But before we break out the camera and corn husks, I wanted to share something that has me walkin’ on sunshine today.

Kevin’s photography in the new issue of Flea Market Style magazine.

I’m really, really proud of him, y’all. His first ever, “contributor” pic appears on page 4…

…and a purple-y pink pic he took of moi appears on page 10…

We had to do a lot of stuff-shufflin’ to get that shot that day, and if you could see the mountain piled up behind the camera, you’d wonder why I was even smiling in that picture- ha!

He also shot the article called, “Little Piece Of Paradise” that starts on page 38…

I’m feeling a bit emotional pasting these pics onto this page right now because although we haven’t talked about it out loud yet, I know how much this opportunity meant to him. I know how much giddy good it did. Like, in a really, deep down, guy-who’s-still-trying-to-figure-out-what-he-wants-to-be-when-he-grows-up sorta way.

I saw it in his energy yesterday as he ran back from the mailbox with the new issues of the magazine in his hands. I saw it in the tender way he turned over each freshly-printed page and smiled when he saw a little bit of his heart displayed there. I saw it all from a distance, and I thought my heart would surely explode as I watched him flip through it for the first time from the room next door.

Here’s to hope, happiness, and havin’ an e-place to save milestone memories!

PS- And speaking of folks who enjoy blogging…

The winner of the Haven Conference ticket is:

Congratulations, Kristin! We’ll be in touch soon with information about your prize!

First off, we’d like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who took the time to leave us a comment on our blog this past weekend. As with every post we publish that receives comments, we feel so humbled that you would take the time to stop by and leave a message for us to find. Kev and I are sensitive creatures, and your the messages have a way of touching to the very core of our beings. The encouragement and comfort we feel from them means more to us than you’ll ever know, and we’d like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for embedding your energy and spirit into the pages of this e-journal of ours. The story wouldn’t be the same without you!

And speaking of blog readers & writers getting together for a good time…

Who wants to win a ticket to the Haven Conference?!

Haven is happening in Atlanta, (June 21-22, 2012) and I had the esteemed pleasure of designing their little paint roller logo for them last year. At the time, I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to attend the conference, but it looks like not only are we going to be able to go, Kev and his photography-biz partner, Josh, will also be hosting two sessions on Beginner Photography while we’re there, too! Fun!

Here’s the low-down on what the Haven Conference is all about…

Haven Conference is a place to celebrate your DIY spirit. You’ll find hands-on sessions led by fellow DIY bloggers who will share their knowledge on subjects such as painting furniture, shooting photography, and using power tools. For those looking to learn more about the business side of blogging, there will be sessions on topics that include social media, and how to monetize your blog. Most importantly, Haven Conference will be a place of encouragement. There will be time set aside to mingle with one another and share DIY stories. The DIY/home blogging community is a special place, and we encourage you to form connections with those in it so you can walk away feeling refreshed and inspired!

Up for grabs is one ($199) FREE ticket to Haven. (Ticket winner will be responsible for travel fees to and from Atlanta) The conference will start at 8:00am (ET) on Thursday, June 21 and end at 11:00pm (ET) on Friday, June 22, 2012. It’ll be held at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta-Perimeter hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, and the hotel is offering folks attending the conference a discounted rate of $89/night.

If you’d like to throw your name in the virtual hat for a chance to win the ticket, leave one comment on this blog post and we’ll randomly select a winner on Wednesday  (February 22, 2012) at 8:00am (Central Time).

Good luck, and hope to see you at Haven!

And even though we’re bummed our pilot episode didn’t turn out to be what they were looking for, we’re so grateful they allowed us the opportunity to give the whole wacky thing a whirl.

The biggest bummer, however, is that we won’t be able to collaborate with blog readers & writers, in person, on a regular basis. We love that kind of stuff, and that was definitely the best part of filming the pilot. A whole bunch of fun folks met up in Suwannee, Georgia, and shared their time & talents, and in just 5 days, we were able to create a colorful, new living room for newlyweds Alex and Emily Morrison, together…

It was so nerve-wracking/fun to reveal it to them on day 5!

Anywho, our production company *may* try to pitch the show to a couple of other channels, but we’re just going to keep on, keepin’ on- doing all the things we’ve loved doing all along: creating art & photographs, writing music & books, and blogging about whatever tickles our fancy, and tugs at our heart strings.

