Green Door Designs

Changing Table - Revamped

2011-09-26T06:00:00.003-05:00

When you have a surprise third pregnancy and have nothing left over from previous children, you tend to take anything and everything offered :) (My how my outlook on furniture/decorating has changed from the first child and everything needing to be "perfect" - lol).

One of my dear friends offered me her old changing table (we are borrowing the crib from a friend). She warned me it wasn't in perfect shape, but hey - the baby needs a place to have diapers changed, right? So I jumped on the offer and figured I could paint or something to update the table.

It is a basic three tier, spindle sided changing table. I decided painting was more than I wanted to tackle at almost 9 months pregnant so I had to figure out a new update.

unfortunately this is the best before :)

After getting my new bedding from the seamstress, I had some left over fabric (beyond the already planned projects), so I decided to take the "fabric backed bookcase" look I seen around blogs and turn it into a "fabric covered changing table tier" instead!

I used two of the fabrics - the chevron and owls and spray glued the fabric to the bottom of the tier (likely a particle board type material)

fabric on, not trimmed

I then trimmed the edges using a quilting wheel/roller thingy (so that it got right to the edge). I did have to mod podge a few of the edges/places were I got a little over zealous in the cutting :)

owls all nice and trimmed :)

chevron all nice and trimmed

I added the baskets (another project), the changing table pad, and then the memo board (yet another project) this weekend! I love how it turned out and definitely a great improvement on the free changing table!

finished pre-baskets

with the baskets

The whole area with the memo board

Sharing this here and more specifically here, here and here.

5 Minute Makeover

2011-09-20T06:00:00.002-05:00

I was looking for something to put in the foyer that wasn't "vase filler". I was over the brown twine balls but I wasn't sure what to put.

I found these great canisters in red (um yeah I didn't take the "before photo" - bad blogger) at my outlet store. When they went on for the weekly special of $7.96 - I bought three and didn't look back!

Kensington Canister

I didn't think they looked two kitchen-y, so I hoped they would work. They arrived, I was super exited to get them out....I liked the shape, size, style, but they were R-E-D. I like red and I knew when I ordered they would be red, but these were UBER-RED and a little too much for that room. I figured a little paint and a few minutes I could "distress" them and make them LESS-RED.

I was right - a little paint - Dark Brown, a dry brush (with excess paint blotted on a plate) and a few randomly placed strokes and I had much more "rustic" jars to go in my foyer. Exactly the look I wanted! Seriously the whole thing took under 5 minutes. I started by trying just one to see how it would look. When that was done in under a minute, I figured I had to do the rest!

And you are paying attention - I did change up the rest of the accessories on that table AND painted the lamp.... more on that later :)

What do you think - good 5 minute project - squeezed in one night around midnight when I couldn't sleep?

Baby Boy Celebration

2011-08-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

I guess the one upside for having a surprise pregnancy after getting rid of all your items is getting to have a shower for the 3rd child. My sweet friends in my new town and my sweet friends in my old town have both offered to throw a shower for Baby Boy. I am SO appreciative of their overwhelming love and support. This past weekend was the first shower and they did such a great job! Matching the whole shower theme to Baby Boy's room and no shower games - they know me too well! :)

Here are a few shots from the day

me and the hostesses :)

The food table

OMIGOSH the cake is SO yummy, I am still eating on it - oink oink!

the super cute diaper cake, owls for the baby's room, signature mat and cd they made me and Baby Boy

unwrapping one of the gifts, yeah the other pictures are way too "action" for me to post - lol :)

Thanks again girls for such a great day!

Spray Paint Love {Faux Coral}

2011-08-22T06:00:00.002-05:00

Yes, summer is coming to a close in most of the world - school is starting and Labor Day, the official end to summer, is right around the corner. I however, am finally finishing summer items around my house! My excuse - it will be hot until at least mid-October and fall decor doesn't really feel "right" when it is 90 degrees outside, so I am going with "my seasons match the weather not the calendar" approach! :)

One of things I recently tackled is the ever popular faux coral look. It really was as easy as it looks and does, in my opinion, look pretty darn good! Using the knowledge from other blogs that Wally-world had some great "base" coral at not so insane prices, I headed off.

A few shopping hours later, I was the proud owner of three pretty ugly base coral - well one wasn't too bad by itself.

yes that is light blue and teal green plastic - I guess something only a fish could love in the "natural" state?

SEVERAL coats of white spray paint later, I was left with these beauties

I also spray painted the starfish - NOTE - your dog MIGHT eat the said starfish if you put it on the ground outside to paint and you might have to use gorilla glue to put it back together, just saying....

