Nikkis' Nacs

Open Shelving in the Kitchen

2013-05-21T00:47:00.000-05:00

I have tossed around the idea of removing an existing cabinet door in our kitchen to create some open shelving for as long as we have lived in this house, but I didn't think we had a good spot for it. I always pictured it on the peninsula side of the kitchen where I have always kept my cookbooks and other various items, but the three cabinets are all open to each other. It is basically one long cabinet with three doors so there is no actual division between the cabinets. I knew that I couldn't afford to lose the closed storage for the whole cabinet, so I just kind of let it go.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. My sis and I have been going through some of my Mother's things. She had tons of cookbooks and we each ended up keeping a pretty sizable stack of them. Since they belonged to my Mom and are pretty, I knew that I really wanted them to be more visible in my kitchen. I also knew that if I could see them, I would be more likely to actually use them.

I started looking at the rest of my kitchen trying to figure out which cabinet would be "the one". I finally realized that the one on the end was the perfect choice based on what was inside and the configuration of the shelves. Our shelves are fixed and this is the only one that has just two shelves leaving enough room for some of the taller cookbooks.

Once the cabinet door was removed I knew that I wanted to add some color to the back of the cabinet. My initial thought was paint, but the more I thought about it, the less appealing paint seemed. I happened to have a roll of teal and white wrapping paper on hand that I picked up in the dollar bins at Michael's many months ago and knew that it would be the perfect choice. 1. I didn't have to whip out the paint and paint brush. 2. It only took about 15 min. from start to finish and the project was done. 3. The wrapping paper could easily be removed if I changed my mind. SCORE!

Once the door was removed, the paper was simply taped to the back and it was time to fill the two shelves.
I kept the cookbooks that I am most likely to reference the most on the bottom shelf and the ones that I will use less often on the top shelf. I also added 2 of my favorite white bowls and a glass vase that I filled with my Mom's silver and copper cookie cutters. I did eventually go back and fill the holes where the hinges were and then touched up the paint. I waited a few weeks to do so to be sure that I was happy with the new set up.

I am really enjoying the addition of some color to the kitchen and it is nice to have the cookbooks out on display.

Have any of you been removing cabinet doors to create some open shelving? Do you have any type of open shelving in your kitchen? How do you like it?

Den Decor Board

2013-05-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Oh, Hi!

I feel like I keep having to explain my lack of very inconsistent blogging. I have had computer issues, we are trying to finish up the school year, and I have been knee deep in making changes around the house. Blogging just hasn't happened. I am hoping that with the computer issue resolved I should be a little more consistent. I really do have a lot to show you.

You may remember that I have been working on adding some color to our very brown den. I made a quick decor board to show you some of our main furniture items and a few of the ways I am bringing in some color. I am hoping to have the full reveal ready sometime next week.

Have a great weekend!

Mother's Day 2013

2013-05-12T23:10:00.002-05:00

I am so thankful to be Mama to these two boys! They did an awesome job making me feel special.Gifts. Cards. Grilled Steak. Dessert. They took care of it, and made this Mama feel special.

It was good day, and a sad day. This was my first Mother's Day without my Mama here. I love and miss her so much.

Flamingo Round Up

2013-05-03T10:48:00.001-05:00

Flamingos. My mother loved them. I will always think of her every single time I see a pink flamingo. Her birthday was Monday, and it was a lot harder than I expected. I just miss her. I miss picking up the phone to call her and meeting her for lunch. I thought I would close out the week with a round up of my favorite flamingos on etsy.

sources

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.

Have a great weekend!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a custom DECOR BOARD!

Winner will be announced Saturday, May 4th.

Den Update

2013-05-02T16:19:00.001-05:00

The last time I mentioned our den I had picked out a brand new love seat that I was waiting to purchase, and planning to paint the back of our built-ins. Fast forward to now and almost all of our furniture has changed.

The original plan was to sell what I didn't want and purchase a love seat, but through a series of events, being patient, and needing to be creative with my resources, I managed to get a lot more than just a love seat. I didn't get the original love seat that I had my eye on, but I did get one that was only a week old, a new rug for the room, new dining room chairs that fit the dining room much better, and new living room furniture without spending any money out of pocket. I only used the funds that I got from selling pieces of furniture that weren't right for our home.

