Life & home at 2102

Bath Decor

2013-05-21T22:32:00.003-05:00

Like most of you, I bet your bath does not look like this...

source

or this...

source

.. Or maybe a big 'YES' for some. Definitely not mine.

However, we all try to make the best we can, and so, one day, here's what I did with my tub...

Small oasis of respite

Used apothecary jars I have collected from TJ Maxx, filled it with bath salts, spa[ and sponges. I also added a fish-fish bowl also from TJ Maxx filled with more scrubs. I also have a JA candle to add ambience and of course my favorite foam baths and soap scrubs (one made by my son).

Call me VAIN but I love my mirror on my tub

Real sea sponge I scored at an Antique mall

Eventually moved the sponge here

A place to relax and unwind

Do you try to decorate around your tub? What is your favorite bath routine?

Would love to hear your thoughts! Please share away...

Have a Nice day!

Linking back to...
Wow Me Wednesday 104 - Gingersnap Crafts
Yip Skip Cloche Party - A Stroll thru Life
Made by me Link Party 81 - Jaqs Studio

Re-Designing the Kitchen Island

2013-05-19T19:59:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much for all your responses on my cooktop dilemma!
I feel that I need to explain more on WHY I chose Island cooktop vs. the wall cooktop, since the wall cooktop looks pretty amazing already.

Well, some of my blogger friends know this already.
1)One of the big factors to my choice is COST.
You see, all the wiring, duct work and all is already on the current island, and my contractor explained to me more why moving the cooktop will be costly. I have a HUGE kitchen, actually, the contractor said, mine would be the biggest kitchen he'll be doing so far.
The cost is already bordering on my budget limit and I bet, it will still go up further since we haven't priced the cabinets yet. And so, we are keeping the cooktop where it is, on the island.

2) Also, there is a gorgeous view across the island - not just the office area but since it will be facing diag diagonally, it will be facing the pool area and back porch! It will be so nice especially in the summer.

3) And probably the most important reason for me is my need to supervise my son while I cook.
My little one also does daily online therapies. For those of you not familiar with online therapies, these are computer-internet based learning and language therapies for kids with learning disabilities.
My son needs to do 3-4 therapy session every afternoon after school on top of his homework. This needs my supervision and also because, he wants me to watch as he does this. I think it's a simple request from a kid who's already doing so much. If I do the therapies with him, this would eat out almost 2 hours of my time - after work, that means no cooking, no dinner or dinner out, a lot.

My friend CAROL from "Oasis in the Desert" and Robin From "Happily Home After" explained to me that in reality you don't really spend much time on facing the cooktop itself - and that is true, for most people. For me though, I will. So my prep work and cooking needs to be on the island.

Ok, enough said, here is what our current Kitchen Island looks like again...

It is situated across the office and will be so again when we renovate with one major difference - it will not have the gigantic space gap from the counter top behind!

Here are my Inspirations...

homebunch.com

I love the contrasting cabinetry - white on the background cabinets and dark wood on the island.

source

I want the bar height (42") for the eat-in area of the island, that way I could avoid splatter and spills running down my 'customers' ;-)

source

Of course, my inspiration wouldn't be complete without Christopher Peacock's design as an inspiration!

mydesignchic.com

I love the beverage fridge here and the drawers on the side. Easy access for plates and the like for our breakfast area.

And here are the design renderings of Design Coordinator, Heather Lapham of E.A. Knight Construction.

First draft was a flat island. Again, for safety reasons, I wanted a two-step island. Although flat straight islands are gorgeous, and originally, this was what I really wanted. But for my family, I just don't think this type would work. Plus I also did not like that line of cabinets underneath.

Here is the 2nd draft...

In the 2nd draft, the only complaint I had was the very deep eat-in tabletop - 30" was too deep and I was afraid that the island would be TOO BIG.

I love that Heather kept the beverage fridge at counter height too.

I asked for the drawers for pots and pand underneath the cooktop and 2 spice racks on each side.

I think this is prettier and more practical too.

When my husband saw the design, he suggested though why not make the eat-in tabletop just go all the way to the edge? He thought it was nicer to look at. One big caveat though, I would loose my beverage fridge area or sacrifice a cabinet for a space for the fridge.

Here's what it will look like if ever...

Much smaller island work area

Looks nice over-all but I decided not to sacrifice the extra-storage and fridge.

We went back to the original 2nd draft design with the eat-in island tabletop only 20" deep.

Here's what it will look like.

What do you think? How does the island work in your home?

Would love to hear your thoughts! Please share away...

Have a Beautiful Day!

Linking back to these fabulous parties...

Creative Bloggers Party Hop - Homemaker on a dime

Amaze Me Monday #7 - Dwellings the heart of your home

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday - Coastal Charm

Make It pretty monday #50 - The Dedicated house

Tuesdays at our Home - Our Home away from home

Share It Link Party 63 - The Winthrop Chronicles

The Inspiration Board 103 - Carolyn's Homework

Brag about it link party 5 - VMG206

Terrific Tuesdays - Adventures of a DIY MOM

Wow Me Wednesday 104 - Gingersnap Crafts

Lazy Cabinet Painting

2013-05-16T07:11:00.000-05:00

CONFESSION: I am a lazy painter.

I will only paint something if it entails maximum of 3 steps.
Yes, you read it right, 3.

Aside from spraying something, the thought of sanding, de-glossing or whatever other step that I need to do before I can splash on the actual color boggles me and makes the task more daunting.

And so, when I did my craft room, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to try on my "Lazy Painting" technique without causing much damage. After all, I am PLANNING to re-paint our laundry cabinets and the entire basement kitchen cabinets. So what better way than to start out small and inconsipicuously with my craft room cabinets!

The materials I used are these...

Along with brushes of course ;-)

1) PRIME, PRIME, PRIME

I love this product! Covered all the holes and small scratches easily. And the best part about it, I DID NOT NEED TO DE-GLOSS! I actually bought a deglosser for back-up just in case the primer didn't cut it, but IT DID! The de-glosser went back to Lowe's the next day.

I waited about half a day before I applied my actual paint, but really, this primer dried up in an hour!

2) PAINT AWAY

LESSON LEARNED: If your going to paint this 'LAZY way', I should have bought a better brush.
I can see the lines from my Dollar store brush. :-(

3) TAPE

I did not remove my cabinets from their spot, so I had to tape around the walls and edges in order for me to prime and paint properly.

you can see the streaks from my cheap brush here

We are pleased with the results ( my husband actually wanted to start painting our basement cabinets right away!) But I am not sure if the results would be as good if we used a glossier paint finish.
The next cabinet I'm painting is this one...