I liked the flower look and turned this one on its side

much better than light blue - IMO

For comparison purposes - the mantel has the "real" coral from Kohl's - way more than Wally-world and no less real than my plastic ones if I do say so myself!

one of the other projects was done on this mantel - more to come....

So while, I might be a little delayed in my uptake of the summer trends, at least they are easy! :) I hope you enjoy the last few days/weeks you have left of summer!

Sharing this project here.

Shamless Plug - Vote for My Sister's Dog :)

2011-08-13T17:21:00.000-05:00

I have two sisters. Both are GREAT aunts to my girls and since neither of them have kids, I don't get to return the favor. My middle sister has two doggies that are basically her "kids" and one of them is up for a PetMeds contest on facebook. If you could be so kind as to help her out and vote for Bug - I would so appreciate it! That will allow me to be a great aunt today :)

Vote for Bug

Isn't he too cute :)

1st Day of School - Success

2011-08-12T14:00:00.000-05:00

Yes in the South we start school WAY early. I honestly think I would prefer year round school since my girls thrive on structure, but since I am not in charge (at least not yet - *wink* *wink*) we will stick with just a really early start.

The oldest went into 2nd grade this year - it feels so much "bigger" than first grade. We have kindy in one building, so last year was our first year in the "big" school, so I figured 2nd wouldn't be much different than 1st, but it still felt just tha much older. 10 more years and I will have a HS senior - AGH. The verdict - two thumbs up!

1st day- so grown up!

me and the girls

oldest and her daddy :)

outside her class

getting off the bus and ignoring me! LOL

My youngest started pre-K (or 4K) preschool. Basically we pay for a 4 year old preschool since there isn't a public pre-k option. Since both of my girls are the babies of their class (like almost the last day possible) I really wanted them to both have a structured program for 4K. I started the youngest on Monday and she was NOT a happy camper that she was going to school for two days that her big sister wasn't. She is doing much better, but still Miss Sassy Pants all the way around.

1st day

perfect picture of her "tude" the first few days :)

much happier now that big sissy is also going

Hope your back to school is a success - whenever it is! :)

Saturday Spotlight #22 + {Features}

2011-07-30T02:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 22nd edition of Saturday Spotlight!

This linky party hosted by Jenna of SAS Interiors and Jenn of Green Door Designs is fun and unique! Link up your project ONCE and it's showcased on TWO blogs = More exposure...More FUN?!

Our combined FEATURE pick from week #21

Beautiful headboard design and creative way of displaying pins and broaches; Made by Mike of Blue Velvet Chair

Jenna's Pick from week #21

Patricia Ann made these awesome chair covers using burlap sacks ~ love this idea!

Jenn's Pick from week #21

Awesome coral collection by Miss Kitty of Miss Kopy Kat

If you were FEATURED above, grab the 'featured' button on the right column & display it on your site…

We'll also be linking more of our favorite projects from the week on our facebook pages. 'LIKE' US so you can see if your project gets featured ~ Here are the links to our pages: SAS Interiors and Green Door Designs

Linky Party Specifics

Show off your awesome and inspirational projects, crafts, recipes, and anything that you’d like to {spotlight} from your blog this week! Linky Parties are more fun with LOTS of other blogs participating...Please visit & comment on other projects/blogs. We all love comments...let's share the LOVE!

ATTENTION: You must have a link back in your actual post to link up to this party! (Either grab our SS button (in the sidebar) or display party text & link in your post.)

Weekly Willow House - Out with the Old, In with the New

2011-07-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Only a few days left until we say {good-bye} to the Spring Catalog and {hello} to the new Fall Catalog! As with any good-bye some things must come to an end and others are a "see you later". Some of those "see you later" items are still available at a HUGE discount as part of the July Sale through 7/31.

How GORGEOUS is the Marisol Wall clock - $27.96 through the end of the month and back up to $89.96 starting on August 1st!

Check out all the Sale Items HERE and then Shop at my store for the GREAT deals - Green Door Designs with Willow House (make sure to select my name - Jennifer Gamble as both the HOST and the CONSULTANT)

To celebrate the launch of the catalog on August 1st and thank my loyal customers, I am going to offer {20% off any new item} from the Fall 2011 catalog (during August) if you have previously placed an order with me. All you have to do is contact me before your order and I will let you know how you can take advantage of this deal! There are some really cute things in the new catalog -

Gorgeous new dinneware - Riverstone Dinnerware $29.96 -$38.96 before discount and Adelaide Flatware - $49.96 for a place setting (5 pieces) before discount