And as always, we’ll continue to bust out our video camera to document our own “indie” style renovation adventures, too!

Thanks so much to everyone who encouraged us on our design TV journey. It was a wild ride, and we feel so blessed to have had the chance to experience it!

I’ve also got a handy-dandy friend, who lives just down the road a piece. Her name is Shaunna West…

Her husband, Matt, texted me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I’d help him “keep her busy” for a while this past Friday so that he could put together a surprise birthday party for her at their house.

I love a good surprise, (and hanging out with Shaunna) so I put the ball in motion and asked her if she’d come over and help me paint the piece of furniture in our hallway with some of the Annie Sloan paint she’s always raving about…

Within minutes of her arrival, we were sitting on the floor, knees-t0-knees, chatting it up about all things Annie Sloan.  I recorded a little bit of our convo on video because I love Shaunna’s accent and I’m pretty sure you will too I thought maybe you’d like to get the scoop on this amazing product, too. Click the play button on the video below to watch…

I’m thrilled with how the piece turned out…

…and I can’t wait to move it back into the hallway after the new hardwood flooring is installed in there next week!

The duck egg-colored inside/white outside combo was actually inspired by this photo of a corner hutch we shot at Maddie’s on Jones two summer’s ago:

What a fun place that was to stay and soak up inspiration!

I wasn’t able to attend Shaunna’s surprise party because we had family coming in from out of town that night, but today is her actual birthday, so I thought I’d throw her another little surprise party right here on our blog!

Shaunna- I’m hoping you’ll use your imagination and envision all of the gals below (and everyone who comments on this post!) jumping out from behind furniture and yelling “Surprise!” and “Happy Birthday!” to you today!

Happy Birthday Shaunna! I’ve followed your blog for so long, it’s hard to remember when I started! I enjoy keeping up with your randomness. I hope you will “splurge” with a big ole piece of your favorite white birthday cake. May this be a very wonderful birthday, and an even more fabulous year! Maybe this will be the year for that book. Wishing you all the happiness you deserve! Thanks for inspiring us, and sharing your ideas and tutorials! - Gail at My Repurposed Life

Shaunna, the friendship we’ve shared over the past few years has been one of the best blessings I’ve had from blogging. Between raising kids, loving our parents, honoring God and, don’t forget, making our homes pretty, we’ve developed a sisterhood that just keeps on growing! You’re a treasure and now that you’re 30….we can also share being OLD. I love you, Happy Birthday! -Lisa at The Pennington Point

Happy Birthday, my sweet girl, Shaunna! You are a wonderful gift of light in blogland, and I’m so glad to call you my friend! – Rhoda at Southern Hospitality

Happy 30th, Shaunna! An exciting milestone for a passionate, sweet, and talented woman coming into her own. Your dynamic spirit shines so brilliantly through your blog! I’m inspired every day by your uncanny ability to open up and let us all in for better or for worse. Of course, your design work is stunning and you deserve the many wonderful things you have coming your way! Remember that. I hope you read these messages and smile, knowing that you are a mentor for so many of us. Oh, and go for that slice of cake today. You deserve it. Hugs! -Erin at Two Story Cottage

Dear Shaunna,
You’re beautiful inside and out. While I’ve never met you in person, I have connected with you through your lovely blog. You are talented, kind, and willing to share your personal stories. I get a real sense of who you are. I wish you a blessed birthday and much continued success. Thank you for inspiring me! -Susan at Hometown Girl

Shaunna! Happy, Happy Birthday to one of the sweetest, most kind-hearted souls in this big ol’ blogosphere. Your creativity and giving spirit inspires me every single day. I am thankful for you and your friendship! xoxo -Myra at My Blessed Life

Happy Birthday, Shaunna!  I’m so glad we became instant friends at Blissdom last year and I’ve enjoyed getting to know you even better since. I love your sense of humor, your openness and your eternal perspective.  I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for you for this next year of your life! -Marian at Miss Mustard Seed

Dear Shaunna, I want to wish you the happiest of birthdays! You are such a beautiful spirit, and I am so blessed to call you “friend!” Love you bunches! -Traci at Beneath My Heart