Yellow maple has got to go

... before we paint MORE cabinets.

I'm painting it black, so I may have to get my primer tinted grey and see.
Anyway, I'll let you know how I do, once I get to it. :-)

Have a Great Weekend & Happy Painting!!!!

Linking back to these fabulous parties...

Fabulously Creative Friday - Jennifer Rizzo
Feathered Nest Friday - French Country Cottage
Simple & Sweet Friday 63 - Rooted in Thyme
Show & Tell Saturday - Be different act normal
Nifty Thrify Tuesday 164- Coastal Charm
Make It Pretty monday 50 - The Dedicated house

Thankful for friends and shopping

2013-05-14T08:50:00.000-05:00

My Mother's day weekend began with a nice morning shopping trip with a girlfriend of mine, Luisa...

This was how my morning began, gorgeous right?

We headed off to the small town of Cobden, Illinois(1,116 population).

According to WIKEPEDIA, "The village is named after British politician and free-trade advocate Richard Cobden, who visited the town in 1859.^[1] Cobden originated as a farming community (South Pass) known for its apples and peaches. The Illinois Central Railroad still runs through the center of downtown, but once was Cobden's focal point. Cobden's innovative and industrious growers developed packing crates and techniques that kept fruit fresh and undamaged on its freightways to eastern and northern markets. A packaging industry thrived here for decades, and local orchards still thrive. Cobden is host to an annual fall Peach Festival to this day. Today's Cobden is diverse with growers, vineyards, artists, musicians, and shopkeepers leading the old town into a rebirth. A significant number of formerly Mexican citizens, who came here to work the orchards, have become an integral part of the social fabric of the community."

Our first stop was here...

This store was filled to the brim and was in the middle of getting re-organized when we arrived since it was under 'new management'. Here are some of the things that caught my eye...

Gorgeous Framed Fabric art my friend was eyeing

Brass apples galore!

Check out this moroccan tray table...

Posted about this on IG since I don't know if I should buy or not.
I think I will.. ;-)

I'll show you what I actually bought later.

After this store, we had lunch at a very nice coffee shop called "Yellow Moon Cafe". And true to local bragging, their coffee was superb! My tuna melt was also very delish!

We then went to a local Art & Antique store...

The Anthill Gallery & Village Curiosities

So many things to see.. and buy!

It's a beautiful small store with an art gallery on the back where local southern Illinois artists sell and show off their work. Here's some of the things I saw...

Journals from old book covers - bought one for my son

Natural wood chopping blocks

Bird art

Sculptures

Metal art

Gorgeous Oil Painting

Antique dolls

Crystals & Antique glassware

Small paintings

Beautiful watercolor painting

And here was my stash...

Gorgeous Vintage Sarah Coventry Charm Bracelet-$15

Vintage wool hat -$10

Match Box Container - $3

My Favorite find - $15 Paint by Number painting I'd love to hang in my clinic -$5

4 brass apples -$3-5

Gorgeous Nightie - I think I'm gonna feel like Betty Draper with this one ;-)-$15

Vintage wooden Candy dispenser filled with marbles-$15

But the most wonderful part about this trip, was not the shopping at all.

It was the time spent with this lady..

She's a friend I met ever since we moved to this part of the country and I treasure her company and friendship. I am glad to spend time with her!

She even got me these......

..Given to me weeks ago since she knew how much I love milk glass!

And I love these all the more than my other pieces because it was given by my friend to me!

I am thankful for this fun day but even more thankful for my wonderful friend!

Have a Nice day!!!

Would love to hear your thoughts! Please share away...

Linking back to these wonderful parties...

Share It link Party 62 - The Winthop Chronicles
Terrific Tuesdays 63 - Adventures of a DIY Mom
164th Inspire me Tuesday - A stroll thru life
Tuesday Treasures 134- My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Tuesdays at our home 10 - Our home away from home
Made by Me Linky Party 80 - Jaqs Studio

Wow Me Wednesday 103 - Gingersnap Crafts
Wow us Wednesdays 118 - Savvy Southern Style
Make it Pretty Monday - The Dedicated House

Transformation Thursday - The Shabby Creek Cottage
Faulously Creative Party - Jennifer Rizzo
Feathered Nest Friday - French Country Cottage
Anything blue Friday - The Dedicated House

Where oh where to put the cooktop?

2013-05-12T20:41:00.001-05:00

Hope your Mother's Day was super special for and your families!
Anyway, on my continuing "Kitchen Renovation Saga', let's talk about positioning our cooktop.

As you can see in our current kitchen the cooktop is on the island...

My husband suggested moving the island on the opposite wall behind like this...

Looks pretty nice!

This looks nice right?!

And initially I thought it good too.

However, being the cook in the family, I wanted to mingle and watch things as I cook.

Also, I did not want to face a wall as I cook - that's just me.

So we went back to the original lay-out....

Cook-top stays on the island. The big change of course other than a new island, would also be the overhead vent instead of a drop-down one. That way, I can watch movies or videos as I cook and also see what my son's browsing at on the computer (remember this cooktop will be facing the kitchen office)!

The big disadvantage though of having your cooktop on the island? Having splatters or spills going towards whoever's unfortunate enough to sit there!
But, there is a solution, and you'll see it once I show the final Kitchen Island design.

How about you? Are you happy at where you cook now?

Would love to hear your thoughts! Please share away...

Have a Wonderful Mother's Day!

Linking back to these fabulous parties...

Amaze Me Monday #6 - Dwellings, the heart of the home
Share it Link Party 62 - The Winthrop Chronicles
Terrific Tuesdays 63 - Adventures of a DIY mom
164th Inspire me Tuesday - A Stroll Thru life
Tuesdays Treasures 134 - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Tuesdays at our home 10 - Our home away from home

Wow Me Wednesday 103 - Gingersnap Crafts
Wow Us Wednesdays 118 - Savvy Southern Style
Transformation Thursday - The Shabby Creek Cottage
Fabulously Creative Friday - Jennifer Rizzo

Paper Place mats

2013-05-08T06:53:00.000-05:00

I swear, the simplest DIY ever !

Got this from Horchow a year ago on clearance for $12 for 50 sheets!

I used the cardboard backing from this to measure my placemats. I just traced, then cut! You can also use those plastic/laminate placemats to size your paper placemats.

TADA!

And here it is now..

Easter

Valentines

Easy to make and easier to dispose... actually hard for me to dispose since they look so pretty!
Very useful for quick lunch or dinner set-ups especially if you have kids around.

Hope you have a Wonderful day!

Linking Back to...