Athena Crackle Vase - $34.96 before discount

snowflake snapshot holder - $24.96 before discount

As, I was writing this post it made me think of my mantel that I am redoing and truly how often the items from Willow House can continued to be used over again. While it is still a work in progress and I have a few updates to make, I was surprised to see I pretty much used only past and present Willow House items in conjunction with each other items to make my fav new mantel look. Here is a sneak peak

The mirror is being replaced with the Chancelor Mirror I got during the July Sale
The two candle holders on the left are vintage SLaH votive holders that still look great!
The two bowls with seashells are also vintage SLaH glass bowls that still look great wih the soda glass look that is popular now
The Santorini urn was just retired and the Mediterranean Sage Bowl is such a gorgeous blue color and still available in the fall

Our pieces truly are timeless - you are making an investment in something that will transform your house and not just be the "hot thing" for the next few months. Just one of the hallmarks of Simply Good Design.

Enjoy Shopping! :)

{Tutorial} - Sunburst Wall Art

2011-07-26T07:17:00.000-05:00

Last week I posted about my new Sunburst Wall Art. I still love it and my husband has told me TWICE how much better he likes this than anything else that has been on the wall! {SCORE}

It was actually pretty easy to make once I got started.

Supplies
Cardboard box for the circle cutout
Fabric to wrap the circle
Circle to trace as a template
Wood Dowels
Hot Glue and Spray Glue
Ring to stabilize the back
Spray Paint

Step One
I used cardboard for my main attachment piece because I knew I wanted it to be flat against the wall. I considered doing a foam wreath but I was worried the dowels wouldn't be secure enough. I DID use a foam wreath as my guide for the cut-out on the cardboard however :)

Wreath from front door was the perfect size to trace

My lines were a little wobbly, I tried to smooth it out as I cut out the circle

Step Two
I actually placed all the dowels around the circle first before going any further. This was to make sure I liked the look. I used square/flat dowels vs. round ones to mimic the look in the mirror I had as my inspiration

bought at a combo of hobby/lobby and Wal-Mart

1st set of dowels mapped out

I am going to add a {NOTE} here that I initially only planned to do the two sizes of dowels and was actually fine with how it looked. It was only after another trip to Hobby Lobby that I found the two additional sizes of dowels that resulted in the additional ones being added and the two tone effect.

Step Three
Prep the items - spray paint the dowels I had already and cover the circle in the fabric

getting ready to wrap - I guess like a present - with Lots of GLUE

Finished

Another {NOTE} here - I initially did this without 1st attaching the fabric to the front of the cardboard - total FAIL. I ripped it all off and started again. I attached the fabric to the front with adhesive spray and then wrapped the back and attached with the glue gun - MUCH more effective!

Step Four
I attached the ring on the back for extra stability and to use as a guide for my dowels and I once again laid them all out to see what I thought

The dowels multiplied during this process :)

I was way too antsy to get this done, so I decided to go ahead and attach the unpainted dowels also and figured I could cover the fabric with foil or something when I went back to spray paint the rest of the dowels, but I kind of like the two tone effect at this point :)

Step Five
Glue, glue, glue, and then more glue! I think i went through 4 glue sticks on this!

finished product - yes missing the 4 dowels I realized I needed at 10 pm on Saturday night and yes HL is closed on Sunday!

Step Six
Hang on your wall and enjoy!

Yes the additional dowels are in my possession and NO I haven't added them yet :)

Sharing this tutorial here and more specifically here and here.

Saturday {Spotlight} #21 + Features

2011-07-23T07:54:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 21st edition of Saturday Spotlight!

We hope you are having a fabulous summer....it's been quite HOT in many parts of the US this week ~ we hope you're all safe an staying cool! What have you been up to? What projects have you been working on? Let's see it....

This linky party hosted by Jenna of SAS Interiors and Jenn of Green Door Designs is fun and unique! Link up your project ONCE and it's showcased on TWO blogs = More exposure...More FUN?!

Our combined FEATURE pick from week #20

We both thought this bedroom paneling was so unique and beautifully created by This Home of Ours

Jenna's Pick from week #20

Who doesn't have lots and lots of family photos?? And I know how difficult it can be to put together a photo collage wall (I've done a few myself). Dixie Delights composed a beautiful staircase wall with her amazing prized possessions!

Jenn's Pick from week #20

Get ready to party with this Very Hungry Caterpillar birthday created by the Mathews Family Happenings

If you were FEATURED above, grab the 'featured' button on the right column & display it on your site…

Linky Party Specifics

ATTENTION: You must have a link back in your actual post to link up to this party! (Either grab our SS button (in the sidebar) or display party text & link in your post.)

