Cre8ive Motives

Jute Rug

2012-10-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

I shared in the past that I was in search for a rug for our living room. And while at the time I was looking at numerous flor tile samples ......I decided to hold off until I found the "one".

So Last week while making what I thought was suppose to be a quick stop at World Market , I saw a beautiful jute rug that I just knew I had to have. It was the right size texture and color!

I probably should have mentioned it was 15 minutes due to closing so picture me running around trying to find a sales associate. Luckily I found a friendly SA whom was more than happy to assist me. And while I was preparing to pay regular price of 199.00 at the end I ended up paying a whopping 79.00.....bonus.

I really love the grey undertones it has (a major selling point) . Most jute rugs out there have a yellow tint much of what I was trying to avoid.

in progress (don't mind the paint samples on the wall)

close up shot of the rug

Our living room palette will consist of natural linen , gray and soft neutrals with pops of color. Did I mention its very plush and cushy on the feet? There's nothing more I dislike than walking on a harsh itchy rug.

Wingback chair

2012-10-10T21:08:00.000-07:00

Some of y'all might remember my wingback chair that was getting re-upholstered. Yes, No, Maybe? Well Saturday hubby finally went to pick it up. It had been ready since 3 weeks ago

but I had another chair that needed to be reupholstered and I needed extra time to find the perfect

fabric. It would have been insane of the hubs to drive 2 hrs. to pickup a chair only to drive another 2 hrs. to dropoff another chair.

The last time I had anything professionally upholstered was my Room & Board dining room chairs that I took to a different fabricator. He did a wonderful job but somehow I came across this other shop and based on his reviews, prices and previous work...I thought I'd give him a shot. As you can imagine I was slightly nervous but once I arrived at his store I knew my chair was in good hands.

Here is the Before and After.

It could not be more perfect!

I am so thankful to have found him! I vouche from this day on he will be my go-to-guy. Thank you Hakan! You can see some more of his amazing work here.

The fabric is a beautiful slate grey linen courtesy of AVISA Organics.

Right now it sits against the corner of my living room wall that I'm in the process of painting. I'm not too fond of the legs so I plan on changing them to these...

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I also have a few fabric options in mind for a pillow but I'm waiting for more pieces to come together.

I'll be back to show y'all progress of our living room and some other things I'm working on.

10 Favorite Fall Pins

2012-09-27T20:44:00.000-07:00

1. Chevron Pumpkins

2. Pumpkin Cheese Roll

3. Centerpiece

4. Pumpkin & Moss Wreath

5. Pumpkin Spice Latte

6. Mantel

7. Apple Crumb Bars

8. Soup

9. Welcoming Porch

10. Acorn Centerpiece

Have a great weekend!

Trend Alert: Black Kitchen Appliances

2012-09-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

When it comes to kitchen appliances......stainless steel are among the top choice and has been for several years now. But I'm noticing a trend and stainless steel is not so popular as it once was. Word on the streets of Europe is Black is coming back!

via elle decor

Black has been my least favorite (appliance wise) but when I see these kitchens I'm all for it. It creates a chic, sophisticated and sexy overall look. Agree?

via houzz by Kaimee Klein Martelli

In the fashion world, black never goes out of style .... rule of thumb this also applies to home interior design!

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via traditional home

It blends in very well with stainless steel and or brass. Take your pick!

via Veranda (Jennifer Lopez) photo by Laura Resen

Just look at this "La Cornue Chateau" stove! It is insanely gorgeous! It could not be more perfect.

La Cornue Chateau

Although we just upgraded to stainless steel, if given the chance to start all over.... I think I would choose black.

Are you feeling this trend?

Fall In Love

2012-09-21T16:57:00.000-07:00

It's no secret fall/winter are my favorite seasons. I look forward to it every single year. Living in the east coast allows me to experience all 4 seasons, but when fall comes around..I get overwhelmingly excited!

I love the color change in leaves and the crunchy sound as you walk through them.....

by RawheaD Rex

The colorful candy corn....

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The stylish clothes....

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Bonfires and roasting marshmellows....

by Ninahale

Pumpkins! Everything Pumpkin! Pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin ice cream. Pumpkins rule!

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As you can see I have fall on the brain! So what's your favorite thing about Fall/Autumn?

I'm Back!!!

2012-09-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

Being away for 2 weeks really felt like eternity! Now that my loving family is back home I can get back into the swing of things not to mention lots of blog reading to catch up on. I know I missed lots of good stuff while I was gone. Although I didn't have tons of time to devote to projects there are some things I'm pretty excited about....

Like this beautiful bronze urchin I ordered from Furbish.

Via Furbish

I've been coveting them for awhile and finally ordered one. It arrived rather quickly and is surprisingly bigger than I imagined it would be. I plan to put it on my coffee table.....Can't wait to showcase it!

And this desk I'm currently working on.