Amaze Me Monday 5 - Dwellings the Heart of your home
Tuesday Treasures 133 - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Transformation Thursday 203 - The Shabby Creek Cottage
Make it Pretty Monday 49 - The Dedicated House
Feathered Nest Friday - French Country Cottage

Re-designing the Pantry Cabinet

2013-05-06T10:55:00.006-05:00

I had a super hectic weekend and week, in between school plays and my sons 1st communion, I had to squeeze in a 1st communion party for him and a friends daughter as well! Hew! Anyhow, I wanted to share with you what 's happening with my planned kitchen renovation.

So let the designing process begin! Let's start with the Pantry Cabinet. This is what is looks like now...

Silver eye-sore :-(

Here are my inspirations...

House Beautiful's Kitchen of the Year in 2008 by Christopher Peacock

I fell in love with the above picture in 2008 and have kept the clipping on my Craft room wall for a while now..

See...

Design by Christopher Peacock

Aren't these latches beautiful?!

I also want this hardware to go with those icebox latches above....

Cabinet jewelry for me

And here is the initial design by Heather Lapham, the Design Coordinator for E.A. Knight Contractor based on my specifications...

First Draft

The white color was just a bit 'too much white' for me since the other cabinets on top and underneath my counter tops would be white already. I also wanted drawers at the bottom because I noticed that in my pantry, I usually end up putting my 'neglected' pantry items on the bottom. So with drawers, easier accesss means less 'stashing'!

I sent Heather copies of the latches I wanted to make sure it would fit the doors. And eventually, after 2 other drafts, here is what I'll be going for...

Perfect!

Just imagine it with the latches above and lighting inside the very top cabinets. I wanted it to look like a huge armoire, a piece of furtniture and not just a huge wall of cabinets. I will still need to choose the molding and the other details for the legs and edges, but I think you get the idea.

Hew, one down, and a couple more to go.

Hope you have a great week!!!!

Linking back to...
Sunday Showcase Party 193 - By Stephanie Lynn
Make it Pretty Monday week #48 - The Dedicated House

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday 162 - Linda's Coastal Charm
Inspire me Tuesday #163 - A Stroll thru life
Tuesdays at our home 9 - Our home away from home
Terrific Tuesday 62 - Adventures of a DIY mom
Share It link Party 61 - The Winthrop chronicles

Wow Me Wednesday - Gingersnap Crafts
Wow Us Wednesday - Savvy Southern Style
Made By me 79 - Jaqs Studio
Create & Share - The Trendy Tree House

Amaze Me Monday 5 - Dwellings, the heart of your home
Tuesdays Treasures 133- My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Transformation Thursday 203 - The Shabby Creek Cottage

The things I did for the Craft Room

2013-05-02T09:57:00.000-05:00

Ok, a little ' Kitchen Break'.

I want to share with you the nitty gritty of things in my CRAFT ROOM. You may be wondering HOW I ever came to this...

From this....

Aside from the painting (which I will share at a later post), organizing a small space full of stuff can be daunting. So I did what a lot of professional organizers advice - PURGE, PURGE, PURGE.

I also have a ton of magazines that are now placed on a bookshelf inside a closet across the room

Organized them by Dates..

I also made these, actually, covered these...

Bought this for 10 cents a piece

Stitch, though cute, does not really 'fit' in this space.

I also covered this with fabric...

Regular Joe Cork board from TARGET

A Much Better Inspiration board!

Added a lot of storage here...

All from IKEA when I went shopping there last March with Charmaine.

I also bought 2 of these Dwell Studio bins on clearance months ago for my grift wraps. One for birthdays and other occasions, the other, just for Christmas.

I also learned that organizing a space isn't much fun if you don't have the pretty stuff that you want to put up and show off too!

Hence I added these...

My catalog Cover wall art

Cute quotes from Oprah Magazine

Residency pics, A thrift store little girl art and a favorite cabinet from a Catalog!

My 2 boys - The other frame made by my son when he was still in 2nd grade :-) + Dollar puzzle from TARGET

Dollar tree gold frames with fave pics from Catalogs and a FUN picture of my family

My Cute Lamp and Elephant from Jonathan Adler :-)

I got rid of things I hardly used, tossed them into a donation box or trash.

Actually, I did not end up throwing out a lot since once I organized everything, I eventually found a place for more things!

Any tips you got up your sleeves when it comes to organizing?

Have a Great Weekend!

Featured in...

Our Home Away from Home
BeBetsy, Smashingly good living

Linking up to...

Link Party #1 - Fidler Under one Roof
Feathered Nest Friday - French Country Cottage
Weekend Bloggy Link Party - Serenity Now
Serenity Saturday - Serenity you
Show & Tell - Be Different Act Normal

Make It Pretty Monday #48 -The Dedicated House
Inspire Me Tuesday 163 - A Stroll thru life
Tuesdays at our home - Our home away from home
Terrific Teusdays 62 - Adventures of a DIY mom
Share it Link party 61 - The Winthrop Chronicles
Tasteful Tuesdays 57 - Nap time Creations
Brag About it Tuesday 3- VMG 206

Wow Me Wednesday - Gingersnap Crafts
Wow Us Wednesday 117 - Savvy Southern Style
Made by Me 79 - Jaqs Studio
Create & Share - The Trendy Treehouse

Amaze Me Monday #5 - Dwellings the Heart of your Home
Transformation Thursday 203 - The Shabby Creek Cottage

Criticizing my own kitchen

2013-04-30T09:33:00.000-05:00

Ok, so you guys know that I'm up for a renovation this summer.

Here is what we're working with....

Not really the worse space in the world right?

As you can see, the former owners wanted a very modern/contemporary kind of kitchen.

The countertops are quartz natural stone and cabinets are sleek maple colored laminate.

Floors are vinyl tiles in the same color. So what am I complaining about??

CRITIQUE #1

As you can probably tell, the color is the SAME Light brown color from the floors, cabinet and countertops - too monotonous & not a very relaxing color combo for me. To top is all off, they painted the walls brown too! I personally do not like the cabinet style since it REALLY reminds me of OFFICE CABINETS. Am I right or not?! The style is also too modern for me, I like contemporary but the kitchen of my dreams is more 'modern traditional'.

You can clearly see my point here

I do love the hardware and definitely for sure, keeping them all.

The counter tops are really hard to let go of, but for the type of kitchen I want, I think this counter top won't work at all for the design.

Do not fret though, I HATE WASTE, and we will be re-using the countertops for our basement kitchen which is currently laminate. The cabinets will also not be thrown out, they will head to the garage for storage use.