Weekly Willow House - So Much News

2011-07-21T17:01:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted a "Weekly Willow House" consistently in awhile. Along with sitting on the couch and doing nothing decor-wise in my house when I found I was pregnant, I also put my Willow House business on the back-burner. While I am likely not to kick things up in full gear BEFORE having the baby, I do want to continue keeping my toe in the proverbial water. The company has SO many exciting things to offer right now, it is hard NOT to want to stay a part of it! :)

July Sale - there are still some GREAT things left in the July Sale - many things returning for the fall and look so great in the new catalog. Now is the time to stock up for gifts - holidays, teacher, housewarming, etc...

Click here for the most up to date sales list and then select here to shop! (select Jennifer Gamble as the host and consultant)

New Fall Catalog/New Hostess Rewards/New Products - the gorgeous new catalog officially launches August 1st. I received mine in the mail yesterday and have of course spent plenty of time pouring over all the details already! Contact me if you want your very own copy.

Here are a few teaser pictures - the catalog cover and a few of the new products on display at convention.

Even more exciting than the new products are the new hostess rewards launching August 1st - plus August is DOUBLE HOSTESS credits - that means you could easily get $500 in FREE product! Interested? Contact me to see how.

New Jewelry Division - Launching in October (and November for some) is the new Willow House Jewelry by Sara Blaine Division. I am super excited to get my pieces, here are some sneak peaks! It was hard to narrow down the ones to show! :) No costume pieces here - real materials and stones are used in all of the jewelry - it just looks stunning!

As you can see, there is so much going on - such an exciting time! If you ever thought being your own boss, working from home, and doing something you love was for you - contact me and we can discuss how Willow House can be part of YOUR life!

What I Wore Wednesday - Golf Weekend

2011-07-20T02:00:00.003-05:00

My husband played in a golf tournament this weekend, so that meant we had visitors in town and several events to attend - read - actually get dressed up! :)

Thankfully I feel like I am still in the "looks cute" not "looks like a beached whale" stage of pregnancy - LOL

Outfit One - Friday Night Dinner

Top - Gap Maternity
Cardi - Liz Lange Maternity
Necklace - Old Navy
Jeans - Liz Lange Maternity - consignment
Shoes - don't remember the brand :)

Outfit Two - Saturday Night Dinner

yeah, my belly button is totally popping! :)

Dress - from a boutique - non maternity

Necklace - bought on consignment

Purse (had to show because it was a perfect match!) - consignment, no brand

Shoes - payless

Sharing with The Pleated Poppy :)

The Long Trek to Disguise a Thermostat

2011-07-18T17:27:00.003-05:00

This is the tale of a lovely thermostat that was installed on a wall in my den. It already was going to be a slight eyesore wall anyway because it has an ugly return vent, but air is required in the south, so I figured we would be able to disguise the lovely fixtures on the wall. Well, as builders tend to do, they think of things in terms of function not design/decor and they managed to put the thermostat on the wall NOT CENTER. The ONLY saving grace is that the wall is not seen from the front door and is kind of in the corner, so while it bothers me it doesn't just stand out.

The earliest "before" - see how the left hand prints are closer to the thermostat than the right hand ones....

The corner has gone through alot of transition and nothing has really "worked". Given the off center nature of the thermostat it is hard to do a grouping on the wall. Everything that is centered looks, well, off centered.

I have tried several options to make this look better from plates/prints to new vinyl/plates and vinyl backed in burlap but NOTHING was really working....

first step on the plate change

plates and vinyl (off center but "centered") - agh....

Burlap backed vinyl - still off center - grrr

So the wall had to live like this for a few months since we all know that in Feb/March my decorating life came to a screeching halt when I found out I was pregnant with my 3rd and decided that all I really wanted to do was sit on the sofa and sleep! :)

Now, that I am finally back to doing projects again, I decided it was time to tackle the "stereotypical blogger project" - the {Sunburst}! Yes, I know they are everywhere in blogland and yes I know they are probably overdone at this point, but my 3 month+ hiatus put me a little behind the curve, so sunburst here I come.

Obviously a mirror was out because you can't put a mirror over a thermostat if you want it to still work, so I had to do another version of a Sunburst. Using this Hobby Lobby mirror (which I so wanted to buy for something else) as an inspiration

Love the different sized rays and the color!

I decided to make my own take on the {Sunburst} mirror seen everywhere these days.

Please note - this is the 90% done project I mentioned last week and well, it is still 90% done, but I kind of like the partially finished look and even my hubby said he liked it, so it might stay this way (for awhile).

yes if you are counting there are a few missing spindles :) I bought the remaining ones today

closer view of the area

No longer looks totally off center - wahoo!

So, I am pretty happy with *MY* take on the {sunburst} and for once feel like the wall isn't completely off center despite my best efforts. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! The disguise is complete - for now.... :)

Sharing this before and after here and more specifically here, here, and here.