So, apparently, 30 is just the beginning of the good stuff in this giant par-tay called life, and I’m thrilled I get to be a part of this celebration with you! In the great metaphorical “www” we’ve decided to dive into, I still breathe a giant sigh of relief that I have the cool gal next to me in my ‘cubicle.’ You know, if these were real life office jobs, you’re the one I’d peek over the wall and laugh with. No need to say it. You got a good cubicle. ;} From lamenting over our children’s potty training adventures, to trading places as sounding boards in design ideas, I can’t express how much the little things have meant to me. I’m pretty sure you’ve listened to me spaz and do the awkward laugh/cry on more than one occasion- so, thank you. My life is blessed with you in it. For simply being the calm and cool, level-headed, inspiring YOU that you are. I love you dearly, and hope this is your best birthday to date, my sweet friend! -Ashley at The Handmade Home

My Dear Southern Belle, It should be no secret that becoming friends with you has been a highlight of my blogging career. It only took a 5-minute endless car ride to know that I was smitten with you, and that we could very well be friends forever. I wish we didn’t live so far apart, but I’m so glad that our computers help us close that gap. You are an absolute ray of sunshine, m’dear! I hope you have the happiest of birthdays! Hugs to you, Shaunna! (And I’m not just saying that–like, a real hug to you. If I could.) -Chris at Just A Girl

Shaunna, Thank you for your inspiring space in blogland! Perfectly Imperfect has become one of my most favorite blogs to read over the last several months. I love all of your projects, your gorgeous home, & most of all your beautiful personality! Thank you for being so real & down to earth with your readers! Every time I visit, I feel like I’m having a chat with an old friend! I wish you continued success in this upcoming year! -Tonya from Love of Family and Home

Shaunna,

I read a quote one time that said, “most of us don’t need a therapist as much as we need a friend to be silly with“. Thank you for being the best kind of therapy this wacky ol’ girl could ever ask for, and for helping me paint my furniture with your paint last week- LOL! Love you, and Happy 30th Birthday!

PS- Wanna see more of the birthday girl’s furniture painting tips and techniques? Click on the banner below to check out her e-book, Creating Your Masterpiece. It’s chock full of information, photos and videos that will inspire you to break out the brush and have some fun!

Anywho, now that I’m back in the land of the blogging- I couldn’t resist putting together another quick post about another awesome area next to Mrs. Rizzo’s nifty new kitchen.

She created a cute, little breakfast nook in the room next door, and I’m cuckoo for cocoa puffs over every little element she used in it!

From the X-back chairs, to the curvy-framed mirror, to the patterns on the bench cushions- that little nook would definitely be a fun place to pull up a bowl of cereal!

Jennifer said she salvaged the breakfast nook bench from one of those old breakfast nook kits. The “beadboard” on the wall behind it is actually wallpaper, and she picked up the candle-lier at a gift store for $20.

I asked Jennifer about the nook’s creation and she said, “We live in a petite house, (1100 sq ft) so it’s important that every space serves a purpose. Before we moved in, the previous owners had their table in the middle of the room next to the kitchen, so that’s where I put mine.”

“Then one day, (about 7 years in) it just kind of dawned on me what a waste of space it was to have it there. I mean, there aren’t any rules on where you have to put a table, so on a whim, I scooted it into the corner. All of  a sudden, it opened up an extra 108 square feet of floor space we couldn’t use before.”

Since the photo above was taken, Jennifer and her hubby have made even more use of the space by building a bookcase divider wall, that conceals a studio for Jennifer behind it…

How cool is that!?

Who knew putting up walls could be as fun as tearing them down- ha!

Jennifer and her family had actually planned to wait a while before remodeling their kitchen, but a pipe burst under their sink and caused extensive damage to the floor and base cabinets, so they were forced to fix it up a little earlier than expected. They hadn’t had a chance to save up for a total overhaul though, so they decided to keep & paint their upper cabinets, and replace their base cabinets with new, unfinished ones that had the same simple door style as the upper ones. Smart!

Here’s what Jennifer had to say about the process of painting the uppers…

“First, I scrubbed every last door and drawer with vinegar, soap, and Borax. Next, we gave them a good sanding, and then we minimized some of the wood grain on them by filling in the deeper grooves with wood putty. After that, we sanded them again, until they were smooth. I used a good quality angle brush to paint the inset areas of the doors, and then a dense, 4″ foam roller for the raised parts so the paint went on nice and smooth. I finished with a good coat of non-yellowing Polycrylic to keep them from chipping and to make them scrubbable.”