I am now starting with a very neutral/brown den, and couldn't be more thrilled about it. Now the plan is to bring in some pattern color. I just have to figure out what I want.

To Do List
sew a new window shade for the door, something colorful
possibly paint the mirrors...what color?
paint the back of the built-ins
add colorful throw pillows
art over the credenza

Anyone else switching all of your furniture around?

How many thirty-one bags do you spot? Join my private thirty-one page on facebook, Nikki Has A Bag For That. Stay up to date on current customer specials, and request info on purchasing or fundraising.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for the Custom Design Board. Winner will be announced on Saturday, May 4th.

Design Services + A Giveaway

2013-04-29T10:51:00.000-05:00

This giveaway is now closed. Winner is announced at the bottom of this post.

I have been wanting to do this for a few years now, but have been a little nervous to put myself out there. I have decided to go ahead and take the plunge and start offering e-design services. I am excited about this new adventure and look forward to helping you decorate your spaces.

Here is a sample decor board that I recently did for an auction. Your decor board will include ideas for Paint and Color Schemes, Furniture Selections, Lighting, a Rug, Window Treatments, Accessories, and a source list.

In honor of my Mother's Birthday, I want to give away one of these design boards. You will have 3 chances to win. Please leave a separate comment for each thing that you do.

1. Leave a comment.
2. Like nikki's nacs on Facebook
3. Share on Facebook or Twitter

Winner will be announced on Saturday, May 4th.
Please be sure I have a way to get a hold of you.

The WINNER was selected using random.org. Winner is #3 Victoria @ Tales of an Artsy Mama! Congrats girl!

Easter 2013

2013-04-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

HE IS RISEN!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend celebrating the Resurrection Sunday with your family.

We started the weekend with lunch and an egg hunt with my husband's family on Saturday afternoon.

Sunday morning we headed to church with the fam and then our families came to our house for lunch. I got zero pics of lunch.

This was the first time I have used my tripod and self timer for a family pic.We were in a hurry, so this pic is not in focus, but it will do. Everyone's eyes are open. I need to practice.

After lunch and naps we colored Easter eggs. Cade hates the smell of vinegar, so I decided to go the Kool-Aid route this year, and it was great. We will probably color eggs like this from now on. It smells nice and the colors get dark really fast. Almost too fast.

We had fun making memories.

Where's Nikki?

2013-03-22T10:22:00.000-05:00

Apparently, I decided to take a break from the blog. I'm still around, just haven't made the time to sit down and blog. Here is a run down of all of the exciting and not so exciting things that have taken place since you last heard from me.

The New Puppy - It's really hard to take of picture of a puppy that just wants to be under your feet.

- Penny got away and got hit by a car. Very sad.
- I spent a solid week glued to pet sites/CL trying to find a new puppy for the boys.
- I got sucked in and watched the entire 3 seasons of Make It Or Break It on Netflix over the course of a few days. (Yeah, I'm real proud of that one.)
- I started P90X, which means I pretty much need a nap every day.
- I bought new dining room chairs. I plan to recover them this weekend and show you sometime next week.

Have a great weekend!

The Built Ins - Restyled

2013-03-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

It is no secret that I have been working on some updates in our den. It has been a slow change, but it has been in a constant state of change since we moved in a little over two years ago. Sometimes in takes living in a place for some time to really know how you want to use the room. Sometimes you can work with hand me down furniture, and sometimes it's better to sell it all on Craigslist and just start over.

I tried and tried to work with what we had, and were given, but the den has never felt or looked just right to me. Sure, every change has been an upgrade, but it has never been cohesive or exactly what I wanted. It has basically been a room full of other peoples' castaways that just didn't go together. We were blessed to actually have furniture in this room to use for all of this time, but I was ready for it to feel like us. I also REALLY wanted the boys to have the leather loveseat in their playroom. I am still working on the whole furniture thing, but we are making progress. The red chair is gone and the leather loveseat has been moved to the playroom. I am getting a new neutral loveseat and a vintage chair from my Mom's house that used to belong to my grandmother. It will need to be reupholstered, so I will be picking out new fabric for that as well. I am getting way ahead of myself. I need to get back to the built ins.

I restyled the built ins again. I am going to show you what they look like now, because they are actually going to change again very soon. I have painted the backs of these 3 times, but with the revolving furniture they had to go neutral for a while to not stick out. I like that they feel nice and calm with mostly white pieces and books that have been turned around to blend in.