Saturday {Spotlight} #20 + Features

2011-07-16T08:25:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 20th edition of Saturday Spotlight!

20 weeks...can you believe it?! There have been so many great projects linked up lately. What have you been up to this week?

This linky party hosted by Jenna of SAS Interiors and Jenn of Green Door Designs is fun and unique! Link up your project ONCE and it's showcased on TWO blogs = More exposure...More FUN?!

Our combined FEATURE pick from week #19

We loved these beautiful pillows and the center one is a coral design handpainted - just beautiful! Created by Annabellea

Jenna's Pick from week #19

Since I'm in the midst of a kitchen revamp, this kitchen makeover by Kristi of Addicted 2 Decorating was a must to showcase...it's stunning!

Jenn's Pick from week #19

Gloria of Potentially Beautiful found a blah table at Goodwill in need of alot of love. She transformed it into a real treasure!

If you were FEATURED above, grab the 'featured' button on the right column & display it on your site…

Linky Party Specifics

ATTENTION: You must have a link back in your actual post to link up to this party! (Either grab our SS button (in the sidebar) or display party text & link in your post.)

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-07-13T06:00:00.001-05:00

We are back from the beach and back to the grind - love vacation, but I hate the first few days back at work. Thankfully the weekend is only a few days away! :)

Three outfits this week :)

Outfit #1 - Friday playdate

Top - Liz Lange Maternity - consignment purchase

Shorts - Liz Lange Maternity

Shoes - Target

Necklace - Stella and Dot

Outfit #2 - Sunday Errands

Tunic/Leggings - Zara (non maternity)

Tank Top - Ann Taylor Loft (non maternity)

Shoes - Ann Taylor Loft

Necklace - Ann Taylor

Outfit #3 - Dr Appointment

almost 26 weeks

Dress - Target (non maternity)
Cardi - J Crew (consignment)
Necklace - Stella and Dot
Shoes - Yellow Box

Sharing with The Pleated Poppy

{Tutorial} - Holiday Bundt Cake

2011-07-12T06:00:00.001-05:00

I am a member of a online mom's forum and someone is always posting something cute they found or tried. I have been a member almost 7 years and I don't think I have EVER made anything from a post! :)

Well, someone posted this cake from Cooking with Sugar

via Cooking with Sugar

and I HAD to make it (well me and I think everyone else on the forum - there were lots of firecracker cakes showing up on facebook this past weekend!). My husband's birthday is July 3rd and I wanted to make him a cake this year. This was the PERFECT option! Not to mention it is easy as sin and we were going to be at the beach, so I needed something easy-peasy.

The best part, he told me "this is your best desert ever" - wow. Either I need to make more deserts or it was really that good :)

Ingredients
WHITE cake mix (needs to be white not yellow) and ingredients for cake
White icing - I think the original recipe called for whipped, but I just used general icing (you could also make your own, but being lazy and going to the beach....)
Red/Blue Gel Food Coloring
Bundt Pan
Sprinkles

Step One
Mix the cake mix according to directions

Step Two
Separate the cake mix into three bowls - 2 bowls with 1 cup of cake mix and the remainder in the 3rd bowl

Step Three
Color the two smaller bowls of mix red and blue

Step Four
Pour the red mix into the bottom of the prepared (HEAVILY GREASED/FLOURED Bundt Pan)

Step Five
Pour the white cake mix on top of the red, DON'T mix, just spread the mix on top to cover the red

Step Six
Pour the blue cake mix on top of the white, again DON'T mix

Step Seven
Bake according to directions, completely cool before putting on the plate

Step Eight
Separate the frosting into three sections

Step Nine
Color two of the bowls with the red and blue food coloring

Step Ten
Melt the icing, one color at a time, in the microwave for 15-20 seconds - enough to get it soft and drizzle consistency

Step Eleven
Drizzle the white icing over the cake, repeat step 10 and 11 with the red and blue icing

Step Twelve
Sprinkle the red/white/blue sprinkles on top

Step Thirteen
Take a picture of your amazing creation that is SO easy to make (along with your little helper)

Step Fourteen
ENJOY!!!! :)

I honestly think I will make this cake for EVERY holiday - just pick different food coloring and sprinkles and you are good to go - it is so easy and fun and looks like you slaved away and took forever.

Sharing this

Sharing this tutorial here and more specifically here and here.

I'm Back

2011-07-11T06:00:00.002-05:00

I have seen this commercial on TLC way too many times because the song is STUCK in my head. Thankfully I like the song....

