Gallery wall and Reading nook reveal!

Sorry for my delay, folks!  My reading nook arrangement was finished last week, but the gallery wall behind it was just taking shape.  I really wanted the whole kit and caboodle finished before I shared it with all of you.  *Disclaimer* My camera is TERRIBLE.  The pictures were also taken at night (double no no!), thus resulting in not so spectacular pics.  Also, my house is a mess, I'll continue to keep it real up in here if you continue to understand =) 

So I started the layout for the gallery wall on my floor (had to lock Ted outdoors, he like to step on my picture frames... weirdo!), and initially it looked like this:

See my shoe in the top left and my miscellaneous papers on the bottom left?  Keepin' it real.  I liked this arrangement, but didn't love it...  So, after adding another piece to the collage, and about 400 million arrangements later (none of which looked REMOTELY nice enough to photograph) I came up with this:

So you can't tell very well from the photo, but the frames on the bottom right and top left are stainless steel from Ikea (BUY LOADS OF FRAMES HERE!),  and I have a few frames and accessories to place on the Pottery Barn crown molding shelves. 

From here, I started cutting newsprint to fit the shape of each shelf/frame so I could get the placing on the wall exactly right...

This is the ONLY thing junk mail is good for.... this and paper mache(<- I am completely aware that this is spelled incorrectly, but I don't really care enough to find out the correct way.  Yep). 

Then I hung the pieces of paper on the wall (did I mention each piece had a sharpie mark on it to show where to hammer the nail? Cuz they did...  Wow, I am AWESOME at tutorials!), in the same arrangement as above.  This allowed me to see how everything looked on the wall, and how it was oriented next to my window and above my lamp (please forgive my TERRIBLE camera!).

 

Stupid flash!  =(  But you get the idea (also, forget about the cranberry red curtain and the TINY curtain rod...  it's all changing!).  After a few adjustments and a LOT of tape, I started hammering the nails, and pulling down the paper.  And in the end it looks like this:

What do you think?  Not too bad, eh?  I need a little silver trinket or something to accompany the shell frame on it's shelf.  Also I need to add the sea-scape pictures to the remainder of the frames.  Here's how the reading nook looks now:

 

I'm SO not completely satisfied, but it looks better than when there was nothing there =)  I want a big leafy plant for the corner to give the space near the floor some dimension.  Also, a different and more substantial curtain rod will be moving up almost to the top of the wall when the popcorn ceilings come down (2 months and counting!), and the crown molding goes up!  All of this along with new curtains is gonna be legen-(wait for it....)-DARY!  Maybe I'll take a few more pictures of the space in good lighting, but probably not until I can make some tweaks to the space.  You know how it goes...  I can't keep anything the same for long. 

And here is the aftermath...

Dog bones, flip flops, hammers, levels, and all!

So the best part about this whole reading nook overhaul?  It went from EMPTY (there was nothing here 3 months ago!), to what you see now for only $130, and that includes EVERYTHING - furniture, frames, stool, lamp... everything.  I hope to be able to show you the whole sitting room soon (this is just a corner of it; there's a chaise lounge opposite these chairs, and this whole space is adjacent to my eat in kitchen), but I want everything to look somewhat presentable first. 

Let me know if you have any suggestions for how to improve the space.  It's such a random little corner, and since our house is so small, it really needs to be used for some type of seating.  But if you all have an brilliant tips, please keep them coming!!  Hope you enjoyed my blurry and poorly photographed reveal...  Happy Wednesday, friends!

Creativity Tuesday: Why does being creative equate miles of paper work?

I feel like a one man band today.  I have been filling out paper work and creating deadlines and waiting on decisions to be made for my webisode.  My Pre-Production list is so very long-it really cracks me up.  I'm feeling the squeeze today.  I'm still waiting for a director to come aboard. No big deal.  {Yikes!}  But, I'm confident that somehow, some way, a fantastic director will materialize.  I do have auditions set up for April 21, 2011 for my male lead.  I'm so nervous and excited at the same time.  Being a producer/writer/actor/gopher is really stressful.  Maybe my first project is waaaaaaay too ambitious.  But, go big, or go home is my motto.  So, too late now!

Good style knows no age

**DISCLAIMER**

WE ARE NOT EXPECTING. DO NOT START GETTING IDEAS.

Now that that's said...  I've been awed by some of the adorable nurseries and children's rooms I've seen around the blog-o-sphere lately.  I wanted to share some of them with you all, as you are honestly nearer to having children than I am (this applies to anyone above the age of 5).  =)

Let's start with an adorable nursery featured on one of my all time favorite blogs, Emily A Clark...

Most of you will probably understand why I love this room so much... (hint: barn door, sheepskin rug, and nailhead trim chair!!!).  I've never really been the biggest fan of orange, but the combo with the soft greys and creams in this room is great.

So adorable...  just one thought though: umm, weird yellow ceiling, why are you hanging around being all funky in this room??  Please leave.

I love the simplicity of this little garland!  But part of me wonders how safe it is to have things hanging within arms reach of a crib...

I think every room should have a chalkboard - don't you? 

