IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME AGAIN!!!

Hi ladies (and gentlemen)! It's giveaway time again! I wanted to do a giveaway that you will continue receiving (for a year at least) so this is what I came up with:












You have your chance to win your very own subscription to one of these great magazines! Here is what you have to do:

*If your not a follower, PLEASE CONSIDER becoming one!!!

*Leave a comment telling me which magazine you would like to win (if it's not listed let me know)

*Blog about this giveaway and you will get an extra entry (let me know about your post)

The contest will end November 8, 2009 and the winner be announced on Monday (Nov. 9)

Good Luck!!!

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL

While watching an episode of Divine Design on HGTV, I fell in love the reveal of this dining room. The soothing color palette, the upholstered chairs, and the double chandeliers over the long rectangular dining table that seats ten (only in my dreams). Nothing was done over the top, but this space would still be considered 'SWOON WORTHY'!





This is where I found beauty this week! And I'm sharing this with Melissa and her It's a Beautiful life Friday linky party at the Inspired Room


***Updates on the Pantry still to come***

OFF TO A FRESH START

You guys may remember me posting this picture of my coat closet that is in my dining room and next to my kitchen


My Sister in law was so ashamed of this photo! But really, can you have a good after without a terrible before?!

Well I've cleaned the closet, donated some of the coats that were stuffed in there and it's ready for some more shelves and paint


Looking good already huh? Well Here is the problem, our alarm box is in this closet. Who knew?!!!





This is my BIG design dilemma. Can I have it moved? If so where? I guess I should ask the company huh? Well I'll figure that out today because I'm ready to proceed with this project! I was watching some Martha Stewart Clips on demand (Comcast cable) and it got me all excited about this project!

Here is what I have to do:
*Remove the box
*add more shelves
*paint
*find storage
*Enjoy my new pantry

SIMPLE SIMPLE SIMPLE!!!

What are your thoughts about this project? Do you already have a pantry? If so, how do you organize it and what are your best storage containers?

RAIN DROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HOUSE

The paint has finally started to go on the house. I should be excited about this, but the rain WILL NOT go away. The painter managed to get paint on the front of the house and a little on the side before it started to pour and he literally had to run!!! Here are a few photos of what the house look like now






Today he is "suppose" to be back painting since the ran let up for a few days (it's starting back tomorrow), but as I type this he is across the street pressure washing a neighbors house (do you see a problem with that?). I've really been upset lately with this whole process. I'm starting to believe that my "deal" was a deal he was giving everyone and now he is booked. So now I must wait (I guess), and hope that this will not be the only image I'll see out of my window! I need SUN!!!


BTW, you will never believe the deal I got on my paint! Here's the story: I went to the paint store to find a color that was very very close to the Tavern Taupe that I chose from Sherwin Williams. While I was at the home improvement store (that I will not mention), I asked for a sample of the color that matched SW Tavern Taupe. When I picked up the sample, the top fell off and the paint spilled all over my shoes. So I asked for a discount coupon to compensate for the 'mishap'. Would you believe that I was able to get 10 gallons of paint for the price of 1 gallon? Can you believe it? I can't and the proof is on my house! The color is Antique Leather.

NOW YOU MAY ENTER

If you've been following this blog then you know that our home was (and still is) in need of some serious TLC. For example our half bath that's off the family room. When we moved in it was this scary shade of red with a gold and red faux treatment around the sink. I was so embarrassed to let any of our guest go in there. As a matter of fact, I was scared to go in there!





After months and months of hard work (okay maybe 2 days), I have a bathroom that looks like this:








So much better. It's not totally finished (no project ever is). I need to add new flooring and a new mirror.










I found this sink on clearance at Lowe's for $25 and I'm kicking myself because the toilet was $25 too and I didn't get it. This sink is so much better because the sink that's currently in the space is hard to clean. I really would like to meet the lady who lived in this house prior to us!


BTW, I just kicked myself again!

I'm linking this up to Thifty decor chick's Before and After Party and BNOTP's Metamorphasis Mondays

For those of you that are new to my blog take a moment to check out my giveaway!

WASHED, CAULKED, AND READY TO BE PAINTED...