Overall I am pretty happy with the "stuff" on them. Will they change again at some point? I am sure, I can't leave stuff like that alone forever.

Since I am getting a new loveseat in a very neutral color and a brown rug, I plan to bring some color in by painting the backs of the bookcases again. I still haven't decided on a color, but I have it narrowed down to two. I am waiting until I actually have the couch so that I can pick out fabric for the chair, and then I will pick a color for the bookcases.

Here is a look at the progression of the styling on these over the last 2 years.

Do you have bookcases or built ins that you are constantly tweaking? I can't be alone...

Linking up to these Blog Parties Tatertots and Jello - A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest
-House of Hepworths

Friday Favs - March 1

2013-03-01T09:08:00.000-06:00

If you follow me on instagram, you know that we got a new dog this week. We weren't really thinking about getting a dog, but she kinda won us over when we went to the pet store to look at FISH on Sunday. We didn't get her on the spot; I had to hunt her down the next day at the pound. She is a sweetheart.

The boys are excited to have a "REAL" dog.

Here are a few of my other fav pics from this week.


I'm not real sure what Cade was doing, funny guy.

No links this week.

Got $200? - Let's Add Some Pattern and Color.

2013-02-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

image source L'amour Home Decor Still Life Home pillowlink Zeldabelle

Most of the curtains I have sourced for this series are 84" panels, but I thought I would "spend" more this go around on the nice, custom 96" panels. It can still be done on a budget. If you can sew, you can do this for even less.

Blue Greek Key Patterned Panels - Set of 2 96" - $120

Blue Ikat Pillow Cover - $16

Coral Linen Pillow Covers - $18 each x 2 = $38

Gray, Natural Jiri Birch Stripe Ikat Pillow Cover - $24

You can make $200 go further in your home than you think.

What is Got $200?

Linking up to these Blog Parties Tatertots and Jello - A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest
-House of Hepworths

*I was not paid or perked to list any of these items. I just found them while searching for items to put together. Prices listed do not include tax or shipping.

Pinterest Challenge - The Painted Media Cabinet Reveal

2013-02-27T01:27:00.000-06:00

This is one of those projects that I have been planning to tackle for quite a while. You know, the ones that take a good bit of effort, but you quickly forget once it is all done and you aren't holding a paint brush or roller anymore. I completed this project several weeks ago, but the Pinterest Challenge finally game me the push to get my rear in gear to get it photographed so I could share it with you.

Original Pin Source-IHeartOrganizing

The original pin is this media cabinet from Jen's (IHeartOrganizing) playroom.

This is the before of our media cabinet; a hand me down from my husband's Grandmother. The media cabinet was the perfect size and scale for this room, but the finish and colors were all wrong. I knew I wanted something with a much cleaner look. The crackle finish had to go.

I used a premixed latex enamel, white, glossy paint form Lowes, and just painted over the existing finish. The back is painted a grayish turquoise that works well with the teal in the dining room that is just to the left of this room. I didn't want the colors to be the exact same, but these work well together. I also changed out the knobs to some that I found at Target in a brushed nickel finish. I am so glad this thing is DONE.

The room feels so much lighter and brighter now that the media cabinet doesn't look dirty. I am so glad that I finally marked this project off of my to do list.

Make sure you link up and check out all of the other Pinterest Challenge projects.

Painted Used on the Back - Valspar - Secluded Garden 178263 (premixed sample)

The Pinterest Challenge is hosted by:
Bower Power
Young House Love
Decor & The Dog
The Remodeled Life

Linking up to these Blog Parties Tatertots and Jello - A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest
-House of Hepworths

Got $200? - Let's add some pattern and color.

2013-02-22T00:23:00.000-06:00

It has been a LONG time since I have done a Got $200 post, but I thought it was time to do another one.

What is Got $200? I have seen home after home that is filled with brown, tan, or gray everything. So many people are afraid to bring in a little color and personality because they don't know where to start or they don't feel like they can afford to. Sure, you could spend a lot of money on bringing some personality into a room, but your don't have to. I think every room can benefit from color and pattern and the easiest way to bring that in is with curtains and pillows.

images - World Market skoopehome PillowsbyWillow JustDwell

Gemma Floral Curtain Panels - 2 panels at $31.49 each - $62.98

Gray Water Color Chevron Pillow Covers - Set of 2 - $35

Pink Ikat Pillow Covers - Set of 2 - $34

Teal Linen Pillow Cover - $38

Are you afraid of pattern and color? Do you have a neutral room that is begging for some personality?

