Saved by Suzy

Suzy's House Party

2012-02-29T22:19:00.000-07:00

I might get the House Party up late this Thursday or I might skip it this week (for the first time ever!) and resume next week. I've spent the night at the hospital with my oldest daughter. She has pneumonia. This mixed with her asthma is NOT a good combination. She's already missed a week of school and it looks like she'll be home for awhile longer. I feel so badly for her. I'm also hoping that the rest of us can stay healthy. Of course the hubs is out of town for work. (Doesn't it always seem like they are out of town when disaster strikes...be it a sick child, flat tire, or broken garbage disposal??)

If my blogging is sparse, know that it's because pneumonia has struck like a ~~man~~ girl eating shark!

More New Paint and It's a Small World!

2012-02-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

Cassie at Primitive and Proper recently introduced me to a new blog, The Blooming Hydrangea. She thought I would like it because Ange at the Blooming Hydrangea and I have a similar style. In the last few weeks, Ange and I have bonded over our love of our goldendoodle puppies among other things.

Speaking of puppies, mine has chewed up not one, but TWO vacuum cords in the past few days! Vacuums are a necessity in a house with two giant dogs!

Anyways, Ange and I were having an email exchange last night and she said that she wasn't at the computer most of the day because she was painting her living room Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore. Well, guess what I was doing most of the day yesterday? Painting my living room Gray Owl! I guess Cassie had it right when she thought Ange and I had similar decorating styles!

Here are some pictures of my new living room color.

As you can see, I'm still waiting for *someone* to help me with the extra-high areas.

I'm waiting for that *someone* to help me move the piano as well.

At least this gives you an idea of the color I started with. Yes, those are the paintings I bought at an estate sale over two weeks ago...still just sitting out.

More areas my barely 5'2" self can't reach. I think we're going to have to pull out the giant extension ladder.

I don't like how the TV stand blends into the wall. I also can't stand that niche. I never know what to do up there. In fact, it still has the painting wrapped in wrapping paper from Christmas. You know how one thing leads to another.... Now, I'm thinking about all kinds of new projects for the living room, starting with painting that buffet. More on that later. I'm off to take care of two sick kiddos.

Oh and by the way, I'm all ears if you have any ideas for me! You are always so helpful and have great ideas.

Help Me Stencil...Please!?!?

2012-02-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

You might remember that I attempted to stencil a wall in my dining room way back before I started blogging. This is the only picture I have of the stencil fiasco because it was painted over the next day.

I did this wall with a cheapy, little stencil from Hobby Lobby. It was so hard to do and the results were NOT good. My husband thinks stencils might not work very well on our walls because they are very textured.

Needless to say, I'm super impressed with all of the bloggers who are able to create beautifully stenciled rooms. It's not as easy as it looks, or maybe I was just doing something wrong!?!?!

I've decided I want to give stenciling another try. Recently I won a giveaway on Simcoe Street for a stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils. I haven't chosen my stencil, however, because there are so many great options.

I also don't know where I want to put the stencil. I'm thinking the wall behind my bed, but the wall is pretty big with a high, vaulted ceiling. I'm scared! So, where the stencil will be going is also still an unanswered question. I think I've been driving my husband crazy with all of my stencil indecision. That's why I'm turning to you, my blog friends.

Here are some of the stencils I like (all from Cutting Edge). I'm generally drawn to the simpler, geometric patterns.

I like this gray color scheme (but not necessarily the headboard and bedding).

I'm not usually a damask-type person. It's just too frilly and flowery for me, but I think this is gorgeous.

This is my husband's favorite. I usually love greek-key on anything, but this seems a little busy.

Do you have a favorite? Do you have any stencil tips you would be willing to share?

February's Project: the Back Hall

2012-02-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

Did you think Mary's room makeover was my February project? It was what I spent the majority of my time on this month, but it wasn't THE project.

Lisa over at Shine Your Light holds a monthly "before and after" party. The first Friday of the month, you link up your before pics and the last Friday of the month, your after pics. I needed some motivation to get started on painting basically every interior wall in my home, so I decided to start simply by painting my back hall as my February project.

My before post can be found here. But here's where I started:

Brown walls, dirty old rug, messy bulletin board and a very well-used doggy door. Ewww!

Here's where we are now.

I painted the walls Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore. The door got a coat of glossy black paint and I swapped out the rug. There's still a little cutting to be done at the top of the wall that I didn't quite get too.

Beware. There are lots of pics of the dogs. They like to hang out in this area and had to get in just about every picture.

This bulletin board needed some work.

I couldn't submit my "after" post with such an unsightly object. So, at 8:00 tonight, I decided to makeover the bulletin board.

I covered it with some fabric and added a little nailhead trim. And, voila!

I'm not sure if I love the bulletin board with the black and white rug. That's something that will be easy to change. Especially since the rug was something I had on hand and did not purchase especially for this space.

I ran out of nailheads. Oops!

See where the hallway curves around to the left? I got that all painted, but I still have some art ideas for the walls that haven't happened yet. Hmmmm, maybe for my March project?!?!

Happy weekend friends!