The dishwasher has to go since it's showing some problems already and I would want the appliance there to match the refrigerator (which we bought).

CRITIQUE #2

I think that the former owners didn't cook much... How can I say this you ask? Well, Just take a look at the work space. The Island is very small, and the closest big workspace is 5 feet away!! I'm no chef, but I think this is TOO MUCH space. I know for a fact none of the former owners where disabled or in a wheel chair, so I don't know WHY there was so much space here.. for some dancing perhaps?! Maybe they were romantics and needed some dancing space while they cook, who knows. You can read my other criticisms in the picture above.

The small island

If the cooktop & drop-down vent wasn't on the island, I'd say it's a pretty decent size island. However....

... this island does not have any storage space for spices, oil and other cooking paraphernalia.

CRITIQUE #3

As you can see all my 'stuff' are on top of the island for easier access. The knives and other cooking utensils are in the 2 drawers, underneath, I have some produce basket and my big pots in the cabinets. My everyday pots are on another side of the kitchen. This island is just too small for the room and not very cook-friendly.

The only complaint I have about this side is that it has a trash compactor we never used. Also, you can see, I added a make-shift breakfast nook on the side closer to our eating area.

Office Area

The lay out of this area is ok, again, I just don't like all that useless space above the upper cabinets.

Pantry Cabinet

Yup, you've read it right, this is a pantry cabinet, not a refrigerator, but a cabinet. It is 15 inches deep, so no need for drawer inserts inside and the reason why it has a shiny door is actually our fault.

When we bought the house, one pantry door was missing, we tried hard to find a replacement but we couldn't find the right shade or size, etc. If we had one custom-built it would cost as about $300 for A DOOR!!!!! No way!

So my husband built a door! However, he left the door outside, it warped and we had some silver paint left from another project, so we just painted it all silver to match the refrigerator! :-) Since we knew we were going to renovate this space eventually, we just left it this way. Looking back, I should have painted it with chalkboard paint instead since a lot of people open this door up thinking it too was a refrigerator!

Breakfast area

Probably my favorite part of the kitchen. Would love to have a bench seating close to the window and see the pool better during the summer. We're lucky that the sun never goes directly thru the windows so it's a great space to sit and read and just hang out.

Huge blank wall

I never hung any art here. And again, this was because, I knew that I would be renovating.

I have plans for this wall. Nothing dramatic, just wait and see.

Make-shift breakfast nook

I would love to have a breakfast nook for my new kitchen, and this would be the perfect spot for that.

There you have it our current Kitchen.
I will show you the first design here soon and take you along every step of the way on how we make the choices we make and other things to consider.

How about you?
Is there any room in your house that you have a lot of criticisms about?
Go ahead, let it out, a good objective criticism is 'healthy' just don't dwell on these criticisms too much and just find a way around it like I will try to do in the next weeks or so!

Have a Wonderful day!

Linking back to...
Tuesdays Treasures 132 - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Wow Us Wednesday 116 - Savvy Southern Style
Transformation Thursday #202 - The Shabby Creek Cottage
Weekend Bloggy Reading - Serenity Now

Tiles for our Kitchen & upcoming Renovation

2013-04-28T22:19:00.000-05:00

As you may have guessed by now, we are on the verge of a Kitchen renovation for this coming summer (that is, if our re-financing pushes thru.. :-) Fingers crossed ladies...)

I started my Kitchen question by asking you guys Which tile would you choose with this countertop...

quartz countertop

I truly appreciate all the inputs on this. But in the end, I decided to just start with a new countertop all together and choose the tile first. So I chose this...

Oyster White

I was completely torn between this one and the marble...

carrera marble

Both are beautiful, marble being very elegant, timeless and also can go with any type of kitchen design I could think of!

But in the end I chose the Oyster white tile because I love that it is unique, pearlescent, and reminds me of 'home". Yes, home, the Philippines, since it is like capiz and pearls abound in my home country! So I wanted to pay homage to the Philippines in this kitchen as well, even if it's just the backsplash! I think it will make a huge statement and heartfelt sentiment for me!

This is a sample of what it will look like applied to the wall..

source - all shimmery and shiny :-)

source - bigger version of the tile

The Shaker style cabinets in the second picture is what I will also be using for our kitchen too. I am working with a Design Coordinator, Heather Lapham of E.A. Knight Construction Company on this project, and she's come up with some designs I'll be sharing with you in the next couple of days or so.

I never thought space planning for kitchen cabinet was a whole other 'monster', as my contractor told me. Lay out and design will be entirely up to me, but Heather will help me out and give me a fresh perspective on wether my design is feasible or practical.

I know renovating the kitchen is one of the toughest types of renovation, and for us, a huge FIRST, since we never really renovated anything in this house ( or our other houses for that matter). I also believe it will be a good 'first' for us since, it is a much used space, and truly, the heart of any home.

Have you done any major renovation in your home? Any valuable tips or lessons you've learned that you can share?

Wish us luck!!!! And hope you follow along with our progress!

Have a Lovely Spring Day!

Master bedroom Changes and more!

2013-04-25T22:42:00.001-05:00

Actually, just the curtains and bedding!

But the big change is THIS BLOG! Its by Designer blogs using their Jefferson Template!

I also changed the name for easier recall.
"Buhay at Bahay" is in Tagalog or Filipino, it literally translates to "Life & home" in English.

Our home

I also added this picture of our house -
the "Life" falls exactly on top of my favorite tree and the "Home" falls near the roof of our house, isn't that a great coincidence?! I think so, I Hope you like it as much as I do!

Anyway, back to the bedroom...

Spring Greens and Greys

Martha Stewart Bedding and some other pillows

Velvet Grey Curtains from Ikea

How about you, any major changes lately? Have you changed something this dramatic to your blog recently too?

Hope you Have a Great Weekend!

Linking back to...
Show and Tell Friday - My Romantic Home
Frugal Friday - The Shabby Nest
Simple & Sweet Fridays - Rooted in Thyme
Weekend Bloggy Reading - Serenity Now
Inspire me please #8 - Liz Marie Blog
Fabulously Creative Link Party - Jennifer Rizzo
Serenity Saturday#84 - Serenity You

Sunday Show off Link Party - Twigg Studios
Ready Set Pin Party #2 - The Girl Creative
Make the Scene Monday #72 - Alderberry hill
Creative Bloggers Party Hop - Homemaker on a Dime
Market Yoursslef Monday - Sumos Sweet Stuff
NIfty Thrifty Sunday #106 - Nifty Thrifty Things
Think Pink Sunday - Flamingo Toes
Sunday Showcase #192 - Under the table and dreaming
Time to Sparkle #7 - The Gunny Sack

Make It Pretty Monday Week 47 - The Dedicate House
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday - Coastal charm
Terrific Tuesday #61 - Adventures of a DIY MOM
Tuesdays at our Home #8 - Our home away from home
162nd Inspire me Tuesday - A Stroll thru life
Tweak it Tuesday #38- Cozy Little House

Share it Link Party #60 - The Winthrop Chronicles
Made by Me #78 - Jaqs Studio
Wow us Wednesday -Savvy Southern Style
Transformation Thursday 202 - The Shabby Creek Cottage
Tuesday Treasure 132 - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Using my Thrift Store Finds at Home

2013-04-24T07:28:00.003-05:00

I've been showing off all the bargains I've acquired. But I realized I never show you how I use them in my home! So here's what I did with my latest acquisitions...