Linking up to these Blog Parties Tatertots and Jello - A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest
-House of Hepworths

*I was not paid or perked to list any of these items. I just found them while searching for items to put together. Prices listed do not include tax or shipping.

Henry Turns 3!

2013-02-20T00:08:00.000-06:00

I am back from a much needed mini vacay with husband. It was long overdue considering we haven't been anywhere alone for fun since before I new I was pregnant with Henry. Now it is time to play catch up and I am gong to start with Henry's Birthday. It was a week and a half ago.

My BABY is THREE!
He is very into Jake and the Neverland Pirates and has been asking for a "PINK JAKE COOKIE CAKE" for about a month. I opted for chocolate icing instead of pink, so he picked pink candles. We kept his birthday party very low key this year and just invited the family over for grilled burgers and chips. It was nice and relaxed. It was nice to just enjoy Henry on his special day and not have a ton of projects to finish up.

I mentioned in a post last week that I got his birthday gift done just in time for his birthday. It was not a hard project, but I needed a nice day so that I could spray paint. I finally got a nice day 3 days before his birthday, and only his nap time to turn a faded second hand Cozy Coupe into a Batmobile. I saw one of these on Pinterest many months ago and knew that the next time I saw one posted for sale I was going to scoop it up and paint one for Henry. I used 2 cans of Krylon Fusion Paint in a black, satin finish and then had a friend make the Batman decals out of vinyl. The decals ended up being WAY too big, so I just traced the logo on the back of the vinyl, painted the front with some yellow acrylic paint that I had on hand (it was midnight the night before H's b-day), and then cut them out. I may do something else later on, but this was the quick fix I needed for the time being.

He was pretty excited, and I must say he looks pretty cool in this thing.

Linking up to these Blog Parties Tatertots and Jello - A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest
-House of Hepworths

Art Above the Piano

2013-02-12T11:35:00.000-06:00

I'm back! I spent last week working on tons of projects and decided that the blog needed to take the backseat to everything else we had going on. It was a good decision on my part.

I managed to finally finish painting the media center.
I rearranged the playroom and moved/reworked the gallery wall.
I rearranged the master bedroom. I will eventually show you this room.
I got rid of a TON of furniture that we were not using.
I picked out a new loveseat for the den. It hasn't been purchased yet, I still need a little more in the funds department, but I'm working on Craigslisting a few other items.
I finished Henry's birthday gift....just in time.
I hung stuff over the piano.

Before

Let's talk about the piano. You can take a look at some of my inspiration here if you need a refresher.
I really didn't know what I wanted. I just didn't want it to look cluttered and didn't want it completely bare. How is that for vision?

after

Our ceilings are not very high, and there is a lot of stuff in this room. I opted to not use a mirror because I have a mirror on the wall across from it over the couch. I am also planning to hang a huge canvas print of the boys directly across from it over the record player. I was in Target last week shopping for new knobs for the media center, and found 2 white frames with mats for $5 each. That pretty much sealed the deal. They only had 2 or I would have bought more and done something more vertical, but I am happy with this. The frame in the middle is the gold frame that was in the before picture. I just sprayed it white. I was very hesitant to do so, but the gold was starting to flake, so I went with it. I'm sure it will get tweaked, but for now this is good. The prints are free printables from here. I just printed them on my printer and stuck them in the frames real quick. I'm sure they will change, but we were having a party at our house and I just needed it to look finished without having to give it much thought.

I am happy that it feels finished, and I only spent $10. Win.

Linking up to these Blog Parties

A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest

House of Hepworths

Adoption

2013-02-08T21:38:00.003-06:00

I know I have been MIA this week, but I wanted to pop in and tell you about an adoption fundraiser that you just might want to get involved in. Remember my friend Vicky? She adopted two girls from China last year and is in the process of going back for two more daughters. Fundraising for adoption is very near and dear to my heart, so if you have a heart for adoption, or just simply want a chance to win an iPad Mini, please go to her blog and find out more info.

I will be back next week with with lots of goodies to share. See you then.

