Welcome, Fall!

I just love me some Fall!  I mean really love.  The colors, the smells, the foods, the holidays.  I've started to outfit the abode little by little.  Since I've entirely changed the color palette of my home since last fall, I had some thinking to do...the same decor was not going to work.

But, I love a good challenge!

This is the table in our foyer.  Even if it's still shorts weather in Georgia, my guests are going to know it's fall chez moi when they walk through my door!

I found this cute tray at Target.  Do you ever see something and not even hesitate before dropping it in the cart?  That's what happened with this tray.  It's just so me.  I didn't know this was how I was going to use it, but rustic wood paired with chalkboard, um, yes please.

Disclaimer on the terrible lack of natural lighting.  When I have time to "play" it is usually after the wee one is in bed, so... you'll forgive me, yes?

I picked up the little silver pumpkin and sweet little gold pinecones at Michael's.

I've since added a few coffee beans to my vase.  I love the smell and the look!

Anyone else started placing the pumpkins yet?  Do you love fall as much as me?!  Can't wait to show you our mantel and tablescape.  Well, at least how they look now.  I like to keep things changing!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Table: wedding gift

Lamp: Target

Flowers: Pottery Barn

Vase: Pottery Barn

Pumpkin: Michaels

Pine cones: Michaels

Tray: Target

Achoo! A Sweet Little Tissue Box

Hello friends!  Have you ever had a project on your list for so long it just got ridiculous?  That is today's share.  I had this little tissue box cover in our bedroom back when I lived and breathed black and white.

I actually found it at Babies 'R Us on clearance.  The bottom is light pink, but who can tell, right?

Nothing wrong with it.  It just wasn't what I was going for anymore.

Well, after introducing the tissue box to my good friend, spray paint, I had something cute and useful to fit our changing decor.

After a few layers of spray paint, some dry time, and a Martha Stewart Chalk label, we were in business!

I was going to tape off the box and chalk paint a side, but then I remembered I already had these labels.

I've been looking at it for so long now, I'm starting to wonder if I should swap the label out for the smaller one??  Maybe add some black accents along the border?  

I'll let it live right here in my kitchen/living room pass through for right now.  I'm sure the inspiration will hit!

For now, we are happy to have a cute little place to hold the nose-wiping necessities!  And I'm happy to finally cross that project off my list!

Be a Kid!

Do you ever just have a moment where you see your life from outside yourself.  This afternoon Little Man announced he was "ready for the parade" and it just made me smile.  Kids have such a natural way of exuding pure joy.  They dress up silly, laugh, imagine, and do it all without worrying what anyone thinks.

I love that.

And I love this guy.

Thanks for reminding me to stop and be silly sometimes.  Everyone needs that now and again.  So go find your pinwheels and sunglasses and get ready for the parade people!

Down with the Doors!

While I've been perusing the blogosphere and my fav home mags, I've picked up on a little trend.  Open shelving.  At first, I thought there was no way this slightly OCD neat freak could handle having to look at what's behind my cupboard doors, but this weekend I took the plunge. 

And...I'm loving it!

Now, I don't have a before I can put my hands on right now.  But, just picture some doors on there and you've got the idea.  Pretty cool, huh?

Nevermind the paint supplies and slowcooker.  I'm a multi-tasking sort of gal!

I've been dying to paint my cabinets white forever, but my Mister said, "no way".  I decided the next best thing was to get out a screwdriver and create a light, airy feeling of white cabinetry with, well, less cabinetry!

Don't think that's what it looked like behind those doors right away.  I spent a couple hours relocating all the spices, food storage containers, and general "gar-bahge" that accumulates in a kitchen.

 

 

Alright, you get the idea.  I am just so tickled with the outcome!  And the best part?  When I change my mind in a few months (weeks? years?) I can just whip those doors back on.  Now that's the kind of change I can believe in!

Happiness

Sometimes you just stumble upon something that makes you grin.  While returning a ginormous lampshade at HomeGoods (post to come), my little man pointed out this sweet little vase trio.

 

 

Now doesn't that just make you happy?

 

 

 

Not the best photos with the sun peeking through, but trust me.  It's darling.

