Another Shower...

I feel like when it rains it POURS...at least when it comes to wedding and baby showers!
Tis the season and I absolutely love it!

My sweet friend Barb and I decided to put on a shower for Kelly who is just the best of the best! We went with corals and greys with pops of yellows...arranging the flowers is my favorite part. It's almost therapeutic for me---

We went with an icecream bar (complete with way to many toppings) because icecream is Kelly's favorite dessert. You really can't go wrong with cold creamy goodness with fudge, caramel, strawberries, brownie bites and whipped cream on top!?

Anyways she was showered with love and congrats and it was great fun to be apart of such a special occasion!

^^^peonies are officially my favorite flower^^^

^^^the before and after...

 ^^^Barb tied small pieces of tule along a strand of white wired lights and we hung them from the island...it added the perfect touch of magic. So glad she took the time to make that!

 ^^^made this out of fabric...the dumb "A" and "I" kept moving...but you get the point right?!^^^

^^^These draperies were made similarly to the wedding backdrop my sister made last year
(found HERE)

 The future bride (middle) with Barb and I ^^^ and her sis and mama below

DIY little Sageys dresser overhaul

Before we moved, I wanted to get Sage a new dresser since she had outgrown the one we bought when she was just a babe. So, we headed to this consignment store downtown and there she was. An old, vintage, solid wood dresser. It was $119 and I couldn't resist...all it needed was a little TLC. 

I had already bought Sage's bedding, so I knew I wanted to paint it something subtle:

BEFORE... 

(disregard the baby carriers...)

oooh the pukey yellow and metallic silver...what a beauty

the husband hard at work...

<<<there's something quite hot about a man using a sander>>>

AFTER...

in all her glory

 <<<more pics of her room to come!!!>>>

Silver Metal & Wood

I have decided (after having to choose paint colors, tiles, fabrics and carpet for our home) that I am much more drawn to colors with grey undertones.  It's like I've unintentionally trained my eyes to like things with shades of grey...I'm scared my home is going to look like grey barfed all over it.

My mother in law always said that you are either one of two people when it comes to the overall undertone of decorating... a grey lover or a gold lover. She is much more of a gold/tan/brown lover... and welp I'm the opposite.

I am really loving the metal  bartsools that are super hot right now! Slap on a little piece of wood for a nice touch of warmth and I think I just might have narrowed it down to my top six!

1. Constance from Ballards

2. Arteriors from Horchow

3. Rena from Barstools

4. Wyatt from Pottery Barn

5. Hudson Pub from World Market

6. Tolix from Pottery Barn

Doin' it old school...

I swear I should have been born back in the day when they wrote with calligraphic pens and ink in a jar...than stamped it with one of these bad boys!

I got this wax sealing kit from my Mother in Law for Christmas a few years back and I have loved, loved, loved it! I have especially enjoyed finding new stamps to add to my collection. When we were in Italy this last April, I picked up a couple new stamps one of which is a tiny little elephant...it's probably my favorite so far! I guess it just adds a nice colorful touch to "seal the deal". (pun totally intended ha)

p.s. Etsy has some great places to find wax stamps and seals (great for the holidays I'm tellin' ya!)

Geometric Graphic Flooring...

Do you ever watch HGTV? Oh my gosh, Josh and I love watching the home makeover shows! When they show the final renovation (at the end) I am always amazed at two things: 1.)  How much paint color can drastically change a living space and 2.) how flooring can make your home look like a completely different living space!

I have been LOVING graphic tile (for flooring, back splashes, shower walls, etc) I think it adds a touch of creativity without being so "in your face".  I was playing around with a few photos of flooring I love and making different variations of "tile" options--who knows maybe some day I'll actually use one of these ideas for my future home?! ;-) **oh a gal can dream right?! 

image1: image 2: image 3: image 4

Whitney's Home

So remember how exactly two weeks ago I decided to pack a little duffle and drive up to Northern Cali. to visit my sister Whit, her hubby and their three munchkins?! Well, when I walked into their home it was like a breath of fresh air! I just wanted to crawl up on their linen sofa and stay a while (so I did just that ha). They had fixed up the mantle piece, the stairway, her dining room and few other places since I had last visited. So I of course had to take a gander at all these new home improvements!

You see, Whitney has an eye for beautiful things and Spencer has this ridiculously good talent of making it come to life (through his self taught skills of woodwork...his hobby is surely paying off!!!) 

I realized, that I am mostly drawn to homes where the color palette is almost serene. Where it's beautifully neutral, fresh and clean. That is exactly how I'd describe Whits home; clean and fresh with sophisticated pops of color. Here are some photos she took of her adorable casa. I just couldn't wait to share them with you all (oh and that little man in the last few pictures is my nephew...really doesn't get much cuter than that I tell ya')! Enjoy the eye candy...I know I sure did!

Paint-mania

Trying to figure out what color I want to paint baby #2's nursery has been quite the decision. I know, I know it really isn't that difficult to pick out a paint color;  but since I have been so very blessed with extreme indecisiveness (at least when it comes to these sort of things) I just get a bit overwhelmed with all the choices *sigh. :-)

But as I have been searching and perusing the paint isles of Home Depot and Lowes, I have fallen in love with Martha Stewarts paint line. Her hues and colors are all so pretty and soothing (which I love). Here are a few of my favorites for everything BUT the nursery...go figure?! ha.

My Precious THEIT Bag...

So a couple weeks ago I got something in the mail that got me so excited I practically cut my finger off trying to get into the box. MY VERY OWN THEIT BAG--and better yet its grey!!!

I did a THEIT bag giveaway a while ago, and I immediately fell in love with their stuff! So when Nicole, from THEIT, sent me my very own asked me to do a "What's in my THEIT bag" post-- I happily obliged because I am sure you all would love to know what I hide in my purse?! ha I'm kidding, I'm kidding. But, it was fun to put together so I thought I'd share it with you...my camera isn't included in the photo because, well, I had to use it to take the picture (so just image it being there!) ;-)

This is my "what you see me do...but what I really want to do" picture...

p.s. I have no idea why I am totally death gripping the handle?! 

this is seriously like Meet the Parents plane scene status?! "if you can get it from my kung-fu grip than you can have it!" 

No but seriously, 

I really do love this dang thing. It's become my little tote I carry wherever I go...thanks Nicole for making me one happy gal!