Feature Friday: Charmaine from My Best Friend Craig

2012-02-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Hooray for Friday and another feature! Today Charmaine from My Best Friend Craig is sharing her beautiful dining room with us. I love Charmaine's eclectic style. She's not afraid to mix a mid-century piece with the traditional. Her blog features lots of great inspiration and pictures. Stop by and say "hi" to Charmaine when you get a chance.

Hi all! I'm Charmaine from My Best Friend Craig. I am grateful to be here on Suzy's fantastic blog.

Today, I want to share some before and after photos of our dining room. We moved into our house 2 and a half years ago. It is a Tudor style house built in the 80's and with it came 1980's orange colored oak trim.

I personally think it dates the house. The first thing we did was paint the trim white and the walls a nice bluish gray shade...

Next, I tackled the built-in hutch and painted it gray. Since we entertain a lot, I also replaced our old dining room table with a thrift store find table that has 3 leaves and painted it turquoise...

You can say that my style is eclectic. I like mixing old and new, high and low and traditional and modern pieces.

I am a big fan of craigslist for all my vintage finds(hence my blog name)

Here is what our dining room looks like now...

{The chandelier and oval back chairs are both craigslist finds}

Here's a look of the before again...

and after...

Hope you guys enjoyed this post!

Thanks again Suzy for having me here today! Have a great weekend everyone!

Suzy's House Party #32 - Link Up!

2012-02-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday friends! The weekend can not get here soon enough. I have had a busy week with work and finishing up Mary's room for the One Room Challenge. Now that the Challenge is over, I need something new to occupy my time!

I know some of you like to hear about my Goldendoodle puppy, Emma. This was a big week for Emma as well.

She graduated at the top of her class from puppy training. Can you believe she just turned five months old today and she is already 50+++ pounds? She is going to be a BIG girl.

I still have kids' rooms on the brain after finishing Mary's and now gathering ideas for the my other childrens' rooms. I think this button art by Megan at A Lived in Home is darling.

This dresser from Turnstyle Vogue is gorgeous. Check out the soft stripes. The finish is so unique and I love the mixed knobs.

Check out these beauties by Redoux. The black tops tie in so nicely with the dark hardware.

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•Link up your home decor project. Pretty much anything to do with you house is fine.

•Please provide a link back to my blog. A text link is fine, or feel free to grab my "Saved by Suzy" party button from the sidebar. The more people that know about the party and participate the better for all of us.

•Be sure to share the love and leave comments for others.

•That's it.

The One Room Challenge: Week 6: The REVEAL

2012-02-22T05:00:00.005-07:00

The One Room Challenge wraps up this week and that means that the tranformation from nursery to big girl room is complete! I have had so much fun participating in this challenge and meeting some new-to-me bloggers; but most importantly, I've created a room for my daughter that she likes.

Here's where we started:

I kept the dresser and the bed, but that's about it.

I love the elephant print from the Pink Pagoda. Mary loves the picture of our puppy wrapped in her blanket.

I made a few prints using Picnik.

My mom sewed this for me when I was a baby and it was in my room as a child:

Painted butterflies

Embroidery hoop collage

If you look closely, you can see the DIY ombre art and tissue paper pompoms on top.

Here's another little print I made on Picnik.

I had to include this sweet baby picture as well as Mary's favorite stuffed animal, who she calls "Baby Jaguar." He's missing an arm.

Here are links to some of the projects:

DIY Upholstered Headboard
Supersized picture
Striped Curtains
Painted table and lamp
Throw Pillows
Make your own prints
Ombre Art

Stop by some of the other One Room Challenge participants to see how their rooms turned out too!

Dutch.British.Love
Trapped in North Jersey
Nicole Scott Designs
Kim Macumber Interiors
Rue de Emily
The Pink Pagoda
refresheddesigns
Nana Moon Shop
Taylor Morgan Design
Insideways
My Crafty Home Life
House Four
Living Savvy
(A Lifestyle Thing)

Linked here:

Random Musings on New Pillows and Downton Abbey

2012-02-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

I recently dropped off this stack of fabrics at the seamstress:

The seamstress is named Margie and her shop is called Margie's Stitch and Sew. Margie is at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90. Her business occupied a little storefront in my town until recently, when Margie slipped on the ice when coming in to work. Now, she works out of her home and she gets around on a little scooter.

I asked Margie if she could make some piping to put around the pillows and how much it would cost to complete pillow covers. She said it would be between $3 and $5, depending on the size. I couldn't believe the price! I left the fabric with Margie. She didn't take down my name, phone number, or any other information. She just told me to come back in a few days to see if the pillows were done. I wasn't sure what to expect.

When I came back, I saw a stack of four pillows piled neatly in the corner. I had asked for a simple envelope style cover, but Margie went ahead and put in invisible zippers.

I could tell she was not thrilled with my color choices. She wasn't sure why I wanted orange piping on the pillows. To each his own, right?

I'm thrilled with the way the pillows turned out. My only complaint is that on the dog pillow above the fabric is upside down on the back - the dogs face one way on the front, and then they are upside down on the back. But for $5, I am not complaining!

I will definitely be bringing more projects to Margie in the future. My sewing skills are not good and it's worth paying a few dollars to avoid the frustration and time it would take me to sew something.