A few months back I scored a very simple antique desk with

good bones. I recently sprayed painted it with black automotive lacquer paint, but it's still missing that glossy mirror look I'm going for. After doing some research I found that pumice and rottenstone will help to achieve that look. A little nervous to try this stuff but we shall see.

And my wing back chair that is currently getting reupholstered and ready for pickup. Look for a post in the next coming weeks.

And last but not least....our newest addition to our family.

Zena is a English Bulldog and like no other breed we have ever owned. We have had her for a week now and is spoiled by everyone. She is officially a part of our family! Zena will be making frequent guest appearances here on CM.

Hope everyone is enjoying these last few days of summer left. I am soooo ready for fall/winter!

Family Time

2012-09-05T10:56:00.002-07:00

I want to apologize for MIA these past few days! I'm taking a few weeks off to spend quality time with family visiting from out of town. But I'll be back to show you all some projects I'm working on! XOXO

One lovely Blog Award

2012-08-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

Super stoked that Whitney from Drab to Fab has nominated my blog for The Lovely Blog Award. I find Whitney's blog to be full of inspiring diy projects. Plus she is sweet, honest and real. I hope one day I get to meet her in person. I just know we would totally hit it off and become bff's. Thanks again Whitney!

Here is a little background info on this award: The regular rules are (the rules vary a bit with each award, but they are generally the same):

1. Display the award logo somewhere on your blog.

2. Link back to the blog of the person who nominated you.

3. State seven things about yourself.

4. Nominate other bloggers for the award and provide links to their blogs.

So here are seven fun random facts about me:

1. I enjoy trying all different types of ethnic foods.
2. I can't swim...there I said it!
3. I'm a 90's girl at heart but love the 60's and 70's music
4. I am a clean freak...think Monica from "Friends"
5. I don't have any tattoos...but I want one on my hand. Eeek!
6. I am very short.... 4'11 to be exact
7. My favorite season is Winter. I wish it was cold all year long!

Now for the fun part. For this award I nominated 7 awards to bloggers that are new to me. I love when I come across new bloggers and the people behind them. So in no particular order, I nominate the blogs below:

1. Pondered Primed Perfected {P3}
2. May Days
3. Sig Creations
4. A Lettered Life
5. The Cream To My Coffee
6. Muse Bootsi
7. Home Is Where The Boat Is

Guest Posting At The Mustard Ceiling

2012-08-27T23:28:00.000-07:00

Today I'm guest posting over at The Mustard Ceiling while Elizabeth prepares to move. She has put together a fabulous guest series for the whole month! So be sure to check that out and my post where I feature a quick and easy arrangement.

Kitchen Reveal

2012-08-20T18:36:00.000-07:00

That's a wrap!

If there was ever an award for longest remodel makeover, I am most certain I would win!

What started as simple as upgrading our appliances quickly turned to a kitchen renovation. We began at the end of November with lots and lots of breaks in between. The actual remodel took us about 4 months to complete with some bumps along the way. You can see those older posts here and here.

Bye Bye cherry cabinets. I'm not gonna miss keeping you clean!

If your wondering why we don't have barstools it's because the island was not built as an eat-in. I blame the builder! Hopefully next year we will add on to the granite to allow us to do so. A single barstool is on it's way to be placed on the side of the island(Pics to come)

This picture was taken in the night time due to poor natural lighting and my cheapy camera.

Breakfast Room

Picking out the designing touches made the process much longer than I previously thought. I wanted to be absolutely sure that everything we were doing was staying for more than just a short period of time. One thing you outta know about me is I change my mind more than I'd like to admit. Hubby often jokes around and says he's surprised that I'm still with him. Ha! But now that we are finally done(for now) we could not be more happy.

Back 2 School Money Saving Tips

2012-08-07T22:23:00.000-07:00

So I've been on a blogging rut this past week. In my defense I've been super busy with getting my son ready to go back to school. Preparing him for football, family visiting and the list goes on!

Tell me I am not the only one who gets this way?

Today I'm talking money saving tips. If your a mom to teen boys/girls then you will appreciate this post. If not....then you may find this boring.

Since my son started going to school 13 years ago, it has gotten more and more expensive. As he's gotten older he wants the latest fashion craze which means more money we gotta spend. My mom says he got that from me. Can't argue with her! So over the years I have learned on how to save some moolah. Here are a few tips......

1. Purchase clothes months before school starts and throughout the school year. It baffles me when I hear/see parents buying all of their kids clothes at the very last minute.

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2. Always buy when on sale! Who wants to pay full price anyway?

3. Keep your receipt! If you see an item you bought in the past 14 days on sale later, you can get the difference refunded. I just did this with my sons cleats. Hey seven dollars is seven dollars!

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4. Use coupons! Stores frequently have coupons and have dates on when to use them. Be sure to use these coupons before they expire. Register on their websites to receive them!

5. Should you not have coupons on you. You can always get them through apps. Download the stores apps and just show them the code.