 

The basic toys are just enough.  I love me a nursery with simple toys (and NOTHING that makes noise, for the love of God!!).

Another adorable nursery, this time from Urban Grace...

If/when we decide to have children, and if I ever have a girl... THIS is what the nursery will look like.  It's got a little bit of sweet (plate collection is adorable!), a little bit of glam (check out the gold leaf on the inside of the lamp shades! Va Va Voom!), and the perfect amount of baby cuteness (cue the "awww!").  Plus I feel like I could DIY most of this.  Yay for cute AND cheap!

This nursery is from an unknown source, but it's heavy on the adorable!

Not sure there's enough color in here for my taste, but the striped walls are AWESOME!  Again, I love the simple and classic toys.  just enough without being fussy.

Also, that ottoman is the coolest.  Grey velvet with cream piping is such a classy look.  The baby who lives here is stylish, it just has to be.

Now on to another favorite of mine...  bunk beds!  Who didn't want a bunk bed when they were younger?

via Elle Decor
This is such an excellent use of small space; and can I have that chair please?  Thanks!  One small sidenote... do you think those beds ever look that tidy?  I'm just keepin' it real, folks!

via Pottery Barn Kids
And as if bunk beds wasn't extreme enough for you, I give you: Hanging Bunk Beds!  This is ADORABLE...  but lets be honest, this is a broken arm/nose/face in the making.  Not to mention you better hope that your bunk mate isn't a nighttime wiggler...  Cute? Yes. Functional? Not really.

via Fric and Frac blog
A CUBBY bed?!  I would have DIED for this as a kid!  You don't have to make your bed, just shut the cupboards~perfect.  The built in look adds a ton of class, and the color is just pale enough to make it unobtrusive (as built-ins can sometimes be... in my opinion).  Also, I want that sparkly pendant above my bed now.  Yum.

via A Thoughtful Place
Would it be a post by me if I didn't feature something bright green?  I think not.  The pallet headboard is awesome, environment friendly, and probably SUPER cheap.  Not to mention the nautical themed closet, suh-weet!  One question though... where does this little man keep his clothes?  Oh well, at least the picture is adorable =)

Maybe one day, something similar to of one of these rooms with be in our home for our little ones, but for now, we're happy doting on our sweet little Ted...

(despite the blurriness of the picture, isn't that the sweetest little face you ever did see?!)

Anyone planning  nursery/kids room right now?  Please share your tricks and tips with all of us!  Happy tuesday, friends!

Made me laugh.

Great news ladies; you can get a style coordinator to assist you at Chico's.  If you don't understand the irony here, call me. 

Pillow Party!

Over the weekend, I started to look seriously at accent pieces for our new color scheme (navy, white and green!!), and as luck would have it, my mom was at Target with me when I saw these:

HOLY LOVE!!  They are actually pillows for outdoor furniture, but do I care??  Nuh-uh!  They were two for $18, and my mom bought them for me for my "Easter gift."  Isn't she the BEST?!  I was so excited.  Now All I need to do is find a few adorable solid green pillows to go with my *hopefully* new couch, and I'll be in business!  Goodbye, dreary cranberry color - hello springy blues and greens!  Maybe I'll have to spring (haha, get it??  Spring??)  for these...

They're also at Target for the same price.  SOCRE! 

I also almost bought a couch this weekend.  And by almost, I mean that I made someone on Craigslist an offer at the top of my couch budget, and they declined and sold to someone else at the same price.  Boo.  Sometimes this living within your means thing isn't so pleasant... but then I remember that we can pick up and go on a trip pretty much anytime we want b/c of living within our means and then I'm ok with it again.  =)  However, I have decided what i want in a couch.  I'd prefer a tight-backed 3 cushion couch like this:

Just a measly $4k and it can be mine!  Oh well, maybe someday... For now, my Craigslist search continues.  Any couch suggestions for me?  My budget is $400 or less (nope, that's not a joke).  I firmly believe a lovely couch will come my way in my price range...  but we may be sitting on teh tile for a while ;)  Happy Monday, people!

Rentable: SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

Imagine living in a cube without any human interaction or stimuli.  Your food is pushed through on a tray, through a tiny slot.  Your showers are computerized and timed.  You can't laugh with anyone.  Or talk about ideas, or regret, or sorrow.  Does the method of solitary confinement train our criminals to gain self-control?  Or does it simply increase the madness?  Decide for yourself and watch National Geographic's special on SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.  **Available under "documentary" via Netflix online streaming.

Here comes the sun

It's been a long week over here a my kitchen table.  I hope your week has been not quite so draining.  Sorry for my absence~I wanted to blog, but just couldn't.  But today the sun is shining again (figuratively... it's raining here today), and I think things are about to really change for the better.  *cue the contented sigh*  So I want to remind you, that no matter what you''re going through, it's NEVER more than you can handle; God promises that.  And you know what?   The sun will always come out again, bigger and brighter than it was before.  For your Friday, I'll leave you with one of my favorite songs, and my inspiration for today...

{via}

Make it a happy and peaceful Friday, friends!