Lisa @ 3000 ; Home Tour

Ok, so I was going thru my photos and realized that I never let you see the rest of Lisa's amazing house. Lisa is the "Queen" of her home - she and her husband have 4 boys. Every time I see a crown (with many jewels in it), I think of Lisa.

I love the feminine touch everything in Lisa's house seems to have. She has mixed the "manly" blues and browns with beautiful florals. Who says you can't have beautiful, breakable things in a house full of boys?:)These kitchen chairs are amazing! Doesn't it make you want to paint a chair turquoise?
Smart idea: I love how Lisa used two of her extra kitchen chairs in her living room. Who doesn't need extra seating?
I wish I had a better picture of this. Can you see that the table is a rustic pine table surrounded by those awesome turquoise chairs.
I sooooo want to copy this idea if I ever get bar stools:)


This plate rack was painted black and in her dining room. Don't you love how she re-purposed it? It looks like Lisa found the perfect spot for it.
This is the entry piece. I am drooling....

I love, love, love Lisa's house. I can't tell you how many times I have looked at these pictures for ideas. Lisa's home is a great reflection of herself...just beautiful. Thanks Lisa for letting us look!

Say Cheese!

I love my sweet little kids. Since I don't post on our family blog much (almost never), I decided to share some of our family pics with all of you. Here is little Cooper coloring with markers and eating the tips off of markers:)
me:"Cooper, say cheese!"

Cooper: "cheese" (or some sound that sounds nothing like cheese)

me:"Good job! Oh man, the picture is blurry."
me:"Cooper, say chee-eee-eese!"

Cooper: "Cheese" (or a totally different sound that still sounds nothing like cheese)

me:"Oh...so cute!"
me:"Cooper, say cheese"

Cooper: no words this time, just the look:)

game over.

Tomato Basil Soup

OK, please don't pass out...yes - I am posting a recipe! Everyone who followed my family blog remembers the awesome Hamburger Helper recipe, right?! haha

Cooking is not my favorite thing to do, so the easier the better. This is one of my favorite "cold weather" foods. Even my kids love it. It is quick, easy and great with grilled cheese sandwiches. I think it tastes very similar to La Madeline's Tomato Basil Soup. It makes a ton - so invite friends over or freeze the left overs.Mix these together in a big pan and simmer for about 30 min -

2 cans 28 oz crushed tomatoes

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 stick butter

1/4 cup dried basil (0r to taste, sometimes I do less. You can also used fresh chopped basil)

I got this original recipe on the internet. However, that recipe involved a blender, food processor and other "equipment" I don't know how to use. This is my modified version, and I think it is really good:)

Kelsi @ 1210 : Master Bedroom

Take a look at Kelsi's bedroom - I love how it turned out.

Unfortunately for most of us, the master bedroom is the room that gets neglected - piled with laundry on the bed and the door shut. We concentrate on the rest of the house because it is what most people see. Or is it just me?!

When Kelsi moved into her new house she wanted to make her master bedroom a priority. Good girl...what an example to us all.

I love the shape and fabric on these chairs - what personality.
I painted this armoire - another Craig's list find. (I was trying to improve my picture taking skills - which explains the crooked picture :( - I am NOT a photographer)
A tour of Kelsi's dining room will be next!!!

Kelsi @ 1210 : Kid's Bathroom

Finally, Kelsi's home tour will begin!

Kelsi's son and daughter share a bathroom, so she wanted something that was gender neutral.

Her solution is this animal themed bathroom. I think it is so adorable! I love the mixture of all the different colors.

She ordered the towels and shower curtain from Pottery Barn Kids and I painted the art work...who doesn't love PBK?!

Kelsi's Home Tour...Almost

I know I have been promising for weeks to post pictures of Kelsi's house and Lisa's house. Well, tomorrow I will be taking my camera, my real camera - not my phone, to Kelsi's house for pictures.

Here is a peek at another piece I painted for her. This buffet was a Craig's list find. It is a great piece of furniture, just needed some paint:) Before...

and after!!!
I will be heading out of town to big Amarillo for the weekend and won't be back until the first of next week. So, don't give up on me...I will finally post pictures of both home tours next week:)

You Pick the Color

I got this really cute buffet and I plan on painting it and then selling it in Scarlet Sashes Boutique. I want to heavily distress it to give it a "french cottage" feel.

I thought it would be fun to see if any of you had an opinion on what color I should paint it. Of course I always think black or cream or white, but I also LOVE fun colors. So, please give me your feed back.

Just leave me a comment with your color choice. I can't wait to see what you think....after all, I know most of you are experts:)

gray, blue, pale pink, yellow, black, cream, white.....decisions,decisions.