Meal Plan Feb. 2

2013-02-03T20:27:00.000-06:00

I'm a little late with this, but here it is anyway. I was terrible this week and didn't take any pics of the boys, so there really isn't anything to recap. I am blaming it on my painting project. I am also going to blame the painting project for the reason I may or may not get to post much this week. I need to get it finished and get ready for Henry's Birthday on Saturday. We are just having a small family get together, but he gift is a DIY and it has been hard to get it done. He kind of lives here and it's hard to spray paint something in the yard during daylight and it remain a surprise. I still haven't started on it, and I'm still not sure how we are going to accomplish it, but I better figure it out pretty quick.

Saturday Simple Shrimp Tacos, White Cheese Dip (No one cared for the shrimp tacos, but the cheese dip was a HIT.I think it was the sauce. Publix was out of fresh cilantro so I used dry and I didn't care for the greek yogurt in this. I usually like it as a substitute for sour cream, but not this time. I think it would have been good with just some diced avocado, a little sour cream, a squirt of lime, and some fresh cilantro.)

Sunday Macho Nachos
Monday Pamesan Chicken Bake
Tuesday Small Group
Wednesday Skillet Lasagna
Thursday Breakfast for Dinner

Friday Take Out or Leftovers for my guys, I have a Thirty One Party
(If you are interested in Thirty One, I have a private group on Facebook that you can ask to join. I will keep you up to date on specials and giveaways. If you are interested in placing an order or on fundraising opportunities please email me)

Friday Favs - Feb. 1

2013-02-01T13:54:00.000-06:00

It have been ages since I have done a Friday Favs round up, but I thought I would give it a go this week.

DIY Metallic Art by While They Snooze

This is such a great piece. You know me; I am always looking for ways to revamp things that I currently have or can pick up for next to nothing at a thrift store. Sarah from While They Snooze did such a great job on this. She nailed the colors!

I painted a canvas white yesterday and am still trying to decide what I want to do with it. This is a definite possibility.

Premier Prints Towers Dossett Mandarin Turquoise

I have been making some changes in our living room this week. The changes have been made using paint, but this fabric might be a nice addition. I just like it. I like the Greek Key design. I like the color. Now I just need to finish up the things I am already working on and then see if I can find the perfect place to bring this fabric in.


Colorful and Fun Kitchen Decor

Shauna from Satori Design for Living did a great round up of colorful and fun kitchen accessories. There are several that I would enjoy having in my kitchen.

Have a great weekend!

Dipped

2013-01-30T10:27:00.000-06:00

I am still really liking things with the dipped look these days. Especially in the form of accessories.

I bought two unfinished wooden boxes from Hobby Lobby a while back, but had left them untouched for months. I have been waiting for inspiration to strike.

I was browsing Urban Outfitters on-line last week (and filling up my "stuff I'd like to have" board on Pinterest) and these Dipped Wood Boxes caught my attention. They were not the exact colors I was looking for, but how about they were the perfect look for the unfinished wooden boxes that I already had. And I could choose the paint colors.

I got out my boxes, painters tape and paint and had these done in about $15. It was super fast and easy.

I am hoping that next week I can show them to you in their home on the media center. If you follow me on instagram you know that I am currently giving it a makeover. It has been one of the most time consuming projects I have taken on lately, but I am sure that it will be worth it.

Linking up to these Blog Parties

A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest

House of Hepworths

Art Class

2013-01-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

I think I may have mentioned a time or two that I homeschool Cade. Today Cade wanted to get out the paint and have "Art Class". So we did.

Cade painted while Henry napped.

He gives me this look a lot.

Henry wanted to join in on the fun when he got up from his nap. His "art" of choice was spirograph.

Which of course turned into building.

He is saying his favorite word, POOP! He's such a boy.

And then it was time to cook dinner. They are always very eager to help Mommy in the kitchen.

Modern Black and Red Bedroom Inspiration Board

2013-01-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

I have several friends that always send me random texts asking where to move this, what color should I get in this, what kind of curtains, what color paint, and so on. I kinda like it.

One of my friends is in the process of redoing her son's room. He requested black and red (I'm sure this has nothing to do with being a Georgia Bulldog fan).Ummm...Roll Tide! Like most moms, she wants his room to reflect him, but she also wants to make sure that it looks pulled together. I decided that I would just put together an inspiration board to help her visualize some of the different options. I tried really hard to keep things as inexpensive as possible.