The paint color they chose is called “Linen White”, by Benjamin Moore. They had it mixed in their “Aura” paint brand, and they applied 2 coats of it in an eggshell finish after applying 1 coat of primer. After they were finished painting everything, they topped the base cabinets with wood counters from Ikea.

Jennifer says they need to be oiled with a sealer (also from Ikea) a couple of times a year. She does the area around the sink every few months though, because it tends to be wetter  there than other areas of the kitchen. She also said the application process is super simple, you just wipe the sealer on, and let it dry overnight. Her favorite thing about having wood counters is that if they get damaged or burned, you can just sand the marks out, and reseal. Neat!

Instead of installing more upper and lower cabinets on the other side of the room, they decided to save a little money and go with something that wouldn’t stick out into the room as far as base cabinets would. They purchased a hutch from seller on Craigslist and gave it a new coat of pretty, green paint…

Jennifer says, “I wanted something old; but the $900 one I loved from the flea market definitely broke the bank. I painted our $200 Craigslist find with a color I mixed myself, from 6 different shades of paint. The color I created is very close to a color called “Antique Jade, by Benjamin Moore.”

The walls are painted a color called Bennington Grey, by Benjamin Moore. Jennifer says, “It’s a great taupe-y grey color, that has a bit of a warmish-green under-tone.”

She also said they decided not to put door knobs on the upper cabinets to help hide the fact that some of them are “wonky.”

The entire kitchen only took about a month to redo, and Jennifer attributes a lot of that speediness to their contractor, Jason, who worked very quickly and was super organized. She says, “He helped keep us on track, and when I had an idea, he was awesome about just going with it, no matter how crazy it was. A good relationship with a good contractor really does make all the difference. I interviewed 6 contractors before hiring Jason.”

Jennifer also says, “Follow your instincts about your home. If there’s an odd smell coming from somewhere and you don’t know why, there’s probably something wrong. When it happened to us, the whole thing seemed devastating and overwhelming. I think we really thought it was going to ruin us, but there was such as silver lining that came from it, and I love my kitchen more than I ever thought I would!”

To check out Jennifer’s blog click here: JenniferRizzo.com, to read more about her kitchen renovation, or to ask her questions about any part of the project, click here: Kitchen Details, and visit her Etsy shop, click here: The Vintage Tea Collection.

Well, I’m off to my first ever jury duty experience today.

Ugh.

I’ve been hearing the Law & Order “doink! doink!” sound effect in my head ever since I received the summons.

Inside the front door of his (1917) B&B, there’s a little gift shoppe, and while the goodies he’s got for sale are definitely delightful, I was also totally inspired by the zig-zag wall treatment he recently painted on the back wall of an old closet in the space…

Here’s what Michael had to say about his pretty paint project, “I wanted something light and clean, something modern, but still warm and a bit rustic. I’ve been a little obsessed with chevron lately, so I thought I’d give that a shot. I started with a fresh coat of white paint. To give the chevron a softer look, I decided to have the colored portion of the zig-zags resemble burlap or linen.”

After I did some intensive math (it really wasn’t that hard) and taped everything off, I started painting. To keep the cost down, I used two colors I already had from previous projects- Antique White and Perfect Greige, by Sherwin Williams.

Using some cheap brushes, I painted several layers of paint on the wall. I managed to achieve the textured burlap/linen look I wanted, and to be honest, I was quite surprised that it turned out how I had envisioned it!”

Click here to read Michael’s step-by-step instructions: Chevron Wall Tutorial

Michael had fun working on a room he calls ‘The Garden Suite’ at his B&B, too.

He didn’t have any plans when he first decided to redo the room, he just let things come together organically.

He found the heavy-weight, red & white floral fabric he made the “dummy panel” curtains out of at Walmart while they were having a 50% off sale. I think they’re so pretty, and I love the unconventional ‘curtain rod’ he made to hold them up. Here’s what Michael had to say about that project, “I attached two 2x4s to the wall above the window trim. I filled in the gaps with putty and painted them white to match the rest of the molding. I found some forged nails online and pounded them into the wood evenly across the top. I attached pieces of chain link to the curtain panels and hung them on the forged nails.”