Come back on Wednesday to see the "big reveal" of Mary's room as the One Room Challenge wraps up.

In other news, who watches Downton Abbey?

I watched the season finale last night. Big K, who has watched maybe three episodes, even got teary eyed at several points during the show. It was SO good and now I'm anxiously awaiting season three. Does anyone know when it comes out?

Check out the Downton Abbey site on the PBS website while we're waiting for the next season. If you are ~~freakishly~~ slightly obsessed with the show, the website has all kinds of video clips, cast interviews, and other interesting stuff to keep you occupied.

This weekend, I also watched True Grit. Talk about the opposite of Downton Abbey! Big K has been bugging me to watch this with him for awhile. I wasn't interesting in seeing it because I thought it would be a boring Western. I was wrong. It was a great movie and I would highly recommend it if you haven't seen it.

Tag! You're It!

2012-02-17T20:14:00.001-07:00

You will probably learn more about me in this post than you care to learn, but I've been tagged by two blog friends in a fun little game and I've decided to play along.

Both Cathy from Room Rx and Lisa from Shine Your Light tagged me in this game. The rules are simple: Eleven is the magic number, answer eleven questions, tag eleven other bloggers and figure out eleven different questions to ask them.

First up, the Q&A session with Cathy's questions:
1) Do you like to cook or bake?
I love to eat, does that count? I really don't like to spend much time in the kitchen, but if I had to choose between cooking and baking, it would have to be cooking.

2) My one guilty pleasure is....?
Only one?!? Ignoring the rest of the world, while I relax with a good book.

Source: dianagabaldon.com via Ashley on Pinterest

3) To unwind at the end of a long day I....?
Sit in bed with my laptop and browse my favorite blogs and Pinterest. Sometimes, I'll watch a show online. Downton Abbey is my current favorite. But speaking of guilty pleasures, I have a strange fascination with the Real Housewives series as well.

Source: bravotv.com via Kyle on Pinterest

4) Where do you do your blogging?
I usually sit at a table in my living room or else in bed.

5) I could eat a whole bag/box/package of... in one sitting?
Oh how I love sugary snacks! I could eat a whole box of any type of cookie, but I particularly like Girl Scout Thin Mints.

6) White wine or red?
I don't drink wine. I like to stick to Diet Coke.

7) My idea of the perfect day is....?
Spending an active day outdoors with my family: hiking, hanging out by a lake, even playing in the back yard...anything outside. Then going out for a nice big Italian dinner.

8) The room in my home that I like the best is...?
Mary's room :)

9) The accomplishment I am most proud of in the past year is...?
Any of the things that I've accomplished at my childrens' school Our school district, like many, is in the midst of severe budget cuts. I am Vice President on the PTO and we have been able to raise a lot of money and do great things for the school. I'm also an art and reading aide and it's so inspiring to see the progress the kids are making throughout the year.

Source: annetaintor.com via Ginger on Pinterest

10) What song can't you get out of your head right now?
I don't have a song stuck in there right now, just a swirling mess of the all of the things that need to get done (e.g. "remember to stop at the store," "be at the school at 10:45," "finish the picture frames"...you get the picture?).

11) What is one item on your "bucket list?"
Run the New York marathon.

Source: google.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Now on to Lisa's questions:
1. What's your favorite place in the United States?
I would have to say Hawaii. Is there anything better than sitting on a beautiful tropical beach?

Source: jetsetter.com via Andrew on Pinterest

This is the Grand Hyatt Kauai, where I spent my honeymoon.

2. Where would you love to visit that you've never been before?
I've been fortunate and have been able to travel to many places, but there still are so many more that I would love to visit, particularly with my husband because he has not travelled much. I would like to visit the Greek Isles.

Source: google.com via Mary on Pinterest

3. Favorite song you're loving right now?
I'm boring and rarely listen to music.

4. Good book recommendation?
The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon. I just read Little Bee by Chris Cleave and that was good too. For a light and fun read, check out this one from The Pioneer Woman:

Source: amazon.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

5. What's your best quality?
My caring...if I care about something, I'll do everything possible for it. This can also be a negative, when I care too much.

6. What is something about yourself you'd like to change?
I wish I could be a little more relaxed and stress about things less. Care less?

7. What is the number one thing you hope to accomplish in 2012?
I know this is a bit generic, but I hope to do everything I can so that my family is happy. I don't have one specific goal in regards to this.

8. What is your favorite project that you've ever accomplished?
I changed almost everything in my house in the past year and I'm happy with the results. It's hard to pick just one favorite...maybe Mary's room (see above).

9. What is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
My husband is always surprising me by doing nice things....not always roses and chocolate, but helping me with things that need to be done around the house and with the kids so that I can have some time to myself.

10. Favorite kitchen or home improvement tool?
Is paint a tool? A coat of paint can change just about anything!

11. What do you enjoy about blogging?
When I started blogging, I never imagined that I would meet such a wonderful and supportive group of people who share the same interests that I have. The friends I have met is number one, followed closely by all of the inspiration I've found in their projects.