1. Lamp- Every bedroom could use a little bit of extra lighting. The metal finish and grey shade would work nicely in the room and break up some of the back, white, and red.
2.Chalkboard Wall - This was actually the mom's idea, and I think it is a great one. The room has a light tan paint color and the trim is also somewhat of a tan color, so she isn't really looking to paint the whole room. This would give the room a little depth and be fun to personalize.
3. Curtains - My favorite place to bring some pattern into a room is in the curtains. I really like the triangle chain pattern on these. It's geometric and somewhat neutral at the same time. If she wanted to save a little cash, these would be an easy diy project. Just get 2 twin size white flat sheets (approx. $4-$5 each) and then cut a sponge into a triangle to sponge paint them. Various shades of gray and maybe a silver, red or black here or there would also work. You can see it here done as art work.
4.Cork Letters - I think it's important to bring in a little bit of natural color and texture into any space. I thought these might be a fun addition to this room. They could spell out his name or some other word that is special. I thought these were priced pretty well, but they could also be a diy project with paper mache letters from the craft store covered in cork.
5. Bedding - This was the starting point for this room. My friend had already picked it out and I used it to build the rest of the inspiration for this room.
6. Fabric - This is option #1 for a fabric covered headboard.
7. Media Stand - This is option #1 for media storage. Every teenage boy needs somewhere to put his TV and game consoles. The black and metal option is fairly inexpensive and has a good bit of storage.
8. Fabric - Option #2 for a fabric covered headboard.
9. Media Stand - Option #2 for media storage. This one is a little different from the other one. It has drawers instead of shelves and cabinets.
10. Nightstand - Every bedroom needs a nightstand. This one is nice and minimal, but will still provide a good bit of storage. The top just needs a a lamp and maybe a favorite photo in a red frame. The front of the drawer could also be dressed up with a knob, or a vinyl decal of some kind to reflect his interests.The shelf on the bottom is perfect for stacking books or a metal basket to corral other things.
11. Fabric Covered Head Board - A fabric covered headboard would be a nice addition to the room as well. The great thing about a fabric headboards is that they can be done very inexpensively and they aren't very hard to do depending on how intricate you decide you want them. You can use something nice and light weight for the wood and most hardware stores will cut wood to size for you.

I didn't add any accessories to the room because I felt like they probably already had a lot of personal things they plan to use, but I would definitely add a few splashes of red and a good bit of metal in the accessories.

I hope this gives my friend a little inspiration for her son's room.

Linking up to these Blog Parties

A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest

Weekly Recap and Meal Plan {January 26th}

2013-01-26T23:36:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. We haven't done much of anything. The hubs had to work today and the boys wanted to hang out with Nana and Papa, so I had several hours to myself. It was nice. I could have done a project, or finished the laundry, but I ended up at the mall. I never go to the mall, but it was nice to just be by myself and walk around.

I still haven't gotten in the habit of getting out my nice camera more to take pics of the boys, so this morning I made them get dressed and we went outside for a little photo shoot. It was fun to practice. I also realized once they were dressed that they were wearing the same clothes they wore the last time I did this. Oh well, I promise they have more clothes. I guess I just have my favorites.

I've been thinking that Saturdays would be a good day to do a weekly recap of pics of the boys from the week or whatever else I want to share at the end of the week in the same post as our meal plan. We'll see how it goes. The meal plan is down at the end of this post.

Now you get the photo dump from this morning.

MENU
Saturday -Leftovers
Sunday - Meatball Subs (we didn't have the sliders last week)
Monday - Beef and Broccoli, Rice
Tuesday - White Chicken Pizza
Wednesday - Spicy Sausage Pasta
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Out to Dinner

Last week I made Shrimp & Grits and it was REALLY good! I will be making this again. I just thought I would share.

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend.

Clothespin Memo Board

2013-01-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

Way back before Christmas I went to a Mom's Night In craft night, and made a Christmas Advent Calendar. Well, I painted a few clothespins that night; I didn't get anywhere near done. To make the Advent Calendar I took the chalkboard that hangs in my kitchen out of the frame and inserted a piece of foam core board. Once all of my clothespins were painted, I simply attached them to the board with hot glue. And just for the record, if I were to go back and do this again, I would just use craft tape to decorate the clothespins. Much easier and less time consuming. I then used a tag punch, scrapbook paper, and number stickers to make tags for each day. The plan was to write an activity on the back of each tag, but that was a huge Mom fail on my part. I never did. Oops!