I did think it was appropriate for my post this Monday, however, because I finally feel like {I'm Back}! Both literally - from the beach and figuratively - from craft/creative funk the past few months! This was literally the first weekend in who knows how long that I actually did a project ~~or two~~ or many. :)

This pregnancy hasn't been hard in terms of physical aspects, but I do feel like my brain was zapped of any desire to do anything creative, crafty, or something requiring a trip to Hobby Lobby for about the last 12-13 weeks. I am at 25 weeks now, so I guess I am close to entering the 3rd trimester and maybe I am getting my nesting energy because I seriously have a laundry list a mile long! :)

I was actually fairly productive this weekend in terms of {STARTING} projects, but not so great in terms of {FINISHING} projects.

Project #1 - I started the redo of my mantel loosely based on Lindsay's Summer Mantel - I just love, love, love the colors!

From Lindsay - The Pleated Poppy

Project Status - 75% complete - the pieces are in the place, hopefully it will be finished this week - some more spray painting and general painting to do :)

Project #2 - This goes along with #1 - but faux coral inspired by Beth - and yes two of those same pieces came home with my from Wal-Mart.

The white and blue are also in my house :) Via Beth at Home Stories A to Z

Right now the pieces are sitting in what will likely be their final resting spot in their GLORIOUS tacky pre-paint color.... okay, will give you a tease :)

LOVELY coral pre-paint!

Project #3 - Redo my decor "shopping" my house... this is probably the furthest along, because well, it is all at my house - LOL. With baby boy on the way, I need to save my pennies for baby boy decor, but my den did need a few updates, so I challenged myself to do as much as possible without buying. Honestly, I was able to do about 90% of the redo using current pieces - moving from mantel to console to sofa table and back again and pulling long lost treasures from cabinets.... The few things I bought weren't too spendy - e.g. LOVE my new apothecary jars from Tar-jay - marked $17.XX on clearance and rang up at $4.98!!!!! WAHOO

yeah target clearance!

Project #4 - I am UBER-excited about this project and and UBER-disappointed that I wasn't able to finish it. This is a case of needing a few more pieces, realizing it at midnight on Saturday, and the only store that carries said needed pieces - Hobby Lobby. Why is that Craft and Chik Fil A cravings always happen on Sunday?????

Here is my inspiration (also from Hob-Lob) - inspired, but definitely a twist off this! I can't wait for it to be done :)

Hobby Lobby inspiration

Since I can't leave you with some wonderful "after" pictures, I will leave you with some fun beach pictures instead. We had a great time - icky seaweed and all.

Ready for the first day on the beach, the only day WITHOUT seaweed!

"dancing" on the beach :)

yeah, that was just one night of seaweed!!! Seriously it was insane, especially when we are used to seafoam green water and sugar sand beaches!

the kids didn't seem too concerned! :)

How did your weekend projects turn out???? I hope you were able to finish, unlike me! Share them with Jenna and I at Saturday Spotlight - we love seeing all the great ideas out there!

PS - I just saw I hit 500 google friends! WOW. While it is small potatoes in blogland - it is big potatoes for me. Thanks so much for joining along and sticking out the last few months. I might have to do some kind of giveaway to celebrate :)

Saturday {Spotlight} #19 + Features

2011-07-09T02:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the 19th edition of Saturday Spotlight!

This linky party hosted by Jenna of SAS Interiors and Jenn of Green Door Designs is fun and unique! Link up your project ONCE and it's showcased on TWO blogs = More exposure...More FUN?!

Our combined FEATURE pick from week #18

This looks SO DARN YUMMY and coming off a week of celebrating our country's birthday, we had to make this our feature pick of the week! This scrumptious treat was made by Jessica of the Copy Cat Crafter!

Jenna's Pick from week #18

A Road Trip Survival Kit ~ Perfect for the summer family vacation! Created by Emily of On the V Side

Jenn's Pick from week #18

Allison of Fab Rehab Creations made over this "Big Beast" and it's just gorgeous!

If you were FEATURED above, grab the 'featured' button on the right column & display it on your site…

Linky Party Specifics

ATTENTION: You must have a link back in your actual post to link up to this party! (Either grab our SS button (in the sidebar) or display party text & link in your post.)

Summer Vacation

2011-07-03T06:00:00.002-05:00

While I am enjoy some of this with the family....

don't forget you can still link up to Saturday Spotlight until Thursday and you can shop the awesome July Sales with Willow House :). I will be back next week with some "shopping in my home" redecorating! :)

Saturday {Spotlight} #18 + Features

2011-07-02T02:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the 18th edition of Saturday Spotlight!