Next to share the Rules:
**You must post the rules
**Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you; then create 11 questions to ask the people you've tagged
**Tag 11 people and link them in your post
**Let them know you have tagged them

Then to tag 11 bloggers:

Tiffany at Living Savvy
Tiffany at Worthwhile Domicile
Linda at My Crafty Homelife
Shelley at Crazy Wonderful
Lisa at Trapped in North Jersey
Jessamie at Bird and Branch Redesign
Gwen at A Bold Abode
Amy at The Salvage Collection
Anne at Hello Newman's
Maury at Life on Mars
Jenny at Simcoe Street

And finally, my 11 questions for them. I had to steal a few from other bloggers because I liked them:
1) If you could visit one place in the world, where would it be?
2) What is your dream job?
3) What is your favorite book?
4) Name an item on your bucket list.
5) Do you speak any other languages?
6) If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
7) If you could change anything about your current home, what would it be?
8) What is something you've learned from blogging?
9) If you could take any type of class, what would it be about?
10) If you could have dinner with one person, who would it be?
11) If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?

Tag! you are it! Hope you'll play.... You can also play by visiting these delightful blogs and saying hello!

Source: google.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

Summer Dreaming

2012-02-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

Source: onekingslane.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Can we please fast forward to summer? Summer is my favorite season and just about this time every winter I start dreaming about warm, beachy vacations like this:

Source: flickr.com via Angela on Pinterest

This is near Cassis, France on the Mediterranean. I lived near this area for six months and would love to go back!

Source: cozamia.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I think this vintage print is cute. Although, doesn't it look like the mother is afraid she is going to lose her baby in the waves?

Source: onekingslane.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

While hanging out at the beach, I'm going to need a fun beach towel. I love Land's End towels. I have had a blue and yellow awning stripe towel from Land's End for 13 years and it still looks great. (That was not a paid endorsement, in case you are wondering!)

Source: landsend.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

One King's Lane has some fun towels right now too.

Source: onekingslane.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

PB Teen is right on trend with this ikat towel:

Source: pbteen.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

These colors remind me of the Mediterranean:

Source: pbteen.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Spekaing of the Mediterranean, nne place that I haven't been that I dream of visiting is Greece.

Source: google.ca via Lindsay on Pinterest

The Cinque Terre in Italy is a place I've visited and would encourage you to see as well. It's a string of hillside towns in Italy. You can hike between the towns or take a water taxi.

Source: google.com via Laurie on Pinterest

If you are looking for a place closer to home, the Mayan Rivera near Cancun is a good bet. The beaches are beautiful. We've stayed at several all-inclusive resorts and it's a perfect family vacation. The kids (and adults!) love the unlimited frozen drinks and ice cream.

Source: google.com via Tami on Pinterest

The Iberostar Paraiso del Mar/Beach is our favorite resort there.

Source: google.com via Shayne on Pinterest

We only take these beach vacations every few years, and unfortunately this is an "off" year. Hopefully next year!

Do you have a favorite vacation destination or somewhere that you dream of visiting someday?

Suzy's House Party #31 - Link Up!

2012-02-15T15:02:00.001-07:00

It must be time for another party! My big news for the week is that my sister Gina and her husband James had their first baby on Monday! The healthy little boy is called Tre. He's named after his father and grandfather, so he's a III (third). Hence, the name Tre (three). My sister lives across the country from me, so we've spent lots of time on Skype and the phone checking out the little guy. I always forget how tiny newborns are:

I didn't have much time this week for decorating, painting, crafting or creating. I'm getting antsy to make something! Even though I didn't have a chance to do anything creative, I'm sure glad that you did.

Are you still loving chevron? I am! In fact, my sister saw my painted, striped curtains and asked if I could make some for her. Being the awesome sister I am, I said there was NO way I could do all of that taping and measuring....that's way beyond my crafting abilities. It's not beyond Katie from Craptastic though. Check out how great her painted chevron curtains look.

I love the fabric that Harper and Ollie's mom from Harper and Ollie's House used on these chairs.

I had meant to make some cute art for Valentine's Day, but didn't get around to it. Luckily, Kristin from The Simple Things was able to make a cute sign.

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The One Room Challenge: Week 5

2012-02-15T04:00:00.002-07:00

We are in the home stretch of the One Room Challenge! If you are just joining us, 15 bloggers have been challenged to completely makeover one room in six weeks. I'm working on my daughter Mary's room.

I have a confession to make. I didn't do a single thing in Mary's room this week...and there's only one week left until the end of the challenge. Yikes! I only have a few small projects left and here's hoping I get to them this week.

Remember this mirror that I showed you last week?

My super-junker friend Cindy found it for me. She also found these butterflies:

I think they would look really cute painted and hung on the wall. On the other hand, I'm afraid the room is getting to busy and I don't want too much "stuff" in the room. I might put them in my other daughter's room.

Cindy also found this adorable little chair.

At first, I thought about spray painting it, but I think the golden color is pretty. It just needs some foam and pretty fabric on the seat. Again, I'm not sure if this will go in Mary's room or in my other daughter's room. I guess you'll just have to wait and see!

Now, go check out the other One Week Challenge-ers to see some real progress. Be sure to stop back next week. I promise you a completed room then!