4 Nate Berkus boxes for TARGET from GOODWILL!

Check out the price - that's down from an original $20++ for each!!

Even if I don't use these decoratively, it would make great gift boxes don't you think?

And here's where they are now...

Actually have my shades inside

Good enough as risers too!

Or just simply as a decorative object

Here's another one from GOODWILL

$4.99 brand new table runner

Now sits on our buffet table!

My last find has no spot yet. But I grabbed it anyway, a cute Ikat print blue pillow for $4.99!

And remember these?

Currently in my Dining room

Hope you got some ideas!

Have a Nice day!

Pardon my Blog's appearance, I've been doing some tweaking and it's not been going so well as you can see... expect changes soon!

My Top 10 for EAST TENNESSEE

2013-04-21T21:30:00.002-05:00

We recently spent our Spring break in the beautiful East Tennessee. It was about a 6 hour drive from our home but it was all so worth it!

Here is my TOP 10 for this part of the country...

10) Shopping

source

Sevierville, TN Outlet mall

Yup, you pass by 2 outlet malls on the way to the Smoky mountains. First is in Lebanon ,TN, about 20 miles past Nashville and the 2nd is in Sevierville!

9) Sevierville, TN

One I actually went to

Flea market

We didn't get to spend much time here but this is the place to go for antiquing and flea-ing! They have a lot along the main highway and on top of that they have some of the biggest waterparks in the area. This is also the place to rent out a chopper for site-seeing tours.

8) Pigeon Forge, TN

source

My son aptly named this a "Tourist Trap". From restaurants to shows to all sorts of rides, this place is a lot of fun to go to especially if you have kids with you!

7) Three Bears General Store

This place has all the souvenirs you can imagine! Their Christmas section is not too shabby either. but the main reason to go here, is to see and feed real Bears!!!!

Aren't they cute?

We're feeding them apples and grapes. :-)

6) Wonders of Flight & Wonderworks

We had a real fun time riding this ginormous helium ballon. The view of Pigeon Forge was spectacular.

Ready to fly!

Wonderworks is a fun amuement/science lab that the kids had a blast in.

Some bubble fun

Thrill from above

5) Terry Envaswood Magic Show

Truly worth watching, this show. It is fun, family and kid friendly and we get to meet the man after show! In fact, so cool , our son wanted to be a magician afterwards!

Make sure to come early, no seat numbers, so if you wan to participate, you better sit closer to the stage!

4) Dixie Stampede

Dolly Parton's very own Musical Extravaganza! One of the funnest thing to do if your ever in this town. We love, love, love this show. It has a pre-show of some awesome live bluegrass music...

And the real show is a delight. Amazing stunts, all sorts of animals and of course lots of food! A whole chicken + chops + corn + soup + bread + pie!

We've seen Medieval times, but I think Dixie Stampede is way fun-ner! Yeee-haaah!

3) Food & Taffy

All sorts of restos abound in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and all the places we went did not dissapoint. Bubba Gump and Callhouns topped my list!

At Bubba Gumps

Taffy-making

Yummy ribs at Calhuons

2) Gatlinburg, TN

This is place is a gem. It has almost a European feel because of the surrounding mountains and all the small shops. I love this small town.

Fantastic view from above

1) Smoky Mountains and the rest of Mother Nature

Of course, nothing beats the majestic Smoky mountains. Wish we could have stayed longer and all the roads were open. Some ice still around that made us unable to go to the highest viewing peak. We went only 5,500++ above sea-level instead of 6,500++!

We would definitely be back again and for sure, and next time, we'll be renting a cabin in the mountains to enjoy more of #1!

Hope your Spring Break was awesome too!

Craft Room Reveal

2013-04-18T11:01:00.003-05:00

I am finally done with my Craft room! Woohoo!

I had to jam-pack a crammed 3.6 X 7 feet room/closet!

Here SHE is...

I am pretty happy and proud of this space !

For a 3.3' x 7' room, I say not bad at all!

A space for everything

Where I post my current obsessions

My own personal creative space :-)

I call it a SHE since it is a girlie space, filled with greys and pinks.
I painted the cabinets & one wall VALSPAR in semi-gloss called "Voyage".
The left wall, though not obvious in the picture, is painted also with VALSPAR in satin-finish called "Apricot Ice" (it's one of those spring samples Lowes currently has for $2.98 and I used only one - may be FREE if you have HGTV magazine which has a Free sample coupon !).

I'll let you in in my "secret" soon on how I painted this cabinets super fast - yes, in just one day! No sanding, no de-glossing, basically the "lazy" way!

More details of the space here...

Small collage using NYTGGA frames from IKEA and old catalog covers from
"Land of Nod" and quotations from OPRAH magazine!

Glues, pens, and other craft supplies using ledges & organizers from Ikea

Pegboard organization

My other pin board, filled with inspiration, Fabrics and some sewing supplies on top

Laminator and paper stacks

Some more inspirations for me - pics, dollar puzzle from Target, gift tags

Stationaries, swatches, etc..

What lies beneath - Covered up Sterilite plastic bins with Contact paper from TJ Maxx
for more supplies and storage

More inspirations, also my gold Dollar Tree 2 x 3 frames!so cute!

Threshold Labelled Drawer Pulls-
Got the idea from Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick :-) thanks!!!!

She went from this by the way...

"She" needed some TLC - I added the pegboard and used left-over Masters bedroom paint

Progress? or just plain Mess?!

This space is a trapezoid-shaped room with this small corner for some storage

A small triangular corner for holiday gift wraps
and gift bags

more organized at this point and easy for me to find things that I need

This is also in the room...

Fortunately, partly covered by the door when it's open

I'll share other little details eventually. But for now, let me end with this...

What's on the door

I think this freebie poster (got it from my laptop case) aptly describes what I try to do in this small space of mine. Hope you have a place to let your creative juices flow too!