 

Anyone else found something that just makes you smile?  Please share because who can't use a good smile?!

The Playroom

I really don't know what we would do without our playroom.  I know.  There would be toys, markers, scraps of construction paper, and books all over my house.  That's right.

 

I realize everyone doesn't have the space for a playroom and so I give gratitude everyday that we do.  I've hesitated sharing the space becuase I'm ALWAYS changing things around to make it perfect, but you know I'm trying to learn that nothing is ever perfect.  And I personally love seeing people's changes over time on blogs.  At this moment there is spackle on the wall I still need to paint.  From June.  Yep.

This is the door decal.  Just a little something I bought when Big Man and I were first married.  When I though my whole house should be yellow and blue and red.  Can you tell I was an elementary school teacher?

 

 

This is looking in from the door.  We used navy on the bottom of the wall and hopsack (Sherwin Williams) to stripe the top.  I used to have a red stripe above the navy and then I hand stenciled circles (like the ones on the curtains) around the room.  It drove me crazy so one day I painted a big, thick stripe to cover it all.

 

 

 

I used some free printable art from Pinterest and framed it in Ikea frames.  Although this is a little boy's playroom, I wanted to bring some of the feel of the rest of the house. 

 

 

 

I love the look of built-ins, but couldn't commit to "real ones" since this is an ever evolving room.  Instead, I used closet organizing pieces from Target we already had and I painted a cubby organizer I used to have in my classroom.  It turned out great and gave us oodles of storage.

 

I will share the labled bins and how we organize our toys in another post.  Believe me, this is still something I have to tackle every few months.  Does anyone else's toys seems to breed over night?

 

 

This corner hosts Cocoa, our horsey, the play kitchen, and the basketball.  Should I be concerned that my son asked me if I wanted him to make me a chai, double-blended?  Maybe Mommy stops at the Target Starbucks a little too much...


The curtains are actually shower curtains from Target.  My mom made 2 big floor pillows out of the fabric too (they are inside the tent).

 

Excuse the terrible photo.  I was trying to get in some quick pics before naptime was over and it was a mess again.  See the spot where I need to paint?  We had floating book shelves there and then changed our minds.

Now, this corner is the "Creation Station".  I have plans to relocate the bulletin board over here and create a fun little sign for the top.

 

 

This cute little metal rack holds the drawing paper and coloring books.  An ikea spice rack perfectly fits 3 little galvinzed tubs from the Target dollar spot.  One for markers, crayons, and colored pencils.  Those will probably get labeled soon.  Nothing escapes a label around here!

 

 

 

Right now, our Pottery Barn chair just kind of hangs out here.  He takes it to the living room for movie night.  The art is a piece my mom made and it hung in my nursery.  It makes me smile.

 

 

 

Yes, that is a closet door there, but I can't show you what's behind it becuase, well, I would be shamed.  I have organized it, 100's of times, but the system isn't working.  I promise to show you some gritty before pics just as soon as I have a great "After" to follow up with!

 

Hope you like the space we play in the most!

 

 

While We're Talking Lamps...

I have been hitting the lamp jackpot lately!  Recently I shared this fun Goodwill makeover.  Well, on my last Goodwill run, I found this little guy.  Shade and all...$9.90.  What?!  Of course it came home with me.  First of all, I don't know why it was in Goodwill.  It is sheer awesomeness!

 

 

 

 

It's a rustic looking urn with some metallic highlights.  The best part, it's very light weight.  It looks like a heavy garden planter, but it was very easy to transport.  I just can't get over how awesome it is.  I knew I had to have it.  Then I had to figure out where to put him.

 

 

 

 

For right now, he's living in the dining room, on the wall that passes into the kitchen.  This is the first focal point when you enter our front door.  And I don't think it's a bad one!

 

I finally found a great spot to hang my beloved dragonfly and bee artwork.  They've been hiding in the laundry room and they needed to come meet everyone!  I found the cute little knots at Target.  The silver tray and spoon are an antique wedding gift.

 

 

 

 

Aside from the poor placement of the light switch (thank you Mr. Builder) I think this little corner is shaping up nicely.