Dutch.British.Love
Trapped in North Jersey
Nicole Scott Designs
Kim Macumber Interiors
Rue de Emily
The Pink Pagoda
refresheddesigns
Nana Moon Shop
Taylor Morgan Design
Insideways
My Crafty Home Life
House Four
Living Savvy
(A Lifestyle Thing)

Linked here:

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T06:00:00.002-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day my friends! Hope your day is filled with lots of love,chocolate and HEARTS!

Source: frenchblue-frenchblue.blogspot.com via Michele on Pinterest

Source: moderncountry.blogspot.com via Michele on Pinterest

Source: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com via Michele on Pinterest

Source: jasmine-marie.tumblr.com via Michele on Pinterest

Source: leloveimage.blogspot.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Estate Sale Art

2012-02-13T06:00:00.001-07:00

This weekend we were out and about and happened to stop at an estate sale. The woman who had lived in the home was an artist and there was tons of her art for sale. It was the second day of the sale, so everything was 50% off. We seemed to be the only ones looking at the art. We were definitely the only ones that I saw purchasing it.

Although the other shoppers weren't intersted in the art, my kids had fun picking out a few pieces for themselves as did Andy and I. Everything was $1-$5. I like these pieces because they look like the area where we live and it's Western ranching and mining past.

Here's what we found:

The girls want to put their choices in their rooms. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the rest, but I'm sure I'll think of something!

I can't seem to get enough of gallery walls. I think I'm going to end up with one in every room (and lots of holes in my walls!). I'm sure I have another gallery wall in my future with my new purchases. I like the look of these eclectic collections:

Source: parisapartment.wordpress.com via Tobi on Pinterest

Pretty gold frames:

Source: gapinteriors.com via Tobi on Pinterest

Source: habituallychic.blogspot.com via Tobi on Pinterest

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Tobi on Pinterest

Does my home smell?

2012-02-12T22:00:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Triad Retail Media for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

You know how some homes have a distinctive smell? It can be a pleasant or unpleasant odor, but some homes just have it. I think we're immune to our own home's smell because we spend so much time in it that we don't even notice the smell.

As you might know, I have two dogs who I love dearly. Well, those two sweethearts have been stinky lately! We've been doing a lot of hiking. The weather is warming up, so the trails have been a little muddy and damp. Wet dog is NOT a good smell! I don't want friends to visit the house and their first thought to be, "Oh, dogs live here" based on the eau de wet dog.

Luckily, Glade® has come out with two new products, Glade® Expressions ™ Fragrance Mist and Oil Diffuser to help battle that unique home smell. I love oil diffusers, but with two dogs and three kids running around, I don't like to use them because of their tendency to spill. Who wants their home to smell like an EXPLOSION of scent? I prefer something more subtle.

Glade® Expressions ™ Oil Diffuser is pretty enough to set out on a shelf and it's designed not to spill. Hooray! One less mess to clean! The fragrance is long lasting (thirty days) and doesn't require electricity. So no worry about setting the house on fire when you're not home.

If you are not an Oil Diffuser person, Glade® Expressions ™ also offers a Fragrance Mist. The container looks great with all types of decor and is easily refillable with any Glade® Expressions ™ scent. The scents are all long-lasting and come in these scents: Pineapple & Mangosteen; Cotton & Italian Mandarin (Fragrance Mist only); Fuji Apple & Cardamon; and Spicy Lavender & Juniper Berry.

Right now, snag these products at Walmart for their everyday low price. Or better, yet use this coupon to get a better deal: http://bit.ly/zus6F5 .

Glade® is so positive that you will love the scents that they are offering a "fragrance satisfaction guarantee." If you are not satisfied, just fill out the form that can be found at this link: http://bit.ly/xMScbO

new Glade® Expressions™ fragrance mist

new Glade® Expressions™ oil diffuser

A Note on Commenting

2012-02-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

I do some of my best thinking while running (hmmm, maybe I should run more often?). This morning while running, I was thinking about blogging and comments.

Source: etsy.com via Amy on Pinterest

When bloggers post things that make me feel an emotion, I generally comment. It's easy to comment when somebody is sharing good news, such as opening a shop (Cassie), embarking on a new adventure (Holly), earning a degree (Jessamie), or completing a room or piece of furniture that is inspiring. I am genuinely happy to see people reach their goals, succeed or try new things.

It's more difficult to know what to say when a blogger shares something sad, such as illness, death. or job loss. I usually post something like "I'm so sorry," "Thinking of you," or "Sending prayers." These always feel so trite and generic to me and I wish I had something more profound or meaningful to say, something that will truly share how I feel.

Sometimes I think it would be better to not post at all than to post something short and bland. However, my thinking on this has changed. I mentioned something to a fellow blogger and she replied that she would say a prayer for me. This was not an earth shattering reply, but it made me feel like I could face whatever was coming and to have a more positive outlook.

I guess the point of this post is that comments really DO matter and make a difference to a blogger. Even if I don't know exactly what to say and the "right" way to say it, I think it's better to say something rather than nothing.

This post is definitely NOT meant to be a plea for more comments on my blog. Just some random ramblings on how much I truly appreciate your comments and I know other bloggers feel the same way. Happy Sunday!