Reader Redo - YAY AMY!!..take two

Ok...so I hope everyone knows I am not a "computer person". I guess when I tried this post last time, some of you could not see the pictures of Amy's awesome table. So, with a little work, I think I may have solved the problem:)

So, once again, I want to give a big "YAY AMY" to my wonderful, creative friend.

I love many things about this table. I love that Amy picked a fun color and check out that stenciling! Knowing Amy, she is already planning another project:)

Reader Redo - YAY AMY!!

One of my blog readers (super creative, wonderful home decorator, one-time running buddy Amy) did her own DIY project! Didn't it turn out cute?! YAY Amy!!

Thank you for sharing, it really makes my day...even my week...to know I helped inspire you.

BEFORE: sorry it cuts off some of the picture:(

AMAZING AFTER:

If you have been inspired to try your hand at a DIY project inspired by my blog, email me a picture. I would love to share your creation with the blog world:)

The Blue Dresser

This is what we started out with. My client loved the detail on this dresser and wanted to add some personality with a great blue paint to match her bedding.

This is one of the "inspiration" pictures she sent. I love it when people are able to give me a picture of what they have in mind. From this picture, I could tell that she wanted a heavily distressed piece.

This is the finished product. I love it! My husband loved it so much, he wanted to keep it for ourselves:)

Sofa Table Redo

Yesterday was a work day for me! I was busy working on a fun blue dresser for a client, an accent table for Scarlet Sashes, and a sofa table for Kelsi (my friend and biggest customer).

This was the sofa table Kelsi and I loved at Home Goods, but it was $300 or $400 (can't remember).This is the finished product Kelsi got for a fraction of the cost. She only paid ***$20*** for this sofa table and then had me paint it.

She wanted a wood top like the inspiration piece. The problem was that her table had a veneer inlay top. But after 1 coat of primer, 2 coats of paint, and 2 coats of stain I finally achieved a top that has a similar look.
This is how the table started out, but Kelsi has a great eye and knew it would work. I love a good bargain, don't you!

Happy Fall

When Eva's Mimi surprised us with some pumpkins, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I had seen an idea from Country Living where they painted polka-dots and stripes on pumpkins, so we did our own version.

It was fun to be outside for a couple of hours and paint with Eva - she did an awesome job with the gold paint.
Hope you all are enjoying this Fall weather.

Scarlet Sashes, Furniture and Boutique

Ok, so after painting furniture for fun and for friends, I have decided to turn my creative outlet into a business:) Scarlet Sashes will now be my very own little (on-line) furniture store and boutique. I would love to share all the details with you, but they are still in "the works". I am still working on business cards, a website and all that other stuff that goes along with a small business. We are hoping to have it all up and going around the first of November. I will keep you all posted!

An awesome praise report is that I already made enough to purchase my paint sprayer! Yay! Thanks for everyone who prayed with me that I would get it:) My next big prayer is that I can paint enough pieces for a back yard play set for our kids.
She considers a field (or a piece of furniture) and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard, (or a backyard play set). I LOVE THIS!!! My dear sister -in-law wrote this in my birthday card. It made me smile:)
My new paint booth and paint sprayer. As you can see from the first picture, I have so many projects lined out...some for me and some custom pieces for clients. I can't wait to get started!

Thanks to all my great friends and followers of this blog... I am so excited to see what the future holds!

Living Room Update

Does anyone think it is hard to find their decorating "style"?

I do.

I know I love toile, florals, and animal prints. I know I always seem to gravitate towards reds and browns and blacks. I know I love furniture that looks "lived in".

I know that decorating a home takes time...sometimes even years. I know some people will eventually get their home decorated just the way they like it. I don't think I ever will. I seem to always want to try something new...move a piece of furniture to a different room....hang a picture on a new wall. Any friend of mine knows how true this is.

Case in point: I recently rearranged my living room. And...if you remember in a previous post, I had 7 lamps in the living room. Well, I now have 2!! Aren't you shocked?! I can hardly believe it myself. This week I like the arrangement. I'm sure if you check back next week, something will be different.
My new inspiration is designer Heather Chadduck. I wish she had a blog, a mailing address, or a contact number:) I wish she was my friend or neighbor. Oh...how I love Heather Chadduck. Anyway, I have recently been asking myself..."what would Heather do?". So far I haven't heard a response.
So, until Heather comes to visit and helps me decorate my house, I guess I will just keep trying to "find my style". I will keep moving furniture all over my house. I will put new nail holes in my walls, I will probably paint another table black, and probably add a few more lamps back into my living room.