For more about how he made it, click here: Curtain Reveal Post

And speaking of fun fabrics, I also love the sunny, yellow shamrock-patterned bedskirt he made for the bed in The Garden Suite…

He purchased the fabric at the same 50% off sale at Walmart, and I think it’s so fun and unexpected!

Another one of my favorite elements in the room is the giant sign he hand-painted…

Here’s what he had to say about the project, “I typically prefer to use vintage/recycled wood, but in this case, I couldn’t find the size I needed. I wanted the finished sign to be 8ft by 2ft, so I purchased two, twelve-foot 1″x 8″s from the lumberyard. I distressed the wood by banging it up with a hammer, a saw and a length of chain. After that, I applied a treatment of vinegar and steel wool, which really helped age the wood. I kept the colors and design simple, and used painters tape as my guide. I printed out the lettering from my computer and transferred it onto the wood using a pencil, which made the process really simple. The total cost for my sign was under $40.”

Isn’t it fabulous? To read more about Michael’s sunny sign, click here: The Making Of A Sign, and if you’d like to say hi to the talented Mr. M, you can find him here: Blog, Bed & Breakfast, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest.

Before I sign off, here are the names of the giveaway winners that were randomly-selected earlier in the week:

Valentines Day Pennant Banners-

LoveFeast Table HeartGram-

Congratulations ladies, and thanks for playing along with us!

Apparently, somewhere in Atlanta, a group of randomly-selected folks (called a “focus group”) will be viewing/critiquing our pilot episode today. We have no idea how the whole thing works, but we’re hoping it goes down something like this…

LOL!

It’s been about a year and a half since we started this totally-new-to-us process, and we’re anxious to finally hear a yay or nay from the folks at HGTV sometime this month. Who knows how things will turn out. Either way, the experience has been a blessing and we’re so thankful that we had our family and our inspiring blog friends with us along the way!

It’s good to have an end to journey towards, but it’s the journey that matters in the end. -LeGuin

You’ve made this adventure more fun (and less nerve-wracking!) and we appreciate you so much!

We’re wrapping up our lovey-dovey decorating ideas “blogstravaganza” with a HeartGram™ giveaway, courtesy of the super sweet gals at LoveFeast Table…

The winner of this giveaway will receive a HeartGram™ (2 pumpkins) in the colors of their choice- 2 Crimson, 2 Rose, or one of each color. And to make matters even more mushy, the winner’s HeartGram™ will come with a vintage postcard, and be packaged in a cute little gift box, tied up with ribbon. Each heart-shaped pumpkin is hand-stitched and finished and features a real, organic pumpkin stem.

To enter, just leave one comment on this blog post between now and tomorrow, Wednesday, February 8th at noon (central time), and we’ll randomly select a winner after that so it can be shipped in time for Valentines Day. Good luck!

He also came bearing the three adorable pennant banners that are hanging in the background of our Valentines Day Decorating Ideas photo…

He made them with a variety of inexpensive/easy-to-find materials: gold glitter, gold glittery ribbon, staples, white cardstock, spray adhesive, twine, paper doilies, burlap garland, and red, pink & plaid fabric.

The oval-shaped doilies (that are folded in half over the twine string) came from the Dollar Store, and the rest of the materials came from Hobby Lobby.

He used hot glue to secure the doily and fabric pennants to a piece of twine, and just tied on some long, red and pink fabric scraps in between them…

The gold glitter pennant banner he created was a super simple project too.

He started by tracing circles onto white cardstock, and then cutting them in half. Next, he coated one side of all the half-circles in spray adhesive and gold glitter. After that, he attached them to a long piece of sparkly gold ribbon with a stapler.

Just for fun, he’s going to give that pennant banner away on his new Facebook page tomorrow, (Tuesday, February 7th) so make sure to head over there if you’d like a chance to win it!

In the meantime, leave us a comment on this blog post (between now and Wednesday, February 8th at 8am central time) if you’d like to enter to win the fabric/burlap/doily banners he made. One banner measures 5′-5″ feet long, and the other measures 7′ feet long. We’ll randomly select a winner on Wednesday morning, and hopefully we can have them to their new home by Valentines Day!

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