Saturday Spotlight is back after a week of fun at the Blogger Block Party. In total, there were 1166 projects linked up to the week long celebration. WOW! Thanks to At The Picket Fence for their efforts in coordinating such a fun and exciting event. For this week's Saturday Spotlight, we will be choosing link ups from week 17 (two weeks ago). Remember, if you weren't featured, we showcase alot of the link ups on our facebook pages, so be sure to 'LIKE' us {SAS Interiors FB Page and Green Door Designs FB Page}

This linky party hosted by Jenna of SAS Interiors and Jenn of Green Door Designs is fun and unique! Link up your project ONCE and it's showcased on TWO blogs = More exposure...More FUN?!

Our combined FEATURE pick from week #17

Catie of Catie's Corner created this amazing Sunburst Mirror with skewers...WOW, amazing!

Jenna's Pick from week #17

Using the awesome Annie Sloan paint, Rachel of Loving Life transformed this Craigslist find into a true beauty!

Jenn's Pick from week #17

LOVE these red, white, and blue topiaries created by Ashley of Simply Designing ~ Perfect for the 4th!

If you were FEATURED above, grab the 'featured' button in our side column & display it on your site…

Linky Party Specifics

ATTENTION: You must have a link back in your actual post to link up to this party! (Either grab our SS button (in the sidebar) or display party text & link in your post.)

WOW - Willow House End of Season Clearance!

2011-07-01T12:30:00.000-05:00

The end of the season clearance just went up and holy cow there are some {STEALS}. Some are limited quanties, but unlike in the past there are no-minimums and no party required to get the deals, so start shopping! Most of the items are over 70% off!!!!

Here are some of my favorites!

$39.96 - HOLY COW

The throw is $24.96!!!!!

$13.96 for these gorgeous plates!

When shopping make sure you select "Jennifer Gamble" as the host AND the consultant! Click here - MY STORE and have fun!

What I Wore Wednesday - Pregnancy Week 23/24

2011-06-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in the ~~Block~~ Blog Party last week! Over 1100 links for all the themes! WOW. The winner of MY giveaway is Our Life in a Click - let me know your contact info so that I can get your FABULOUS earrings! :)

Now on to the fashions of the week. Just two outfits - mostly just two photographed! LOL

Outfit #1

Jeans - Liz Lange Maternity - consignment
Top - Olian Maternity - consignment
Tank - ann taylor loft
Sandals - target
Necklace - Ann Taylor

Outfit #2

standard side belly shot! LOL

skirt - old navy maternity
tank - be maternity
t-shirt - target (non-maternity
necklace - Stella and Dot
Sandals - yellow box

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy

{Tutorial} - Hanging Outdoor Curtains

2011-06-28T07:05:00.000-05:00

When we hung our outdoor curtains we opted to go with a more industrial look 1) it was outdoors and 2) it was much cheaper to cover a 17 foot expanse! For about $20-$30 we were able to cover the entire space with only once bracket/brace in the middle.

My husband suggested we used galvanized metal pipe, like for plumbing, to hang the curtains. After HE searched on the internet and found a blog or two. We decided that was the way to go!

Materials needed

Galvanized Steel pipe (the home improvement stores will cut to length and thread)
Fittings - we used elbow brackets on the ends and one straight one in the middle
Galvanized screws (so they don't rust since outside)
A friend to help :)

Step one - measure the opening and where you want to have pipe/fittings sit. There is no wiggle room in this approach because you are cutting to fit.

Our opening was 17 feet across column to column, so we knew if we covered exactly 17 feet we would be able to hang the fittings just inside the column and the curtain would come flush

Step Two - thread the fittings on one of the pipes (we were using two)

center fitting

Step Three - Hang the curtains on the pipe before hanging. Once they are up, they are up, so you can't add the curtains later.

curtains/pipe ready to go

Steps 4+ I don't have pictures, because I was helping to hang, but here is what we did :)

4a Mark the center of the expanse to put your middle fitting - using your friend to help hold the other end, make sure the pipe lines up in the middle of the beam you are hanging into so that the curtains are straight

4b Screw one or two screws in the middle to hold the fitting in place

4c Screw one or two screws in the fitting on the end to hold it into place

4d Step back and ensure you like the spacing

4e Take the next pipe and thread it into the middle fitting (the end fitting should already be on as well as the curtains).

4f Once that is in place repeat 4a - 4d

Step 5 - if everything looks good - put the rest of the screws in the fittings and ENJOY the new curtains!

New curtains on the patio

The whole process took about 20 minutes, so not only was it cheap, it was actually pretty easy!

Sharing this before and after here and more specifically here.

