August 19, 2010

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  {ShOp tHe hOusE}  
  second.edition

  It all started a few weeks ago~
  sitting on the couch day after day trying to keep this baby girl from coming too early.
  I’m not sure what began annoying me more….
  always sitting in the same direction,
  or noticing the countless lacy cobwebs that hung hidden from the ceiling -
  until the sun streamed through the windows at a certain time each afternoon.

  When I pointed out the fact to Shayne, that I was beginning to feel like I lived in the insect house at the zoo..
  he reminded of that verse in the Bible that says something about even the kings palaces have spider webs.
  To which I reminded him – and maids too!

  Finally. one night while he was at football practice with Ben,
  I decided it was time to give the living room a good cleaning -
  which a good cleaning to me usually means re arranging something.

  I waited on Shayne to get home because I knew I couldn’t/ shouldn’t lift anything.
  But went ahead and took all the pictures and shelves off the walls..
  then sat back down facing south on my couch.
  {that’s just a guess. i’m about as good w/ my directions as i am my states}

  I looked around at the empty walls and tried to think of what I could do that would be different and fresh..
  without – of course – spending a dime.

  So… I took off shopping.
  in.my.house.

  
   
  I gathered all the things I thought might work and brought them to the living room.
  Most came from my upstairs hall.
  I’d work a bit then sit down {rest} and assess.
  Then, get up. move it all around some more. and sit again.

  When Shayne got home he was sweet to do all the heavy lifting.
  He’s become so much more understanding of my “hobby.”

  When he walked in the living room that night and saw the walls bare I don’t think his face even flicked of any response… he simply called casually over his shoulder to the kids, “better look before you sit. things are not where they used to be!”

  So I’m enjoying the purchases I found from shopping my house~
   
  Here’s what it all looks like now….
  Which I should point out I know it’s kinda hard to get an idea of the room as a whole because I really don’t have a lens that takes it all in – if you’d like a better view you could mail me a wide angle lens. ;p

  AND since I didn’t really think about showing pictures of the makeover until AFTER -I didn’t take any pictures before!! {yeah. sometimes i simply live life and think about blogging about it later} So… the only shots I have of the living room were from last year. Just in case you were wondering why I’d already decorated for fall.

  K. ‘nough explaining. here we go -

  {before/ after looking in from shayne’s office}
  
  

  
   

  We moved the entertainment center to the other side of the room…
  Shayne kept reminding me we wouldn’t have tv because there’s not cable hookup over there.
  I never let that kind of stuff deter me from putting things where I want them – you can always figure that out later.
  Besides, with football season quickly approaching…
  I have a feeling Shayne will suddenly be seeing the “need” for us to have TWO cable connections in the house!
   

  
  
  i want to eventually paint the entertainment center&the desk below – but for now it is what it is

  
   
   
  {before/after looking in from kitchen}
  
  the couch and chair look the same from this angle.. but one is one and one is the other

  
         

  {wall with shelves re placed from ones upstairs}
  
  
   

  
   

  

  {fireplace corner before/after}
  
  
   i brought the desk down from our room.. and now the sofa table that was in the LR functions as our desk upstairs

  
  
  Some of the dEtaiLs.

  **The curtains…

   

  They seemed to suddenly look heavy to me w/ the long scarf that draped over them.
  So I took it down and pulled the sheers open….
  Just a subtle change, but so much breezier and lighter.

   

  **The color…

  I wanted to try to tie in the blue color of the pillows…
  I found an old can of the paint we’d used in kate’s room so I just threw a quick coat over a few things - 

   

  

  

  **Those nail holes…

  

  When you look at the two pictures behind the couch straight on you can see they’re a little off center -
  that’s because I had to hang them in such a way to hide the numerous and hideous nail holes on the wall.

  

  So don’t be afraid of putting holes in your walls -
  they’re way easily hidden.

  **How to Get extra decorating money…

  Sometimes no matter how much walking round and round your house you do -
  that one item you need
  or would be the completing thing to tie it together
  or simply look super neat in that corner…
  just ain’t there!

  So you need to buy.
  
  That’s when I start looking around for things to sell -
  {and the kids run and hide} kidding.

  …things I no longer need/ want.
  things I’m so over or have lost their wow factor to me.

  I try to put the money back into what it was I sold.
  i.e. clothes – buy new clothes. house – things for the house

  sometimes it plain ole goes to food or bills -
  been known to sell things for those reasons too.
  but mostly it’s the water wheel effect.. back into where it came from.

  
  
  pillows.picture.flowered chair.pillar-
  i sold at a consignment store and got nearly 200 bucks
  

  **This old trunk…

  

  
  It used to be my parents.
  I remember it in our family room as a girl growing up -
  
  
  I saw it in their garage a while back and asked if I could use it.
  I’ll probably paint it the blue color eventually.. but for now I just wanted something faster so I used spray paint!

  

  Speaking of paint colors – have you seen the new Behr swatches from Home Depot?

  I haven’t actually bought a can of paint in years literally –
  but went in this week to pick up something for Ben’s room that I’m working on.
  Thought this was such a great idea..

  

  They’re individual..!! so clever. no more of the 5 colors on the same card thing.
  and bigger! No more stretching your arm out and squinting to try to see what it might look like.
  My favorite part is they have these super cute leaf cutouts where the little circle holder goes~
  
  and Yes.  I’m one of those crazy obsessive people that picks up 100 swatches at a time!!

   

  **Behind the Picture Scene
  
  While snapping the shots of the color swatches above I was distracted by what sat just beyond them..

  

  This is what my living room looked like the day after I re decorated it all.
  I enjoyed it while it looked “perfect” but that’s not reality. This is….

  
  {boxes from our school books that make great toys!}

  And I noticed this little statue thingy I found for 5 bucks at Home Goods is constantly found in different parts of the room,
  and has become a popular storage place for various things…

  

  **Websites I’ve recently discovered and love!!

  House of Turquoise

  desire to inspire

  The Well Dressed Home

  ** My favorite website of the moment…

   Dreamy Whites

  
  {photo by her NOT me!}

  
  Not only is this place bursting with creativity and beauty..
  it’s author seems so down to earth and someone you’ll find yourself wanting to have a coffee with -
  which makes it even more appealing.

  She was sweet enough to swing by a few posts ago to “introduce” herself and say, hey.

  So if you don’t have time for the others above atleast check her out!! 
  

  **Take a Vote~

  Yesterday I brought in this piece of picket fence that was outside.
  Can’t decide if I like it or if it makes the wall look too busy…

  

  {here’s kinda the before/after}  

   

  What do you think?
  Stay or go?

  And maybe it would look better white?

    

  So.. it’s all such a work in progress.
  But that’s what makes it so fun.. the progress.

  Remember just because that picture has hung on the wall for 10 years,
  or the couch always faced south
  doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.

  
  When you shop.the.house you might be surprised that the mirror from the bathroom looks perfect over the mantle!

  
  
  
  

  Don’t be afraid of ChAngE.
  That’s the neatest thing of all about decorating -
  nothing is permanent! 

  
  
  
  
  
   

  
  ¸.·´¸.·¨) ¸.·¨)
  (¸.·´ (¸.·´ (¸.·¨¯`♥ amber 
  
  
  

  • 12:00 pm
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