Feature Friday: Rooms Inspired by Aboriginal Art

2012-02-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

My guest poster today is Mari from Arcadian Lighting. When she told me she was doing a post based on interiors inspired by Aboriginal Art, I wasn't sure what to expect. I am pleasantly surprised by the beautiful spaces she shares below. I like the global-inspired influence in these rooms. Do you have a favorite?

Hi, all! It's Mari here, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, the place for light fixtures and lighting trends online. I love my job because I get to search for images of great interior designs and decorating ideas to share with readers of blogs such as Saved by Suzy.

Today's guest post is inspired by aboriginal art, sometimes called Indigenous Australian art. Adding movement, color and life, these appealing works of art can be merged into many design styles. They look especially beautiful in sleek white spaces and take even the most stylish of contemporary rooms to a whole new level. Thanks for letting me share. Enjoy!

This lovely room, designed by Australian interior designer Anna Spiro, is all about color. Bright pink and turquoise work beautifully with the exquisitely detailed aboriginal artwork.

Sometimes black and white can make as strong a design statement as deep rich hues can. Such is the case in this modern dining space with lovely black and white wall art and hanging light fixtures.

This eclectic dining room is brought to life by a lovely example of Australian aboriginal artwork. The white walls provide a perfect background to showcase this colorful piece, while these types of crystal chandeliers illuminate the room.

Malene B's Signature carpet collection translates Indigenous Australian dot art is into carpet in luxurious wool and silk. Wouldn't this rug be marvelous in a modern living room or dining room?

A stunning living space with its display of aboriginal art takes the breath away. One could envision spending years searching every last detail of these marvelous creations.

Pale hues and a much more subdued color palette in the wall art create a retreat-like feel in this appealing bedroom design. Contemporary pendant lights are unexpected but work well with the more organic feel of the indigenous art.

Doesn't the art look stunning against an upholstered wall in this comfortable den? What an inviting room to come home to!

This framed aboriginal art purchased on a trip to Australia, is perfect over a family room fireplace because it merges beautifully with the rustic decorative accessories in the space. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

What do you think of these gorgeous aboriginal works of art? Find more inspiration at Arcadian Lighting and browse a wonderful selection of lighting fixtures!

Suzy's House Party #30 - Link Up!

2012-02-08T17:11:00.001-07:00

There were so many great projects linked last week. I've definitely been feeling like I need to get back into painting some furniture. If only the weather would warm up a little bit!

Here are last week's features.

Amy from the Salvage Collection is always inspiring me with her work. What kid would not LOVE these happy chairs? She did such a nice job transforming these basic, utilitarian chairs into something fun and fabulous.

From fun and modern, let's turn to something classic and pretty. Check out how Dumped and Discovered transformed this $5.00 (!??!?) desk.

Cathy from Room Rx is helping her cousin design a nursery. Look at this beautiful dresser her cousin painted for the nursery. Be sure to check out Cathy's blog to see the fabric that inspired this dresser.

Lauren from West Furniture Revival built this great trunk from an old crate and pallet.

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The One Room Challenge: Week 4

2012-02-08T04:52:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday. That means it's time for another installment of the One Room Challenge! Fifteen bloggers have been challenged to complete a room within six weeks. We are now on Week Four, over half way done.

I am working on my three-year old daughter's room. The process has been going along pretty smoothly...up until this week. This week I had a couple of project failures, but some successes as well.

Let's start with a positive. My friend Cindy is a thrifter/picker/junker extraordinaire. She can find all kinds of cool things that can be transformed. She brought me a few items this week for Mary's room. One of which is this yellow mirror:

A few coats of white spray paint later:

I also had some embroidery hoops that I hung on the wall filled with different scraps of fabric.
This is a simple and inexpensive project that can cover a lot of wallspace. I think it looks cute too!

Don't they look like colorful polka dots? I found a few more hoops at the thrift store that I'm planning on adding to the wall. I was just waiting for some new fabric to arrive in the mail.

Speaking of fabric, look what arrived on Tuesday!

I'll be bringing some of these to the seamstress this week for throw pillows.

I originally thought this huge picture was a failure, but it has started to grow on me. I like how the black and white tones down the brightness of the other colors in the room. Best of all, Mary LOVES the big picture of herself.

Look here for a tutorial on how I made this picture.

We also tried to hang the headboard using flush mount hardware. I think hanging the headboard is more difficult than actually making it. As you can see, I still need to straighten and lower the headboard. Hopefully that will happen this week.

Here's a failure that will be repainted this week or next:

Painting the orange line was not as easy as I thought it was going to be. Steady hands are not one of my better qualities. I think it makes the dresser look a bit busy too...especially with everything else going on in the room.

One more positive. I received this cute picture in the mail on Tuesday. I bought it from the Paper Sparrow on Etsy.

Mary is obsessed (to put it mildly) with "baby jaguars." She loves all things leopard/cheetah print and we all must refer to her as "Baby Jaguar." If we call her "Mary," she'll probably ignore us. Did you see the jacket she's wearing in the huge print above? When I hung up the picture of her in her jacket, she started jumping up and down and cheering, "Look! It's baby jaguar!"

