Blessed Chaos: January 2010

looking ahead, way ahead

1/29/2010

Education for Bean is almost constantly on my mind.

Today, a press release from our hometown University put a smile on my face.

We are a long way from the college years but it's so good to see programs like these taking root.

Labels: Bean, Down syndrome, school |

2 comments

eye candy

1/20/2010

One of my favorite pasttimes is grabbing my laptop, getting comfy on the couch and perusing the many home decor blogs at my finger tips. I'm not talking about professional interior design blogs, those are fun. What I really love are blogs written by all the creative women out there. With such varied styles. Creating a space they love while pinching pennies. Junking and thrifting and making something out of nothing.

Sarah at The Beach Cottage is currently among my favorite home blogs. She's a mom, she's creative, she's frugal and she can make anything look warm, inviting, and cozy. It challenges me to look around my home and find ways to make it beautiful. To make it a space that reflects my family. So, check her out.

Another reason to check her out is that she is giving away an Anthropology gift certificate. Talk about eye candy!! Anthropology. . . man oh man!

If I could, I would outfit myself and my home with everything from that heaven on earth. But. . . I can't. So I won't. But maybe I can win a little slice of goodness.

I so hesitate to tell you about this little giveaway. I mean, I am posting about it for purely selfish reasons. If I blog about it then my name goes in the hat twice! But then, of course, if I tell you that just decreases my chances because then you all will head over and throw your name in the hat. Oh well. Consider it my good deed of the day. :)

Labels: cool blogs, giveaway's |

3 comments

Master Bedroom Metamorphosis

1/12/2010

This time last year our master bedroom - the room that is supposed to be soothing, relaxing, a place we love and want to be - looked like this.

It's not the worst thing I've ever seen but it didn't put a smile on my face when I walked in either. And shouldn't one's bedroom do that? (sorry 'bout the spotty picture!)

Our house was on the market at the time so I didn't want to spend any money on it and I couldn't do a whole lot of DIY because, well, when I do it myself I make a real mess!

So, after six months on the market we took down our sign and I painted our dressers apple green. I also flipped our patchwork quilt over, to solid white, and threw a throw (threw a throw? can I say that?) on the end of the bed. I took down the red wagon picture over the bed and hung up some plates I found around the house. Don't have a picture of the whole room. Trust me that it was an improvement over the previous look.

BUT, that was LAST week. Now? It looks like this. You see, I got some new bedding for Christmas and it just didn't work with our apple green dressers. Much as I loved the color it had to go. (I'll find something else to splash it on later) So, I set to work painting the dressers. Again.

The plates are still there and they work even better now. I also jumped on the bandwagon and put up some curtains. Drop Cloth curtains. Picked up two 6x9 drop cloths at Wal Mart for $8 each, threw them in the wash with a healthy dose of fabric softner and voila! I love them.

The paint is Heavy Creme from Behr's paint-and-primer-in-one collection and I had it on hand from my last project. So no extra cost there.

These little frog bookends are fun. Found them on clearence at TJ Maxx for $3. They were gold. Now they are Slate Blue and add a little whimsy to the room.

Along with these candle holders, which were once black, red, and silver. I am pretty sure, before too long, every room in my house will display something spray painted with Rustoleum's Slate Blue. I am loving this color.

So, I'm really digging our new space. And really digging the price. All tolled. . . $29. (Thanks to Santa, aka mom and dad, for the bedding that inspired it all.)

And I vow to never paint this enormous 10 drawer dresser again. At least for another year.

I'm linking up to:

Domestically Speaking for her Power of Paint Party

DIY day at A Soft Place to Land
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage

Furniture Feature Friday at Mustard Seed Creations

and last but not least. . .

Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Labels: decor, home improvement, projects |

25 comments

while it's cold out. . .

1/07/2010

I thought I would get started on some of my projects. I have an ever-growing list of them floating around my brain somewhere between "get laundry done" and "clean the baseboards."

First on tap is a dresser my parents passed along several years back. It's good quality and has served it's purpose well in our guest/office/toss-it-in-there room. I had so many bee's in my bonnet that I nearly forgot to get a before picture. I remembered just as I was about to take out the last drawer. Here she is:

And with three boys running around and really, really cold temps outside I worked rather quickly and, you guessed it, didn't get any pictures along the way. But here's what I did: 1) sanded the top down to the original wood so that it would drink up a dark walnut stain. 2) gave the rest a light sanding, because I'm lazy that way, and painted it with Behr's paint and primer in one in cream. 3) used Valspar glaze in mocha to age it. 4) spray painted the drawer pulls a brushed bronze. 5) applied wipe-on satin poly to give it a bit of protection.

She went back into the rearranged guest room and is awaiting some accessories. I really like it! You can see what the glaze did to give it a more aged look. Love her little feet.

And the drawer pulls painted up real nice. I did use a spray primer first. I learned the hard way this is necessary.

Currently, there is a lamp drying in the garage that has been painted slate blue that will sit on top along with. . . not sure yet. I'm shopping the house.

Oh, and remember this? Well, while I have thoroughly enjoyed the pop of color in our bedroom my fickle nature is prevailing. Along with the fact that my new bedding from Santa doesn't work as well as I'd like it to with my apple green dresser's. So. . . they, too, are going to receive a coat or two of Behr's cream paint. I think it will work much better.

But I assure you, something in my house will be painted apple green by the end of this year!

I'm linking up to. . .