Oh, and lastly, I would like to thank all of you dear family, friends and readers because this blog has reached >103K views already!!!! Woohoo! I am in awe for all your support!
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!

Have a Wonderful Day!

This room was featured in...

Tweak it Tuesday 38 - Cozy Little House By BRENDA

Highlighted Links - Serenity Now BY AMANDA

Time to Sparkle - The Gunny Sack

Tuesdays Treasures 132 - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Linking back to...

Sweet Fridays#59 - Rooted in Thyme
The Weekly Creative - The Girl Creative
Pinterest Power Party - Serenity You
Weekend Wrap up Party - Tatertots and Jello
Frugal Friday - The Shabby Nest
Show and Tell Friday - Romantic Home
hFeathered Nest Friday - French Country Cottage

The Weekend Bloggy Reader Link-up- Serenity Now
Show and Share 88 - Southern Lovely
Show and Tell Saturday - Be Different Act Normal

Nifty thrifty Sunday #105
Think Pink Sunday #109 - Flamingo Toes
Simple Sunday Link Party - Sunny Simple life
Sunday Show off Linky PArty - Twigg Studios

Amaze Me Monday - Dwellings, the heart of your home
Make the Scene Monday #71 - Alderberry Hill

Creative Bloggers Party & Hop #107 - Homemaker on a dime

Market Yourself Monday - Sumos Sweet Stuff

Make it Pretty Monday #46 -The Dedicated House

161th Inspire Me Tuesday - A Stroll thru life

Tuesdays Treasures #131 - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Tweak It Tuesday#37 - Cozy Little House

Trash to Treasure - Kammy's Korner

Knick of Time Tuesday #83 - knick of Time Interiors

Tutorials and tips Link Party #106 - Home Stories A to Z

Terrific Tuesdays #60 - Adventures of a DIY mom

Nifty thrifty #160 - Coastal Charm

Time to Sparkle Linky Party #6 - The Gunny Sack

Project Inspired Linky Party - Setting for four

Tuesdays at our Home #7 - Our Home away from home

Give Me goods Party #5 - So much better with age

Share it Link Party #59 - The Winthrop Chronicles

Inspiration board Link Party #99 - Carolyn's Homework

Dream to Reality Party #64 - The DIY Dreamer

Create & Share - The Trendy Treehouse

Made by Me #77 - Jaqs Studio

Wow us Wednesday #115 - Savvy Southern Style

Whimsy Wednesday#60 - The NY Melrose Family

Wildly Original Link Party #49 - I gotta Create
Transformation Thursday#201 - The Shabby Creek Cottage
Thursdays are your Days - 52 Mantels
Creative Inspiration Link Party - Embracing Change
Under 100 Linky Party - Beyond the picket fence

Inspire me please link party -Liz Marie blog
Fabulously Creative Link Party - Jennifer Rizzo

May Before and After Party -Thrifty Decor Chick

hMums Make lists

Highlighted Links - Serenity Now BY AMANDA

The closest I could get to Jonathan Adler and Michael Graves

2013-04-17T06:58:00.000-05:00

You know how much of a die-hard Jonathan Adler fan I am. Actually, I admire all the great designers past, present and future over-all, but JA is one of my faves.

So last week, I finally got a chance to be close to JA... his stuff rather, at JCPenney. I would be ecstatic and tearful if I ever get to meet the man for real! But for now, I am satisfied to be up close and "personal" with his works.

And knowing JA's love for color, will show you what I saw according to that..

THE YELLOWs & GREYs

The acrylic tray is as cute as it is online!

The poufs are pretty cute!

My fave those sun-burst pillows!

Just look at the details!

Love the pattern on the bath mat

THE PINKs AND ORANGEs

THE GREENs & BLUEs

Those chevron melamine plates look pretty cool

Gorgeous lamps - got the cute little one on the right

Love that green vase

Love the blue vase too

My most favorite of all - these navy poufs are just gorgeous in person!

I also "bumped into" Michael Graves. Yes, like you, I've "bumped" into him over at TARGET, but somehow, his items didn't shine as much, since over a TARGET they placed his stuff all over the store, not collectively like here at JCP.

Love that cool steel-brick bread box

Modern Enamel-cast cookware

Space-age small appliances

Decorative stuff

Vases

My fave is the turquoise and brass one

Love the wooden clock/shelf on the right

I also saw this awesome Celine trapeze bag look-alike over at the same store!Would've grabbed it only, I have a favorite trapeze bag already :-)

The original Celine Trapeze on Kate Walsh
$2,300+

Cosmopolitan by JCPenny version ;-)
$50+

There you have it folks, hope these 2 guys are already at your local JCP.

And oh, other than them, I also "got to meet" JOE FRESH, and I'm totally smitten with this guy too!

Happy Shopping!

Animalandia

2013-04-15T07:21:00.000-05:00

I have two "pets" I wanted to share with you.

This cute baby elephant is from HOME GOODS. She was standing beside the console table but I felt she didn't deserve to be there all alone. So I moved her here...

As a mini side table or as a cute stool for little ones ;-)

The other guy is this fella'..

Inconspicuous on my entry table right?

A cute and heavy Brass dolphin I scored at a local Antique mall. I saw this same baby at 1stdibs.com for $450!!!

I transferred him in my Dining room which is currently going GOLD at the moment.

Well-deserved placing I think.

I love having animal figurines all around my home, but come to think of it, the elephant is my most favorite. How about you, do you have a favorite animal in your home other than your pet?

Have a great week!

Linking back to...

Make it Pretty Monday Week 45 - The Dedicated House
Amaze Me Monday#2 - Dwellings, the Heart of your home
160th Inspire Me Tuesday - A Stroll thru Life
Terrific Tuesday#59 - Adventures of a DIY mom
Tuesdays Treasures #130 - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

A Living Room thru the Seasons

2013-04-11T10:13:00.002-05:00

"Winter...

Spring...

Summer...

or Fall..

All you have to do is call..."

Yup, this space can make me sing. :-)

I have been tweaking my Craft room/Closet, I can't wait to show it to you next week!

Have a Great Weekend!

Linking back to...
It's the little things- Thrifty Decor Chick
Show and tell - Be Different Act normal
Make It Pretty Monday Week 45- The Dedicated house
Amaze me Monday #2- Dwellings, The heart of your home
160th Inspire me Tuesday - A stroll thru life
Tuesdays Treasures #130 - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Terrific Tuesdays #59 - Adventures of a DIY mom
Inspiration Board Link Party #98 - Carolyns Homework
Wow us Wednesdays#114 - Savvy Southern Style
Whimsy Wednesdays #59 - The NY Melrose Family
Empty your Archive 9 - Mums make lists

Giftables to Go

2013-04-09T10:20:00.001-05:00

Have you been to TARGET lately?

