Color Fun in the Kitchen...for Now

Hi Ho!  Hope everyone is having a great week.  We are gearing up for Halloween and the many parties, activities, gatherings we have approaching.  Today I thought I'd take a break from fall and share a little summer project we did.

During my summer break I failed to share some DIY curtains with you.  I got really tired of staring at naked windows (gasp!) so while perusing Hobby Lobby one day, I stumbled upon a fabric I absolutely love.  It's all my fav colors in a chevron.  To.  Die.  For.

So...I made some curtains!  I use the word 'made' in the loosest fashion as I am no seamstress.  In fact, no needle was brought to this fabric.  I used heat bond and it works great. I highly recommend.  I consider myself pretty good in all thing home related, but I did not get the sewing gene from my fabulous seamstress of a mom...

I'm loving the color...

However, now that I've put this little dresser on this wall (which I love for storage purposes), they are too big.  The curtain is trying to suffocate the dresser, the dresser is letting angry words fly.  It's becoming a scene.  So, in the effort of keeping things around her G rated, I think these bad boys will be moving up to my new studio/office.

I haven't shared this room with you yet, but I can't wait.  It is everything I love.  Maybe too much so, but I don't care!  It's my fun room and these drapes will fit right in.  And hopefully not start any fights...

This is an easel...in case you weren't sure!

So there's how we lived all summer...but you know me.  Nothing stays put for too long!

These cute little stools were on clearance at Target this summer and I scooped them up for future playroom/family office use, but I'm loving them in the kitchen for right now.  Perfect for playdate lunches.

Any switcheroos at your house lately?

XO,
  Sara

Hello Again!

Hi friends!  I apologize for my absence.  I've had a whale of a time trying to upload pictures into Blogger...

At long last, a few pics of some Valentine cookies we made to celebrate.  

Heart and lip cookies are a must in our house.  My mom always made these for my class parties, so I have to make them with Little.  They were delish!

Here's one happy customer!

He had a blast shaking on the sprinkles.

Well, these were a tad belated, hopefully you'll forgive me!  I was able to get these pictures on when I loaded them one at a time...

Hopefully I'll have many more posts to share with you this week.  I've got a new bag I'm dying to show you and a few DIY we've been working on.

Happy Monday!

XO,
  Sara

Retail Therapy

Firstly (is that a word?), happy MLK Jr. Day.  What a wonderful day to remember and honor a man who stood for such noble things.

Secondly, we are in a very sad state over here.  Our beloved Dirty Birds didn't make the Super Bowl this year, but, we're not fairweather fans.  They fought hard.  Next year...

Thirdly (again, making up my own words), the sun shone gloriously this past weekend so Mama took to the outlets for a little retail therapy.  Being cooped up with all this rain made me a wee bit crazy.

Here are my finds!

When we got married, I got the red melamine mixing bowls from William-Sonoma and I've loved them.  However, I'm a tad over the red.  This white set was on super sale and fits in beautifully with my white kitch.




I also found these beautiful towels...


At $5 for 2 I couldn't resist.  They'll be a much needed burst of color next to a bowl of fresh lemons.

Little spied these from a shelf right at his level (also at WS).  They'll be absolutely adorable for one of his dinosaur inspired birthday gatherings.  You can bet I'll have some things to post about that!



I also made some big scores at Gymboree.  I had some Gymbucks to cash in and between those, and the 40% off clearance rack, my Little Man is looking Ca-uuute!  Don't ya love how they have tiny chairs and kid shows on in there?  Makes shopping so much easier with a little one.

Hope your weekend was sunny and productive! I'm planning to share some updates to the sitting room this week, as well as revisit the hallway project from long ago.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, stay-tuned.  I've got some things to reveal!

Now if I could only find some minutes to photograph!

XO,
  Sara

Happy Birthday Bloggy!

Well, this little blog of mine will turn 1 on Wednesday...technically.  However, I didn't really put much into my blogging until about September, so...

I've always loved to write and have attempted many different ways to outlet this love.  This home blog stuck.  It was slow to get started, but now it is truly a part of my everyday.  I personally gain so much from reading blogs that I feel the need to pay it forward and contribute in some way.  If just one person gains inspiration from what I share, yay! :)

Since the end of a year is a time of looking back, I thought it would be fun to highlight some of my favorite (and your favorite too!) posts.

