Can't Wait for Spring

I feel like I've been hibernating the last two months. Normally, I love a few cold evenings in front of the fire but this year it has just been too much. I have decided that I only like cold weather if I don't have to actually get out in it. I know I shouldn't be complaining living in South Central Texas. The rest of the country was really hit hard but I guess that's why I live in a warm climate. It's all relative. The end of this cold weather season has me dreaming of birds chirping, fresh flowers and even farther in the future...the swimming pool.

We have had a couple of Spring-like days so I have spent them outside envisioning  a more beautiful backyard. My first priority was to find new chaise loungers for around the pool. Have you noticed how expensive patio furniture is? Besides that dilemma, I have another problem....the dogs. Well, the lab in particular. He will eat anything stuffed, which means no loose cushions of any kind! I love the look of the wooden and wicker chaises but that won't work either unless I want the legs chewed off. So, today I'm sharing my find from Home Decorator's Collection. I was thrilled to find some good looking colorful metal sling chairs and the price at $ 269.00 for 2 is amazing. I even got free shipping!

I'll be sure to show you the real thing as soon as they get here, just in time for another cold front, I'm sure!

Valentine's Day School Bulletin Board

Hi everyone! I know it has been a long time since I posted. Both of the boys have their birthdays in January and love to stretch them out as much as possible. (A trait they learned from me.) If they were younger, I would be posting about the elaborate party decorations, cake and goodie bags all in the theme of the event of course, but we are beyond all of that. Now it is bowling and laser tag, pizza and candy. Not as much fun to plan but definitely easier for me!

Today I spent the day at school working on the PTA bulletin board so I thought I would share...

 

 

This is putting me in the Valentine's mood. I want to go out and buy those cute little conversation hearts and heart shaped lollipops! Unfortunately, as I get older, not only are birthdays different (like with the kids) but so is Valentine's Day. Not that I don't love being married, but I remember the days when I was single or even when I was a kid wondering if I was going to get a HUGE Valentine's Day card (which is technically a regular sized one) from a boy that I liked. A special one with a doily heart on it, not one of those little fold up ones that everyone else got. Now I don't even want to go out on Valentine's Day because it's too crowded and the restaurants usually have a pre fixe menu. Boy, am I getting old!

On to the next thing. Please come back for more decorating adventures and artistic endeavors!

1st Major Change in the Closet

You guessed it. The first major change in the closet. Out with the fluorescent light and in with the chandelier. It still needs some work though. It doesn't have any bling...

Easy fix. Ballard Designs has magnetic crystals. If I can find some old rosary beads with pearls, I want to add those too. I'm on the hunt. I also might paint and distress it. I haven't decided for sure.

Do you know what the best thing about this fixture is?  It was FREE. I moved it from above the island in the kitchen when I bought the cage light. Remember this?...

 

 

Now it's this...

 

 

 

And now this one is here....

 





Two for the price of one. I can't wait to show it to you all finished. It has already transformed the room!

Chic Closet Inspiration

In Style

 

 

I needed a little inspiration to start on my closet. What is more inspiring than this? There are so many things that I love about this closet. It is so chic! The cedar plank wall is genius. I love the mix of its rustic vibe with the elegant mirrored vanity. Who wouldn't want to stand on that rug with bare feet?! I also love the risk-taking twist of a black chandelier. Just dreamy and so original.

 

 



Country Living

 

This closet inspired me in many ways as well. The rug is an unusual choice for a closet, but I love it! (risk taking again) The pops of pink and red are beautiful. You'll notice that everything in the room is free standing which is also unusual for a closet but shows that you can have a beautiful AND functional closet without spending a fortune for custom built in rods and shelves. I love the idea of artwork on the walls because often there is a lot of wall space left open in a closet. Why not treat your closet like any other room? Why not pamper yourself with some fresh flowers too!

 

 

 Cottage Living

 

 

The reason this closet stands out to me is that it was a very basic builder-grade walk in closet before the addition of a few items that make it special. This is what I'm trying to do in my closet and it would be easy for you to do in yours as well. The addition of wallpaper is the first thing that I noticed. This room would look completely different without it. The look could be achieved with stenciling also. I like the fact that they took the ceiling into consideration when wallpapering. I love the addition of furniture in a closet. It makes you want to stay a while. This round ottoman allows you to walk around it easily. The chandelier adds a bit of elegance and again, the room wouldn't be the same without it. The ladder resting against the wall is a great storage solution for scarves and I'm sure would work for other things as well such as belts. Investment in some wood hangers is also a good choice. Wire hangers just would not work here at all.

 

Now instead of just dreaming about all of this, I need to get to work. If you would like to see some other closets and more rooms that I find inspiring, please join me on Pinterest by clicking here.

 

 

 

 







Cool Basket for Storage

 

 

I wanted to share with you this cool basket that I found at World Market. It was a perfect solution for my dilema and it might help you too. I have a small hallway between my laundry room and the outside side patio door. A while back I decided to add some hooks to the wall so the kids could hang up their backpacks and jackets after school instead of throwing them all over the kitchen and sofas. This has worked out great...until winter. I didn't have a place for gloves, caps and scarfs. The hallway is very narrow so I couldn't add anything to the opposite wall and if I hung anything above the hooks, the kids wouldn't be able to reach, let alone look in the basket.

 



 

This basket was the perfect solution. In the summer I can throw in sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. It not only has a handle, but on the back there are hangers so you can put it directly up against the wall. I think these would be cute hung up a wall as toy storage in a kids room or in an office to separate files. It also comes in smaller sizes ~ great for ingoing and outgoing mail. The possibilities are endless.

I love this little basket. No more lost gloves!

 

 

 

Sharing with ~

Sharing with ~
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