Christmas Advent Calendar (iphone pic)

The inspiration for the Advent Calendar was found here.

Fast forward to January. I had planned to put the chalkboard back in the frame in my kitchen and put the Advent Calendar away until next year, but I decided that the Advent Calendar would actually make a really great memo board. I really liked the lightness of the board in the kitchen better than the black chalkboard, and I thought that this might actually be more useful. I am always looking for a place to put scripture verses and appointment cards. Somewhere other than the fridge. I like my fridge to stay nice and clean (minus a few magnets the boys play with and our family calendar).

I am now really glad that I decided NOT to add red the the clothespins to make them more Christmas-y.

Here you can see the details on the clothespins. I tried not to make any two exactly the same.

It's nice to have a place for important reminders and a few photos.

And that, is the story of my Christmas Advent Calendar turned Clothespin Memo Board.

Linking up to these Blog Parties

A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest

Decorating Around a Piano - Some Inspiration

2013-01-23T12:42:00.001-06:00

My Great Grandmother's Antique piano came to live at our house last year. The dilemma - How to decorate around it?

I can do better than this!

My first thought is to treat it like a mantle, but then what? I don't want it to look cluttered. I know that I want several things that have a nice large scale, not a bunch of little things. Do I want something hung on the wall above it? One large picture? Several pictures? A mirror?

Yeah, I don't know what I want, so turned to Pinterest for some inspiration.


Via Emily A. Clark

This is by far my favorite look, but my piano is much taller. Too tall for lamps, and the stripes wouldn't work on our wall, but I do like the photo grid.


via 4Men1Lady by way of Houzz

This is another favorite. I really like the painted ornate mirror and the large clear glass candle sticks.


via Caitlin Creer, Tiek Built Homes

I also really like this one. I like that it has a more casual feel.

Do you have a piano? Have you found it challenging to decorate around? Do you have a favorite look?

It may take me a while to get my piano decorated, mainly because I don't think I have any accessories that are the right scale. I'll keep you posted as I make progress.

Chairs - To Paint or Not to Paint?

2013-01-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I had my first Thirty-One party on Friday nigh,t and then had a lazy day on Saturday. I had plans to do a few projects around the house, but I did nothing!

Before we get to the "To Paint or Not To Paint" part of this post, I need to show you what I have done so far.

This is the little sitting nook in our living room. The side of the living room that I did not show you last week when I gave you the living room update.

Current Setup

These chairs were a Craigslist find that I reupholstered, and the table was found by the curb at my neighbor's house. It just needed a little bit of sanding to remove the crackle finish and a can of Heirloom White spray paint.

Table Before

Chairs Before

Both were nice upgrades, but I'm still not sure that it is just right.

Here is another look at the other side of the room.

There is very large black antique piano that sits next to the chairs. Part of me likes that the rattan is a different tone from everything else in the room, but part of me feels like it is throwing everything WAY off. I really like the chairs. I like the scale. They are comfortable. The price was just right at $40 for the PAIR, plus $20 for the shower curtain from Target that I used to reupholster the seats. My dilemma, To Paint or Not to Paint?

If I paint, they can never be natural rattan again. If I paint, what color do I paint them? My first thought is white, but I like a nice glossy pure white. If I paint the chairs white, what do I do about the heirloom white (more of an off white) table? I already plan to paint the media cabinet white at some point. HELP ME PLEASE! I am certain that if this was someone else's home I would be able to look at it and say,"you need do blah, blah, blah", but I am stuck. Is it the fabric?

Please keep in mind that I prefer a more modern look, and am trying to work with the pieces that I have.

Here are a few painted chairs that have the nice modern look I would like to achieve.

Via Young House Love

I REALLY like this green, but I'm not sure it if would be too much.

Via Bower Power

This one is not a chair, but the finish of the plant stand was the same in the before as my chairs.

Via Ana Antunes Home-Styling

Via Ten June

If you pin the photos that are not mine, please go to original website and pin from their site. Thank you!

Linking up to these Blog Parties

A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest