Dreaming of...

...a home to call our own,  a backyard with a fence, a garden, and rooms galore to tear up and rebuild. This one will do:

And we would eat our dinners in Windsor Smith's kitchen:

 Or in our garden:

Then take a stroll through that backyard I mentioned:

Can't wait to have you over!

Pink is the color of bubblegum...

 of carefree days...

 throwing caution to the wind...

 living life to the fullest...

 following your dream...

of lemonade, Barbie's car, cotton candy...

erasers, the Pink Panther and flamingos.

Cheap Art

For the past few months I have been looking through places like the NYPL Digital Library, Vintage Printables, and Old Book Illustrations for a collection of pieces that would make inexpensive art. But I found myself unable to decide what should grace the enormous wall above our sofa. I love old architectural prints, engravings, flowers, birds. Pretty much anything. Thought about framing the art from Cavallini wall calendars. Here is my latest thought. But it might change :)

I am loving these decorative papers from PaperSource, which happens to be in my "front yard."

They are all 191/2" x 27" and range from $3.00 to $20.00 per sheet. I would love to group the three French Shell papers above my couch. A shot of color, but not a huge investment for an apartment.

This fish one is actually very pretty in person. 

This marbled one with pinks, oranges and grey is beautiful.

I'm Loving...

These graphic wallpapers from American Blinds.

Most of these are under 30$ a roll and all are under 50$ a roll! Search "Geometric Shapes".

    

Wouldn't they be beautiful in an entry with tall wainscoting painted in a glossy kelly green?

Speaking of kelly green...while googling the color these images from Apartment Therapy showed up!

Hello again.

Lately I have kind of been on self/husband- imposed design restrictions (due to the rather large purchase (for us) of the dining room chairs! :)  ) Thus the lack of design posts, it has been best for me to abstain from planning and dreaming for our apartment. Also, I have been arguing with myself over "real" furniture, particularly for our porch. This apartment will only be our home until November of 2011 so I cannot justify buying anything to fit this space...ahh, that and budget. SO. Until the day we buy a house we will continue to do small, fun projects with what we already have or is very inexpensive. So now that we are back on budget Nate is dying to get something done for our bedroom. I like to take things one at a time, if I have the luxury with a space, so that I can be sure I LOVE something and am not picking it because it works. So here is what we have picked thus far.

I will be ordering 6 yards of this baby from Premier Prints to sew a box-pleated bedskirt. And then upholstering headboard a using this template from Grace at Design*Sponge.

In a masculine dark linen

"Steel"

"Graphite"

"Ash"

I would love to attempt to do a nailhead border about 3 inches in, but, with my affinity to draw something out, we will just make the headboard then decide whether or not to do nailheads. 

Into all kinds of trouble...

Reacher, in all of his trouble-making, irresistible glory.

Helping me finish my (empty) chocolate milk.

Doing the dishes...

...oops, missed a spot!

I don't know how, but he put on my underwear...

and yes, its tie-dyed! 

Splash of Orange

I am working on a bedroom using blue, brown and a splash of orange. Until now I have always been slightly repulsed by orange but now that we have been out of college for a while I can (finally) disassociate the color orange with Clemson and purple, and I am actually starting to love it.

Oh, and I am done with sewing my curtains! Only took 2 months :)

Techniques, Ceilings....

As I think about my dining room chairs I am very drawn to the silver and gold leafed wood, just for kicks I searched whether or not gold or silver leaf can be painted over and found this fantastic website that has virtually everything you need to know about refinishing, painting furniture. Artsparx. Love it. Now I just need to read through all of their techniques and figure out what I am going to do!

I LOVE it when I come across a wallpapered, or gold/silver leafed ceiling, so fanciful. Can't wait to one day own a home with non-popcorn ceilings, it adds a whole new element.

Fabric. Fabric. Fabric.

As I was browsing Premier Prints for a master bedroom I am working on I found all of these fabrics for a nursery. I am usually drawn to nurseries that are not necessarily themed, but can grow with a baby. This elephant print was not to cutesy for me though. Love the pink elephant on linen below.

I love looking at Premier Prints because they have tons of selections at very reasonable prices. Most range from $7-$9. Would also love these for a kids room.

My other favorite fabric destination (selfishly I don't want to share...) is The Designers Attic where the talented Shannon Darby sells her designer fabric finds at amazing prices. Her other blog is called Pink Wallpaper and is one of my favorite reads!

I have been out of town for a few days and I can't wait to catch up on the blogs I missed during our little vacation! But it might have to wait until tomorrow: laundry, cleaning, Reacher to take care of today! So happy to have my puppy home! This was him at my parents house this weekend snuggling with my cat, Butterbaby.