I haven't, and I was pleasantly suprised with this new small section they have .

The stuff are not dirt cheap, but are pretty cute and some are reasonably priced.

It reminds me of a store back home called GIFT GATE

(the kid and tweetums version of the new Target section)

I frequented this store A LOT when I was younger.

I love Sanrio products, trolls, swatch and anything cute for that matter. And I think, I never really outgrew that.

My collecting bug only evolved into another form - mainly collecting cuter things for my home!

Do you have a favorite store you frequented as a child or teen?

Do you buy things just because they're cute even if you don't need them?

By the way, I have been busy tweaking my itty-bitty craft room and I can't wait to show it to you soon!

Have a lovely day!

Functional still but must go

2013-04-07T19:52:00.003-05:00

Our home came with a typical vanity lighting...

Hollywood Glam in my bath...

... is not for me

They work fine and are pretty bright. My hubby actually likes these because he feels warmer in the bathroom when all these lights are open. I have a totally different opinion about these lights. ;-)

And so, two Saturdays ago, we replaced them with these...

I think THIS IS MUCH BETTER

Santa Monica Lighting we grabbed from Menards

Have you replaced anything in your home that is still functional but not pleasing on the eye?

Now I just have to figure out where I can donate the old fixtures, let me know if you know of any place that takes these!

Have a bright and beautiful day!

Linking back to...

Its the little things - Thrifty Decor Chick

Our Easter Sunday

2013-04-05T11:39:00.000-05:00

It was the day of Easter and everyone was happy

Christ the Lord has risen, to God be the Glory!

Our table was set & the food was yummy...

I was so giddy to use Pink!

Pink Gift Wrap from TJ Maxx, Napkins from Kate Spade, Coasters from Michaels

Sansrival made by yours truly

Home-Made Cupcakes by La Dolce Vita

Friends arrive to join in the merry

The Pineda Family

The baskets were ready...

My Dollar Store Easter Baskets

Delivered by none other than The Easter Bunny

Yup, the Easter bunny came right in our front lawn!

Isn't he adorable?

The Garland was hung on the window with care..

Dollar store Doillie and foam stickers - a last minute garland

In hopes that the children would have a fun fare.

So we filled up our bellies with food a plenty

And thanked the Lord for this wonderful blessing and bounty.

Then we began the run and the fun for the Easter Egg hunt!

All Set to go!

They were all set and ready as they began in a hurry

Searching for the eggs in every nook and cranny...

And in the end, we examined our loot

With the candies and toys to top off our day

It was truly a very happy Easter day!

Linking back to..

Overflowing with Creativity - It's overflowing
Spotlight Saturday - Classy Clutter
Show and Tell Saturday - Be Different act normal
Easter table Settings - Between Naps on the porch
Weekend Bloggy Reading - Serenity Now
The Weekend Creative - The Girl Creative

Sunday Show-off -Twigg Studios
Sunny Simple Life
Sunday Scoop Link Party - I heart naptime

Make it Pretty Monday - The Dedicated House
Make the Scene Monday - Alderberry Hill
Creative Bloggers Party Hop- Homemaker on a dime
Amaze me Monday -Dwellings the heart of your home
Market yourself Monday - Sumos Sweet stuff
Making the World Cuter
Manic Monday Link Party - Serendipity and Spice

Tabletop Tuesday - A Stroll thru life
Tweak it Tuesday - Cozy Little House
Transformation Tuesday - The Ironstone nest
Tuesday Treasures - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Time to sparkle Tuesday Link - The Gunny Sack
Trash-2-treasure - Kammy's Korner
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday - Coastal Charm
Knick of time Interiors
Tutorials and tips - Homestories A to Z
The DIYers and more - Homecoming
The Inspiration Board Link Party - Carolyns Homework
Be Inspired -Elizabeth and Co
Time to Shine Party - A Diamond in the stuff
Share it - The Winthrop Chronicles
Terrific Tuesdays - Adventures of a DIY mom

Wow us Wednesday - Savvy Southern Style
Whimsy Wednesday - The NY Melrose Family
Create & Share - Trendy Tree House
Whatever goes Wednesdays - Someday Crafts
Wow me Wednesday - Gingersnap Crafts

Finding Nate at my Goodwill

2013-04-03T07:41:00.002-05:00

Two weeks ago I showed you how I satisfied my Jonathan Adler fix for pittance.

Now, I'm lucky enough to get my Nate Berkus fix satisfied with these...

I love my local Goodwill and I love my Nate-on- a- budget!

Have a Wonderful day!

Linking back to
Treasure Hunt Thursday - My front porch to yours

Show me your Bedside table - Blogger series

2013-04-01T09:31:00.000-05:00

Have you always wondered more about your
favorite bloggers "personal space" ?

Well I have, so I thought of posting something about it here today.

I asked some of my favorite bloggers to submit a picture of their bedside table and give a brief description if what's on it.
They were all very kind enough to share this with me & all of you.

Since I think Bedside tables may be "personal" territory, Let's start with mine...

Yup, clutter-top for me ;-)

I like to see things that mean a lot to me all the time..

Beauty stuff - Hand cream, lip cream, foot cream and Evian water mist
Sentimental Stuff - Pictures and cards and a paper flower from my son last Valentines
Faith stuff - prayer book, cross and my eye mask (don't ask me why)
And of course, BOOKS!

My current stash including magazines

I don't have a lamp because I have a floor lamp close-by not shown in the picture.

Now that I have shown you my bedside table, let me show you some of my favorite Blogger's bedside tables!

Let's start with the awesome Mother-daughter team of Powell Brower home

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Bethany from Powell Brower Home
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"We chose mirrored chests to bounce around what little light our bedroom gets. And because of the light factor, we added lamps and mirrors behind the lamps to amplify the light both from behind and below (in the mirrored chest top). Mom and I are huge fans of mirrors (not for the vain reasons you'd think!) because they really help open up a small space. And the fickle frequent redecorator in my is tiring of them quickly, but for now, they are a great option to store socks, PJ's and undergarments in. I love to have fresh flowers when possible and my favorite resource for them is Trader Joes - the best prices! When I don't get to the store, I like to go uproot some of the hostas or ferns in my yard. And I have a teeny horn tray that holds my chapstick, glasses and any jewelry I need to take off before bed. Lastly, I have a horse block print that was my grandmother's tilted against the mirror to add a layer. I just love layers!"