6. Buy school supplies in bulk when they first appear in stores and when on sale. Whatever is on my sons' supply list I double if not triple it. I almost never buy during the school year.

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7. Tax free...we just had ours this past weekend and I saved a bundle on school supplies, clothes and tennis. How's that for saving money!

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8. Outlets, outlets, outlets!

9. Shop online! Nowadays you can find some great deals surfing the net. I always make it a point to check the clearance for additional mark downs.

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Now I would love to hear how you save money shopping for your kids or heck even for yourself!

Capiz Lotus Chandelier

2012-07-30T21:14:00.000-07:00

Is this not one of the most stunning chandeliers you have ever seen? I know it's been around for a few years now but I just can't get enough of it.

via Viva Terra

I L-O-V-E everything about Life in Grace daughters' bedroom makeover. The lotus light fixture was icing on the cake.

via Life in Grace

And checkout Bryn Alexandra's entryway. Simply breathtaking!

via Bryn Alexandra

I recently saw one of these beauties at Homegoods, and let me tell ya... it is even more gorgeous in person. It was massive, and only for $199.00...not a bad deal considering how big it was. Had I had room for it, I would have been all over it but sadly I left it behind.

So what's your take on this chandelier? Love it as much as I do?

Blast From The Past- Kitchen Remodel

2012-07-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

As I was looking at old pictures saved on my computer, I came across some photos from our past renovations. Talk about blast from the past!

Eight years ago the military brought us to the east coast . Little did we know we were in for a big surprise! Instead of living on base we decided to buy our first home. At the time it was when the housing market was at it's highest - not necessary the best time to buy....but who knew the bubble was going to burst! After looking at around 30 houses we finally found a fixer upper townhome that was within our price range. And with that came alot of renovations.

Remodeling the kitchen was one of the first things on our "to do list".

We replaced all of the old kitchen appliances with not so high end stainless steel appliances in other words cheap ones.
(try to overlook all the messiness going on in the kitchen)

Since we were on a budget we replaced the linoleum flooring with laminate cherry wood floors from Lumber Liquidators. Soon after hubby installed them I was ready to rip them off ! Of course that didn't happen.

They had this shiny finish on them that would leave every single foot print. No matter how hard I cleaned them they always looked filthy.

See that ugly wood curtain valance thingy? Whatever it's purpose was... we had it removed.

I painted the ugly oak cabinets in white, giving them an antique glaze finish then added bronze door knobbies. In the island we added a butcher block from Ikea.

The pot rack that was so popular back then took it's 80's fluorescent light fixtures place.

For the back splash we did brick subway tiles and Corian countertops. The faucet and sink was replaced as well.

Alot of blood, sweat and tears went into this kitchen remodel that we tackled 8 years ago. Even though we no longer live here, it's fun to look back and see how much my taste in design has changed through the years. I kinda had a thing for rattan back then!

XO

P.S. I forgot to add that we no longer live in this house hence "past renovations" We have moved on and are currently working on our second kitchen remodel which will soon make it's debut :)

Horse Statues

2012-07-19T21:05:00.000-07:00

I'm on the hunt for a stallion statue!

At the moment I want vintage brass...

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but I really like the antique bronze...

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and love the white ceramic.

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Hmm...Decisions, decisions! I don't have any animal decor so I thought I would start with a horse.

Dunno why!

I find them to be majestic creatures.

Then I came across Janet the hippo. Isn't she adorable? I could definitely find a place to put her

somewhere.

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And since I'm in a wild mustang kinda mood, I put together a mood board for your enjoyment.

1. Frame 2. clutch 3. blouse 4. pillow 5. lamp 6. bracelet 7. necklace

Framed Art

2012-07-18T21:23:00.000-07:00

Done! My abstract art is finally finished! Halle-Freakin-Lujah.

Rather than making another long trip to Ikea and purchasing another frame not to mention finding the perfect gold spray paint - yada yada - I decided to order one online. It arrived alot quicker that I expected it to, within 3 days to be exact.

After my failed project (you can see that post here) I thought it would be much easier for me just to buy a gold frame and....... it was. I realized not all things are diy friendly even if it is made to look easy.

I decided to go with only one of my art paintings instead of hanging both of them. I can always hang the other one in another room. Afterall there's no such thing as too much art!

The frame is 30 x 40 in a pretty shiny gold finish. I got the black matt from Hobby Lobby and had them custom cut to fit my abstract art. And with that it now hangs proudly in my kitchen/breakfast room area.

Oh and if your wondering what happened to the frame from Ikea, lets just say it's in a place where vehicles and storage go. If you live in the DMV area feel free to pick it up!

XO

Linking up to these fabulous blogs

Home Stories A to Z

My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia

The Shabby Creek Cotttage

House Tour- Sandra Lee

2012-07-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

Sandra Lee whom we all know of from her television show "Semi-Homemade" takes us inside her home and there's no denying girls got taste (pun intended). Let's take a peek !