Oh Heather if only you would come help me - if you did, I promise I wouldn't move a thing...until you left:)

Home Tours - Teaser

I mentioned yesterday that I would be giving you a tour of two amazing homes in the next couple of weeks...here is a little teaser to leave you wanting more....:)Our inspiration - this is Lisa's dining room. I LOVE IT. The zebra fabric is so fun and it really works with the simple wall decor.
This is a glimpse of Kelsi's home. We are not finished yet, but we have come soooo far!!! (I can't wait to show you the "before" pics)

We are going to add a beautiful buffet (that I am painting), possibly a pair of lamps, and some "bling". Like Lisa's dining room, we are going to stick to simple decor, and let the fun zebra fabric get all the attention.

I've Been Busy!!!

I know, I know - I have not done the best job at updating my blog. But, let me tell you...I HAVE BEEN BUSY!!! Since the first of July I have painted at least 8 pieces of furniture. Lets see...an armoire, three accent tables, a coffee table, bookcase...and the list goes on. I really want to purchase some new painting tools, so painting for friends has helped put a little cashola in the "paint sprayer fund". Next will be the "air nailer fund". Good bye designer jeans...hello power tools:)

One of my favorite pieces is this entry table I did for my friend Kelsi. I can't wait to show you the rest of her house. It seems like we have been working night and day on projects for her house, and it is looking amazing!This little table started out as white and red. It is amazing what some paint and a little TLC can do to an old piece of furniture. I know these pictures aren't the best quality. I know I should start using a real camera instead of my iPhone. But, those of you who know me, know I can hardly keep my phone charged, or located. To ask me to charge and carry a camera is a little more than I can handle:)
With in the next two weeks I will be posting some more home tours. I am so excited to show you my friend Lisa's house - she has incredible style. Kelsi and I are actually using Lisa's house as our "inspiration".

So, please forgive me for not posting more, and please say a prayer with me that I get that paint sprayer!!!haha

Heirloom Party

Marie , at Emma Calls Me Mama, is hosting a Heirloom

Party - you should stop by her blog for a visit:)

http://emmacallsmemama.com/

By nature, I am a "keeper". So, my children will probably have a lot of heirlooms:)
One thing that I would love to pass down to my kids is this leather settee. It didn't have any sentimental value to me until we took our family pictures on it last Christmas. Now, I would like to keep it forever:) Who knows, maybe this settee will be a reoccurring backdrop for many pictures to come....our next baby, bridal pictures, grandchildren.....
The other thing that I want to give to my children are these red and white dishes. My collection isn't very extensive, but because these dishes are timeless, I think my children will easily be able to add to the collection for years to come.
I love these dishes from my mom's mom. I am not sure how old these dishes are, but I love the vintage look of these dishes. My mom came from a family of 13 kids. These dishes were their "everyday dishes". Can you imagine the many meals these dishes held? I truly cherish these dishes.
Another item that I hold dear to my heart is this gold mirror. This mirror belonged to my Grandma Elsie. My Grandma loved this mirror and so do I.

I feel so blessed to have heirlooms from my family in my home.

Rustic Bookcase

Ok, so this was today's project...painting a bookcase.

But, this isn't my bookcase, it belongs to my friend Kelsi. I agreed to help her paint it (since I pretty much talked her into buying it off Craigslist, and her husband had to drive 40 miles to get it) and when asked about painting it, she said "surprise me."

So Kelsi,...SURPRISE!!!
The good news is that I really like the way it turned out, and it would look awesome in my bedroom...so if it gets the thumbs down from the Webber Family, I'll gladly keep it:)
I will wait to get a shot of the full piece when it is in Kelsi's house, or my bedroom:) The garage doesn't do it justice.
This is the base coat. I painted it all white. I actually loved the white, but I wanted to give it a more rustic feel. The plain white was a little to "cottage/shabby chic" if she decides to use it in her son's room.

After I painted it white, I sanded it. I really got after this piece with the sander. You know, I will spend hours painting a piece just because I love to sand it. I thought this piece was going to distress well, and it did.

After I distressed it, I put stain all over it. This wasn't too fun because I DON'T LIKE PAINTING SHELVES!!! I really like painting furniture, but the less shelves the better. Drawers...good. Shelves....bad,bad,bad:(

Then, I painted on small touches of blue to match either Kelsi's living room, her son's bedroom, or my bedroom:)
This is how the old beauty started out. A little too orange, but I knew it had potential. I know many think I am crazy, but I loved today - getting to be outside and paint.

I also feel accomplished, I finished one of my projects! yay!

Oh Craigslist...you do keep me busy:)