And not to forget, this gorgeous lamp that also belonged to Bethany's Grandmother, an old Waterford Crystal lamp that has moved all around in different places and spaces with Bethany!

Of course, Powell Brower wouldn't be complete without Mom Nancy's Bedside table.

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Nancy from Powell Brower Home
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"I have two narrow, tall chests flanking our king size bed. I honestly don't use my bedside table for more than stowing earrings or jewelry before I go to bed. Rarely do I read in bed or spend time in my master suite except to sleep, although I firmly believe one's bedroom should be a retreat, or at least look like one."

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Charmaine from My Best Friend Craig

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"I try to keep my bedside table top clutter free so I only have - a lamp, a book/nook, candle, plant/flower and a jewelry box. What's inside the drawer is another story!"

Don't we all have that Story about our drawers?! :-)

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Samma from Honey Sweet Home

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"As much as I'd love to keep my nightstand styled and uncluttered, there's too much real life stuff. There's always a stack of books and magazines for bedtime reading, and a journal to jot down notes or lists whenever inspiration strikes :) Our bedside lamps totally aren't to scale but anything bigger would take up much-needed space, so I'm hoping to add some wall sconces down the line (that or upsize our nightstands!). I keep tissues on hand as well as a little massager, and a coaster for those nightly glasses of water. The florals are only occasional - whenever the hubby treats me or I treat myself - but I love waking up to fresh flowers! I added the candle recently for a little relaxation before bed - it's raspberry tulip and smells heavenly :) "

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Linda from Calling it Home
(formerly My Crafty Home Life)
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"This is it. Kindle, laptop, wireless mouse, alarm clock, favorite hand lotion"

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Kerry Steele from Design Du Monde

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"The boxes are part of a collection of small and large trinket boxes that have fascinated me for as long as I can remember. I move them around and that was just how they are for the time being. There is an antique mirror that ended up there for lack of a better spot and a cup of pencils and sketch book. I got the lamp at Target more than 10 years ago, when it was new in our area and I was hooked."

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Laura from Decor to Adore
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"The vintage angel belonged to my mother Karen. It is actually intended to be a Christmas decoration as it plays “Silent Night” but I have so few things of my mom’s that the angel lives somewhere in the house all the time. It’s joined by a beautiful antique Bavarian teacup that my dear friend Marydon gave me the last time we had lunch together. I keep a small votive inside for when I want a bit of candlelight. Again with the wee artwork. I found this tiny treasure in the French Quarter of New Orleans while visiting my dear cousin L. We had just eaten our fill of beignets and were in front of the St. Louis Cathedral where many artists congregate."

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Kelly from Eclectically Vintage
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"I love that the first thing I see before I fall asleep and as soon as I wake up is the smiling faces of my twin girls. Because every girl deserves flowers, (go ahead and buy them for yourself!), a mini orchid sits on a tarnished silver tray (I have a collecting weakness for old silver) with a shell to remind me of the beach and a candle. My vintage Big Ben clock keeps me running on time."

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Malou from Skip to Malou food blog

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"What's on my bedside? Nothing much (they are all inside haha) I am always so disorganized so all the stuff that I have is in the drawer . That way the top is clutter free... clutter free table calms me down. I don't want to handle clutter before going to sleep and if there's something beside me even just keys I feel like it bothers me. "

There you have it folks.

A quick peek of some of my fave bloggers' bedside tables!

I got a lot of ideas from these ladies and actually realized some of the reasons why I have some of the stuff on mine!

Thank you again very much to all of you ladies!
Your support means so much to me. You are the BEST!

Hope you too garnered some inspiration for your own bedside table. And please check out their wonderful blogs (if you haven't yet) soon!

Linking back to

Sunday Show-off - Twiggy Studios
The Weekend Creative - The Girl Creative
The Scoop - Cedar Hill Ranch

Make the Scene Monday - Alderberry Hill
Creative Bloggers Party- Homemaker on a dime
Show me what ya got - Not just a housewife

Make it Pretty Monday - The Dedicated House

Tweak It Tuesday - Cozy Little House
Tuesdays Treasures - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Trash 2 treasure - Kammys Korner
Knick of time Tuesdays - Knick of time
Tabletop Tuesday - A Stroll thru Life
The Inspiration Link Party - Carolyns Homework

Wow us Wednesday - Savvy Southern Style
Create & Share - Trendy Tree House
Wildly original - I gotta create
Whimsy Wednesday - The NY Melrose Family
Beyond the Picket Fence
The 36th Avenue

Dollar Store Easter Basket

2013-03-28T10:34:00.001-05:00

Indulge me a bit,

I'm posting about Easter one more for this year.

I made my boys Easter Basket using stuff from the Dollar store and I wanted to share it with you!

My Materials - Chocolate bunnies, Candies, marshmallows, basket
& Plastic cover (not shown here) + Plastic eggs I already had

Our main gifts to our kids - BOOKS
Not from Dollar Store but from Amazon ;-)

Giving books to our kids for Easter has become a tradition in our family. We love it and most of all, our boys love it more!

For NIO

For AIDAN

We're all set for Easter

Hope you all have a Wonderful EASTER!!!

To paint or not to paint

2013-03-26T21:31:00.001-05:00

I found this couple while lurking at my local Goodwill store...

Hello Mrs. & Mr. Chin - that's what I named them :-)

For $3 a piece, it was a steal.

They are colored bright orange and when all cleaned-up, I placed them on top of our piano with my "$1.95 Van Gogh original" (also from Goodwill)...

Nice view and nice sounds too right Mr. & Mrs. Chin?

And the big question for me is, should I paint them or not? If I do, what color do you suggest?

THANKS!

Have a Nice day!

Linking back to
Treasure Hunt Thursday - From my Front Porch to yours

Our Egg-Cellent Easter Decor

2013-03-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

Here I am again, the "reluctant" Easter Decorator decorating for Easter once again!

Re-using old things and arranging them differently is always fun!

Only new thing I bought here were the 2 Faux Chocolate bunnies from HOBBY LOBBY At 30% off!

Cute bunnies and LOTS of eggs fill my table!

I got the cute white bunnies from DOLLAR TREE!!

All set for Easter!

On last look!

I guess I'm not a "reluctant" Easter Decorator after all!

Have a Wonderful Day!

Linking back to
I gotta Create
Sunny Simple Life
The Dedicated house
Cozy Little House
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
A stroll thru life,
A bowl full of Lemons
Between naps on the Porch
Carolyn's Homework
The NY Melrose Family
Savvy Southern Style
Rooted in Thyme