Last January I shared a cute DIY Valentine Wreath.



Then, in February, I showed you my V-day mantle and my DIY milk glass jars.




In the Spring I shared how to make a festive birthday wreath out of dollar store materials...



...and how we helped little man turn the big 3 with a Mickey party.




I made over a Goodwill lamp in April,




and shared Little's playroom over the summer.




Things really picked up in the fall when we welcomed fall,




  monogrammed a wall,





Set a Fall table,



Decked out the mantle,



painted some pumpkins (here and here),

        


made a mossy masterpiece,




showed you how to make and use my Home Binder (this was one of the most popular posts all year),




and baked some out of this world treats (here and here).


   


I shared my holiday home with you recently,



as well as some ideas for quick gifts (for any time of year!) here, here, and here.

   




We've also had some fun playing with different looks...


     



       




              

I sure like the sorority girl pose, don't I?  I have to say though, I think my Fashion Fun pics have gotten much better.  I'm learning!

This has been such a fun "year" of blogging for me.  In the past few months that I've really been giving Nest some love, I've met some great people, learned a lot about photography, and really learned a lot about who I am as a mom, wife, baker, decorator, person.  They say reflection is the best tool for personal growth...

To those of you who faithfully come read my random tidbits, I thank you.  Whether it's with sweet comments or silent cheerleading, your support has given me more than you know.  I started 2012 in kind of a rocky place, but I can confidently say that 2013 is my year!

Get ready, we're going to have a lot of fun!!  Happy New Year!

XO,

 Sara

Christmas Kitchen Stylings

I recently revamped my kitchen breakfast area by swapping out my black hutch for an antique piece.  You can read more about that here.  Four black frames hold pieces of my son's art on a regular basis, but I thought it would be fun to change them up for Christmas.

I googled "vintage Christmas" and found some fun images to print onto cardstock.

I stumbled upon some Christmas sheet music and thought it would be fun to toss it in a frame too.

And here they are on the wall...

I kind of like the unexpectedness of it all.  

Just a little splash of holiday cheer for you as we make our way into December.  Are everyone else's calendars filling up beyond belief?!  Seriously.  I don't think we have a free weekend before New Year's.

Have a happy weekend everyone!  And don't forget to sip your Peppermint Mochas while you can!

XO,

  Sara

The Kitchen Swap-a-Roo Reveal!

On Friday I showed you a new accessory I picked up from the Nate Berkus line at Target.  It is like a little cherry on top of a kitchen change-up I'm loving!

Here is what stood behind our kitchen table and chairs for 6 years...It's a great piece, but with the changes I've made in the living room, it was feeling very black and dark in this kitchen corner.

So...the black hutch went up to my master bathroom...and I stole this gorgeous antique out of our nursery.  It was just what the kitchen needed to tie together with the living room!

The living room, although things have changed since this photo

Isn't it just divine?  I love the little scalloped edge, the rich color and the fact that it stores away my out of control collection of white serving pieces.  The black hutch gave us much needed storage in the bathroom and this piece is finally out on display, where it should be.

There's my cute little frame sitting next to a pair of mercury glass jugs I picked up at Kohl's for a major steal.

I watched this mirror at Target for several weeks and when it got down to $8.93 I pounced! Can't beat that and I love the mixture of metal happening up there.

I used to have black iron sconces on either side of the black hutch, but all of a sudden they were looking very dated to me.  Does that ever happen to you?  I wanted something tailored and streamline, but something that also represents who we are as a family...

Enter Little Man's original artwork.  I'm a sucker for his drawings and this is such a fun way to display them. He could not be prouder!

The bottom one is me holding a balloon.  I LOVE it!

The toddler art really adds an element of color to my neutral scheme.  And, it just makes me happy!

I'll try and get a straight-on photo for you, but there is a table and chairs and light fixture in front of this wall.  You don't want to see my first attempts at photographing it!

Coming up next week I will take you on a full kitchen tour.  I know, contain your excitement!  Just kidding!  The kitchen is always my favorite room to snoop in.  I love seeing how other people make the heart of the home reflect their style.

Now, I don't have my curtains finished and things are still taking shape since the re-decorating began, but I owe you all at least a few shots of our eatery.  And I know you will all reserve judgement!

XO,
  Sara