The house was pressure washed last week and then the rain started again so the next step was put off. I took these pictures from the inside because a wasp nest was discovered and we all know that I'm VERY afraid of bugs!




Then yesterday morning I heard some noise outside and this is what I saw




He was back! He caulked all the seams and got the house ready for its first coat of paint (which starts tomorrow).


I'll keep you posted on the progress!

PUT A FORK IN IT....THEY'RE DONE

I finished my kitchen cabinets so now I can move on to the other updates that need to be made.



Here is the kitchen when we purchased the house:



Here is the same angle with newly painted cabinets:


Now if I can just get a new dishwasher already!


Here is another before:



and that same angle, again with painted cabinets:




I did paint the walls a different color than the before photo. Before the Walls were a honey mustard color and now the are SW Sands of Time. I'm not in love with the color, but Janell said don't worry about the paint until I choose my big items for the room. So until I get my absolute black granite counter tops, wood floors, and subway tile back splash, the wall color stays! The painter who is painting our house agreed to paint the breakfast table, but my only problem is choosing the right color. Should it be black with white chairs or black with black chairs or white.....tough choices, but it must be made soon!




BTW, this is the table and I do have four chairs, but I'm sitting in one right now since my office chair is still in the garage sanded, but not painted!


I'm linking this up to Kimba's DIY day at A Soft Place to Land

I FINALLY FELL.....INTO FALL THAT IS!

I've noticed quite a few bloggers that have started their fall decorating and I've put mine on the back burner do to up coming projects around the house. While out today (at Hobby Lobby), I decided to go ahead and at least make a wreath for my soon to be newly painted front door! Here is how that project went:

I purchased to grapevine wreaths/circles/thingamajigies. I really meant to remember the sizes but I didn't so what you have to do is get one that is reg. price $4.99 and one that's $3.99 (sorry)




Then you get some floral wire so you can attach the two. I only dd this because I wanted the wreath to be a little thicker




Then you gather your foliage. I used a leaf bush some grassy flowers, some pumpkins, and some berries



This step consisted of me arranging the foliage before hot gluing them on the grapevine. I really suggest not skipping this step!


Once you figure out how your leaves and such will work then your going to basically glue them the exact way that you have them arranged. Some stems (like the pumpkins) don't require any glue because they can simply be "stuck" into the grapevine.



I really wish my pictures wouldn't have come out so ORANGE on the screen. The leaves are different shades like yellow, green, orange, and a deep reddish color. Trust me, my wreath is NOT one color! I feel like it's missing something- pine cones,gourds...

So what do you think? Please be easy on me. This is my first DIY wreath!


I'm sharing this project with Funky Junk Interiors and the DIY show off and Kimba's DIY day at A Soft Place to Land

THANK YOU Sherwin!

I used this fun little tool on Sherwin Williams website to put together the colors that I chose to have our house painted. I couldn't find a home that was a close match to my house, but I did find one that is close to my DREAM HOUSE! The only thing that I couldn't figure out was how to make the door a different color so I just added the color of the door at the bottom.





This is the color for the house: Tavern Taupe SW7508



Trim color: Pavillion Beige SW7512



Shutters and Garage doors(?): Homestead Brown SW7515



Door: Rustic Red SW7593 (I had to throw in a red door!)




So what do you think? Am I playing it too safe?

JCP vs CRATE & BARREL

The other day I posted about new items found at JCP. One of the pieces I was interested in was the Cameron Dining table





Well today while doing my daily search of the net for things that are SWOON worthy, I found the Laurent Dining table from Crate&Barrel




Now I know your first thoughts would be the finishes are different right? The Cameron table is actually darker than it is in this photo. It is more of an espresso finish. Once again I'm going back to the quality. A lot of you commented and said that either you or someone you know has purchased JCP furniture items and they are good quality. Oh I forgot to mention the price tags: Cameron table($449 on sale) and the Laurent table ($1,699). This will be our first dining table purchase and I want something that is pretty much timeless. I want something that is going to withstand 3 boys! Do you have any suggestions for finding the right furniture? I usually read reviews, but the Cameron table is new, so there are none posted and the Laurent table has recieved rave reviews by people who purchased it.