decorating
Lettered Wall – Work in Progress
Do you collect things? The only thing I “collect” are playing cards from places we’ve traveled. I throw them in a big basket in our living room and they are a great conversation starter. They are also a practical reminder of places we’ve been and experienced. The irony is that I really don’t care to play cards…I just like to collect them. But let’s not delve into my issues! Lately, I realized that I have the beginnings of a collection of the letters “A” and “J” for the first initial of my name and my husband’s name. Here’s how I grouped them in our last home. I kind of miss…
Going Green-ery
I have a small confession to make. At present, I have ZERO live plants in my house. I have planted many plants outside in pots on our deck and front porch, but nothing inside. Not even a succulent garden. I’m sure I’ll jump on that trend way after it has passed. I know how much “life” plants add to a space. Case in point – the deck. I just haven’t felt compelled to grow anything inside for awhile. *cough* Uh, I mean, ever. I don’t need the guilt that comes when I forget to water it. 🙂 Another confession. Living in a rental is a good way of challenging me…
A Crate For My Crate – Because Why Not? ScrapMaster Project #2
I hate to burst your bubble, but the “pretty” part of A Pretty Happy Home always has room for improvement. Scandalous, I know! Case in point. Please get your Pinterest pinning fingers ready. This oh so lovely baby wipes box has been doing a stand-up job of corralling my paper plates and plastic serving ware (doesn’t that make my sporks sound so sophisticated?) since 2010. It replaced a box I’d been using for this purpose since 2007. Classy, I know. Go ahead, I’ll wait while you finish pinning. 😉 So when I spied two milk crates left in our garage when we moved in, I knew they could serve a useful…
Wistful Wednesday – Oregon Kitchen
Did I tell you we sold our house in Oregon? We did! Hurray! 99% of the time I am so glad to be done with it. The process of selling your home can be draining – especially if it takes a while, like ours did. The other 1% of the time I am a little wistful for the ol’ homestead. I never felt like it was our “forever home,” but we did put a lot of sweat equity into it and with that comes some emotional investment. So, let’s take a trip down memory lane! Here’s the kitchen! It was actually quite large for a 1936 home. When we redid the…
Arrow Growth Chart – ScrapMaster Project #1
Some of the best things in life happen by accident. Would you agree? Unless you are potty-training a toddler. Then, too many bad things happen by accident… all over the floor. Thankfully, those days are mainly behind me (no pun intended). Back to the point. I’ve decided to succumb to the trend of arrow-shaped art. Better late than never, right? I will love arrow art long after it is past its trendy expiration date too. Be forewarned. So, I was working on a cool piece of arrow art for the kitchen and as I’m staining away (using my easy clean-up method), it suddenly dawns on me. Wouldn’t this be the COOLEST…
A Spot to be Creative – Office Update
This is one of my favorite places in this house. It’s a spot we’ve created in the office for the kids to get crafty and creative. The backdrop of this scene is a picture my husband took of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area between Oregon and Washington. We tacked it behind a giant old window that we found in the barn of our last house. The frame is chipped to perfection! The picture is so large, it definitely gives the feeling that there is an actual window on that wall. I love to see how my kids’ imaginations come alive on paper, but for my sanity, I need to have the 1.3 million broken crayons…
$2.50 Cloth Napkin Art
Generally speaking, I’m at that point in my life where I can deal with blank walls while I wait for inspiration to strike. So zen of me, I know. The truth is, once I put a hole in the wall, it’s all over. That artwork is going to be up there for a REALLY long time. For some reason, I lack the motivation it takes to spend 10 minutes filling in that hole and repainting in order to hang a new piece of artwork. But, let’s not dwell on my issues. Now, if I can hide that nail hole… Please tell me I’m not the only one who has multiple nail…
Lamp Base Filled With Yarn Pom-Poms
My 7-year-old daughter’s bedroom is almost done. Or done enough. Is it ever really done-done? We are blessed that she loves to read. When we put her to bed at night, she will stay up and read for awhile, so a lamp on the bedside table was a must! The colors of her room started out as grey and lavender. However, now her favorite color is blue. Who can keep up? Instead of starting all over on her room design, we compromised by adding navy into the mix. That way we could keep her existing decor, but freshen it up with her new favorite color. The next time she changes her mind,…
Racing Trophy Display Door
My husband became a runner when he was 36 years old. Turns out, he’s really good at it. (I try not to hold that against him.) If you are new to the world of running, let me enlighten you. Some runners become so enthralled with the sport that they start running races. It keeps you motivated in your training and many runners even enjoy *gasp* these races. Crazy, I know. For every race you enter, you will receive a running bib with your number on it and for every race you complete you will usually earn a medal. Before long, you’ve got medals hanging from doorknobs (classy) and you’re looking for your checkbook in the junk…
Pottery Barn Shelf Knock Off
Update: Just found out this posted is being featured at Knock Off Decor. HAPPY DANCE! Who loves Pottery Barn? *raises hand* Me! Me! ME! ME!!!! Who loves Pottery Barn prices? *crickets* Yeah. So, what’s a girl to do? Convince her husband to make something similar. Check and double check. (And for the record, I did help.) Here’s how the Pottery Barn “Holman” ledge looks: (image taken from Pottery Barn website) These gorgeous shelves at Pottery Barn are $69 plus shipping/tax for a 4 foot version. Say what??? Ours are 5 feet in length and were made with scrap wood we found in our garage when we moved in. SCORE! We did buy a…