In case you missed the earlier posts, here they are:

Week One
Week Two
Week Three

Be sure to check out some of the other bloggers to see how their rooms are coming together.

Dutch.British.Love
Trapped in North Jersey
Nicole Scott Designs
Kim Macumber Interiors
Rue de Emily
The Pink Pagoda
refresheddesigns
Nana Moon Shop
Taylor Morgan Design
Insideways
My Crafty Home Life
House Four
Living Savvy
(A Lifestyle Thing)

Giant Picture Tutorial

2012-02-07T11:42:00.002-07:00

When I saw this tutorial on how to make a huge photo on Sugarbee Crafts, I knew I wanted to try this in Mary's room. I made a few tweaks to her tutorial and this is what I came up with.

Did you know that office supply stores can print your photos in huge sizes very cheaply? They are called "engineering prints" and are generally used for blueprints and such. These pictures only come in black and white. I started by uploading this picture to Staples and a few days later I received a 24 inch x 36 inch copy of my picture in the mail. The best part is that the print, including shipping, only came to $3.00. You could also pick up your print in your local store, but since shipping was free, I had it sent to my house.

I also picked up a huge piece of styrofoam insulation at Home Depot for about $8.00. It looks like this.

Do you like how Mary trimmed her own bangs?

As you can see, this styrofoam panel is really big. I should be able to get a few of these huge pictures from one piece of foam.

Here's where things took a turn for the worse. I sprayed the foam with some spray adhesive and placed the picture on the foam. Next, I needed to trim around the picture with a utility blade. It was so hard to get a straight line! I also was left with millions of little pieces of styrofoam stuck everywhere. You might want to do this in your garage.

Once the foam was trimmed to the size of the picture, I took some black acrylic craft paint and painted the edges of the styrofoam to give it a more finished look.

At this point, Sugar Bee Crafts was finished with her picture. She advises NOT to use Mod Podge because the paper can rip. Instead of taking the advice of a professional crafter, I decided to try using Mod Podge anyways. I wanted my picture to have a glossy finish. So, I went for it and brushed Mod Podge over the picture.

Uh oh....the picture started bubbling and doing weird things.

Not very pretty!

The black edges apparently were not dry and some of the black got smeared around in the Mod Podge.

Oops!

Not one to accept my craft as a failure, I grabbed some Command strips and hung this beauty on the wall in Mary's room. Miraculously, the bubbling stopped and everything adhered nicely to the sytrofoam board after the Mod Podge fully dried in a few hours.

It still looks a little bubbly in this picture, but now in real life it looks OK. I promise! I've decided to keep the picture as-is. I kind of like the vintagey effect the Mod Podge, black smears and texture give it. If you want a perfect picture, follow Sugar Bee Craft's tutorial!

Don't mind the headboard. I know it's hung too high and a little crooked. I need Big K to help me fix it this week!

Linked here:

Weekend in Review

2012-02-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

Did you know Superbowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving in the number of calories consumed? I did my part to up the average of calories consumed. However, those calories were well deserved after a bunch of painting on Friday.

I painted by entryway Benjamin Moore Gray Owl at the beginning of January and wanted to carry that color through my living room, kitchen and back hallway. I loved the Gray Owl in the entry. It's a nice neutral gray, not too blue or bright. Here's what it looks like:

However, as I covered more of the walls, the gray is taking on more of a bright blue look. My daughter told me she likes the color because it makes her feel like she is outside under a blue sky. My husband commented that it's "nice and bright."

I don't this is the look I was going for. The problem is that I still have 2 gallons of this paint. Do I continue to press on? Ugh! I was so sure this paint was "the one" after painting the entry. I like the gray/blue better than the dirty brown, so I will probably continue with the paint.

You can see the brown that I'm covering up in this picture.

In other news, look what we saw as we left our neighborhood to head to a Superbowl party:

Yes, that is a tightrope walker! You don't see that every day?!?! This reminds of the Modern Family episode where Phil decides to try tightrope walking. Do you watch Modern Family? I watch it online. Phil is my favorite character and always makes me laugh with his quirky personality.

February Project

2012-02-02T20:57:00.000-07:00

My friend Lisa at Shine Your Light hosts a monthly before and after party...post your "before" pics at the beginning of the month and your "after" pics of the same project at the end of the month.

I have lots of things that I want to accomplish this month. Tops on the list is finishing my daughter Mary's room. I also have a much less fun project that needs to be finished and I am using Lisa's party as motivation.

One of my house goals for 2012 is to repaint my living, dining, kitchen, and hallways. So far, I've almost finished the front hall. I need to get cracking on this project. It bugs me to look at half-painted walls!

There is no way that I will be able to finish all of the painting this month, but I would like to finish the walls, trim and maybe door in my back hall.

Here's part of the area:

I need to do some general beautifying in this area too: maybe replace the rug, clean up the bulletin board, do something with the doggie door, etc.

I'm also considering painting the door out to the the garage (the one with the doggie door) black to match my other exterior doors, like this one.

But then would I have to paint the door on the right (into the laundry room) and the door on the left (into the pantry) black as well? What do you think?

What are you up to this month?

Suzy's House Party #29 - Link Up!

