin and pitcher: antique store finds; Pinecones; Dollar General; red and orange berry garland: Michael's Crafts

Threshold Farrah Curtains in Black: Target (discontinued in 2013)

Red Bicycle Canvas Art: HomeGoods; Red Distressed Burlap Frame: Michael's Crafts, Eiffel Tower Print: Target 2009; small wooden sign: Mystic CT specialty shop



I made that bunting banner from a recycled paper banner purchased from the Target dollar bin section, and I hand stenciled and painted the letters and leaves using Acrylic craft paint from Michael's.

 

Glass Cake Pedestal: HomeGoods; Glass Hand Blown Pumpkin and Glass Pumpkin Cookie Jars belong to my sister, the Beta Fish is my nephew Micah's

that beautiful Watercolor Autumn painting was done by my uncle, Jeff Messenger, who is a local artist.  The brass candlesticks have been my mother's as long as I can remember, and the brass pillar stand and snuffer are Partylite from years ago.  The Cranberry wreath came from Christmas Tree Shops in North Conway, NH.

 

A Purple and Teal Baby Shower

Hello!

So, I hosted my sister Jen's baby shower for little Eva Marie this past Sunday.   Purple is Jennifer's current favorite color, and when we were children, she was obsessed with teal.  We both had teal and purple leggings back then (It was the 90's: don't judge lol.)

So, I chose those colors for the theme and I think it turned out well.  Here are some pictures that my other sister Shannon took during the party.   The cake and cupcakes were courtesy of my cousin Michelle, and her business "Happy Cake."

Living Room Vision Board

Even though we are probably six to eight months out, Mom and I have started to prepare for our inevitable downsizing move.  Back to apartment living for us!  That means saying goodbye to our 3,000 foot Craftsman rental, which I will miss for sure.

But new adventures and places await.  As I said, Southern Vermont is our target area.  But in the meantime, we have to weed out the furniture, kitchen stuff and home décor we can live without.  And in the process of discussing this, and debating how we will put together our living room stuff, this is the Vision Board I made.  As much as I swear against beige, with all of this color going on, I am planning on the Ikea Ektorp sofa in beige as our new living room seating of choice when we move.  Most everything else on here we already own or something really similar to it!

Red and teal forever!

Fresh Bedroom Inspiration: Pinterest Picks

I haven't disappeared!  Just lost in a post-holiday funk.  Taking down the holiday decorations is always anti-climatic for me.  And the house ends up looking so bare afterward.  Not to worry, I got right to work on making some Valentine's Day decorations.  On the one hand, my entire house is red or pink next to black and white so it's almost like I have a V-Day themed apartment year round.  But no matter, I will share a few of the little touches with you next week.

In the meantime, I have been thinking about bedroom design and how I'm so bored of seeing the same color schemes and ideas over again.  Here's a few ideas from Pinterest that stood out to me as being a bit more interesting and fresh right now.  None of these are in my comfort zone, none of them represent my go-to color schemes.  All of them are visually interesting.  I am seeing a real trend with bohemian inspired fabrics, or in the case of the metal bed (third picture) a modern take on soft, vintage, romantic farmhouse style.  Loving the coral/aqua and coral/navy inspiration as well.  I would never think to use coral normally.  Enjoy!

Rate My Space, HGTV

Nordstrom bedding set

Pinterest

 

Pottery Barn Kids

Asian Inspired Purple Bedroom

Colorful Bohemian Bedroom

Pinterest Bohemian Inspired Bedroom

A Joyful Apartment Tour

I am a lousy photographer.  Never has it been more obvious to me then when trying to take pictures to upload to this blog for all of you.  My New Year's resolution will be to purchase a decent camera and start trying to learn how to use it.  In the meantime, this is what you get: my lousy work.  Just remember that everything you ever see from me, looks much better in person.  Too bad I can't invite you all to my home to share, but sadly, since I cannot, we will have to make do.

The ornaments on this year's tree are a mix of store bought and handmade: the black globes with silver snowflakes were a fun find from a vintage shop in Dover, New Hampshire.  The silhouette frames were found at a discount shop, and I printed out the black silhouettes myself from clip art and fit them inside.  The needlepoint stars I made myself, and the wooden star ornament I painted with acrylic red paint and red glitter glue.  I also painted several porcelain bulbs with red acrylic and gold acrylic, brushing with red glitter glue to finish .  The "PEACE" sign in red gingham was a Michael's Crafts bargain bin find for a $1 and this year's red, black and beige plaid stockings were a Christmas Tree Shop steal at $3 a piece.   One boring Friday evening I cut out all the snowflakes that you see on the cabinets a week or two ago.  I enjoy mixing DIY projects with purchased decor items.

Happy Holidays from my small space to your home!