Come back tomorrow, I will announce the winner of the ~~Block~~ Blog Party Giveaway! :)

House Tour {Porch Reveal} - New Curtains

2011-06-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I showed the updated porch with the new patio furniture and I teased about the new curtains I already had up, but hadn't revealed. Well, wait no more, the curtains are HERE! :)

Preview again of the curtains pre-hanging

We ended up hanging 6 panels across the big expanse of the patio. We had toyed with the idea of doing two really big panels, but that was some $$$ and I, if not my hubby, preferred the look of individual curtains.

all the new pretty curtains!

I go back and forth between them open across and pushed to the sides. If it is really windy (which it has been recently) I tend to push them to the sides by the columns and when it rains I tie the three together to help keep them from from being blown around so much.

pushed to the sides

Close up of them tied together (we literally got them up and it started raining with lots of window 5 minutes later!)

In the afternoons when the sun is at its worst - they are open across the back. We honestly thought we would have to do something with the triangle opening at the top, but because of the new curtains and the curtains inside, we DON'T - wahoo! :)

Expanded during the day

I am just LOVING the whole combo of the new furniture and the curtains. It actually is kind of bearable outside at 95 degrees these days :) (Note - we generally enjoy it in the evening when it is much cooler than 95 - LOL).

Now, I just need to find some great decorations for the whole space. I saw some gorgeous ideas in blogosphere over the weekend, now I need to put some of those ideas to work!

Tomorrow, I will reveal how we hung the curtains - creative and cheap idea from hubby - what is better than that?

Sharing this before and after here and more specifically here and here.

PS - thanks to everyone who participated in the Blogger ~~Block~~ Blog party - we had over 1100 links!!!! WOW - I am impressed! Click here to see the whole list from my WIWW post.

What I Wore Wednesday - Block Party!

2011-06-22T02:00:00.005-05:00

Welcome to What I Wore Wednesday! If you are new to my blog, WIWW is a weekly challenge to get dressed in more than just sweats. That honestly becomes quite a challenge to me as I work from home and often work out in the morning. By the time lunch rolls around I realize I have been sitting in my workout clothes for half the day and can't get motivated to get ready! After my youngest answered the question "When does your mom look pretty" at her preschool mother's day tea with the answer "when she travels for work" I realized that maybe my lack of motivation is more noticeable than I thought! :) So, having to post pictures each week at least gets me motivated a ~~few~~ couple of days a week! :)

This week's post is taking on the theme - Summer Fashion to go along with our Blogger ~~Block~~ Blog Party! If you have read my blog before you know I am about 23ish weeks pregnant and as such have been challenged in the outfit department trying to find clothes that still fit and don't swallow me like a mu-mu! Last week I posted some super cute trendy maternity fashions and I am happy to report my Old Navy and Gap package arrived today! Wahoo - it was Christmas at my house in June! :)

So, this is not so much a "what I wore" this week, but more what i am going to be wearing this summer post! I am sure by the end of the summer I will want to burn these clothes, but for now, I am in heaven! LOL

Excuse the cropped head on most of these photos - I tried these all on after getting out of the shower at um 7 pm tonight! :)

Love this - copied from an outfit at Old Navy :) It still gets cool here at night so I can get away with jeans for date nights!

I got this skirt in black and brown, I know I am going to be living in these! So comfy, tank top is gap - perfect casual outfit!

Have to throw in the belly shot - almost 23 weeks

LOVE this dress - coral/red - Old Navy, perfect with my new S&D purchase!

close up of the dress - I have been living in these this summer!

Now for the FUN PART - you get to link up to the P.A.R.T.Y! Let's see your summer fashion!

Some notes about the party

1 - the linky party is available on all of the participant blogs, so you will see lots of links for the other themes - that is okay - link up! This way you can see all the fun summer projects and you can link up for any of the themes on any of the days!

2 - Visit the other host blogs and see their fun posts - most are doing posts related to theme

3 - Browse through the party and leave comments for the ones you like - we all love comments!

4 - Take a button below or from my side bar to let me know you participated - you need to do this to be eligible for the giveaways. Posts not relevant to a summer theme or without the link back will be excluded from the drawings

5 - DRUM ROLL PLEASE..... my giveaway is a pair of earrings from Stella and Dot from fellow blogger - Ashley at Style Files! She is super sweet, so cute, and posts DAILY about her fashion - I should take some tips! Check out her blog, she has such a cute approachable sense of fashion that we can all accomplish!

Soiree Stud Earrings - Perfect with every outfit!

6 - Other themes for today - Savvy Southern Style-Summer Decks and Porches-June 22, DIY by Design-Outdoor Cooking and Dining-June 22, Elements Interiors-Summer DIY Projects-June 22

I am linking up with Pleated Poppy also :)