2012-02-01T20:42:00.000-07:00

Let's jump right into the features, shall we? This stenciled desk from Savvy Young Something is so pretty. She even made the stencil herself. How crafty!

If you follow along, you know that I'm taking part in the One Room Challenge, where a group of 15 bloggers are trying to redo one room in their home in six weeks. Linda, from My Crafty Home Life, is the mastermind behind this endeavor. She's in the midst of redecorating her dining room as party of the challenge and gave new life to this beautiful China hutch in the process.

I had to share these lamps from A Suite Revival for several reasons. First, have you ever seen such a bizarre, slightly disturbing lamp?

Luckily, she saw potential in these weird lamps and gave them new life with some silver spray paint and new shades...simple changes that made a world of difference. I love glass lamps. Do you?

Party time!

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The One Room Challenge: Week Three: New Furniture and Art

2012-02-01T04:00:00.003-07:00

We are into week three of the One Week Challenge! It's fun to watch everyone's rooms coming together. In case you missed the previous weeks, I'm transforming my three-year old daughter's room from nursery to big-girl room. Here are links to Week One (introduction and paint color) and Week Two (upholstered headboard and striped curtains).

This week brought some brand new furniture and a furniture piece that received a makeover. I knew an Ikea Expedit bookcase would be perfect for the room. However, the nearest Ikea is more than four hours away. Luckily for me, my parents were coming to visit. Before they left Minnesota, they stopped by their local Ikea and picked up a few things for me. My parents were so sweet to deliver these things and also to help me put them together!

Here's Mary's new bookcase.

I still need to purchase some baskets and fill the shelves.

Next, I went "shopping" out in my garage for a bedside table. I found this cute little end table waiting for a makeover. I've had this table for a while, but wasn't sure what to do with it because it's missing a drawer. I just put this side against the wall in Mary's room and no one knows about the gaping hole.

This table was in near-perfect condition. I did a very light sanding, sprayed it with my favorite Kilz primer, gave it another light sanding and a few coats of Rustoleum Painter's Touch spray paint in orange. This is the best spray paint in my opinion. It covers very well and seems to be more durable than some of the other brands. I let the paint dry and then sprayed it with several coats of poly.

Here's how the table looks now.

As I was shopping the garage, I also found this lamp. My husband made this in a highschool woodworking class at least thirty years ago. I think he's happy that he got to contribute to Mary's room too!

I had already started spraying it with primer when I remembered to snap a before shot.
Some primer and white spray paint, and it looks like a new lamp!

I had a drum shade I purchased a while ago on clearance at Target and some leftover pompom trim that I hotglued onto the shade.

Here's a picture of Mary's dresser.

This was the very first piece of furniture that I painted, just over one year ago. I didn't know about blogging back then, so I don't have any "before" pictures to share. It has a distressed white finish and crystal knobs. I'm not sure if I should keep it as it is or if I should change it. What do you think??? I was thinking of painting it a bright white semi-gloss or maybe just adding a thin orange line on the detail on the drawer fronts? Maybe some new hardware? Maybe I won't do anything? What are your thoughts?

In other news, I ordered a print from the Pink Pagoda and it arrived this week. I love this pink and orange elephant! I placed it in a Ribba frame from Ikea and spray painted the mat to match the bedside table.

This elephant is also the reason that I'm participating in the One Room Challenge. When I ordered in on Etsy, I mentioned to the seller that I was redoing my daughter's room. She told me about the challenge and invited me to participate. I'm continually amazed by the connections we are able to make through the internet and blogging!

Yesterday I posted some fabrics I was considering for pillows. Check it out here.

Be sure to check out some of the other bloggers to see how their rooms are coming together too.

Dutch.British.Love
Trapped in North Jersey
Nicole Scott Designs
Kim Macumber Interiors
Rue de Emily
The Pink Pagoda
refresheddesigns
Nana Moon Shop
Taylor Morgan Design
Insideways
My Crafty Home Life
House Four
Living Savvy
(A Lifestyle Thing)

Linked here:

Pink and Orange Fabrics

2012-01-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for fabrics for pillows for my daughter's room. As you might remember, her room is orange and pink. Here are a few of my favorites:

Source: lsfabrics.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I absolutely adore these ballerinas. Alas, the three-year old will have nothing to do with this fabric.

She was more into the dogs:

Source: fabric.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

And robots:

Source: fabric.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Here are some other fun options:

Source: lsfabrics.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Source: fabric.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

While I really wanted to use fabrics that combine both pink and orange, my friend Holly had the great idea of using contrasting piping. Sewing piping is definitely beyond my seamstress capabilities, so I stopped in at a seasmstress yesterday and asked her how much she would charge to sew pillow covers with piping. We have used her to tailor my husband's suits in the past, so we know she is very reasonable, but I almost died when she told me the price: $3 for a 16x16 pillow and $5 for a 20x20?!??! That includes the cost of sewing and adding the piping. Looks like I might be having a few more pillows sewn!

Source: fabric.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I pinned these fabrics from fabric.com onto Pinterest. However, when I went back to find the actual fabric on fabric.com, the Pinterest link took me to the fabric.com homepage. If you want to know the names of any of the fabric, just let me know and I will try to find it for you.