I WANT YOU…

To watch the Nate Berkus Show TODAY!

Why? Because the segment that Janell did last week will be featured!

And I managed to take pictures while I was in the green room!

This is when they were showing Janell what to do

And this is when Janell told Nate how pretty his eyes, hair, and smile is! Oh and how he looks great in Navy blue!

And this is when Nate said “Thanks Janell, but this is about your son Max’s lamps”

And this is when She said “oh yeah, that’s right”!

And then Nate turned to the camera and said “Ladies, I know all of you think I’m cute and have great hair, but lets focus on my show for now”!

So then they got back to work talking about the lamps!

This is exactly how the taping went and if you don’t believe me, then make sure you tune in today to see for yourself!

 

***So I may have exaggerated a bit, but I promise that it’s close to how the taping went in my head!***

BOARD AND BATTEN: I’m taking the plunge!

A few months ago, I noticed that everyone was starting to do board and batten in their home! I’ve always loved the look of it, but I had no clue that it could be done so easily! When Emily (Decor Chick) offered to share her tutorial on my blog last week my mouth fell open when I saw how easy and inexpensive it was!

Then I remembered that Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick did the same thing in her son’s “Big Boy Room”!

I know that this is not the ‘real deal’ board and batten as seen below, but it’s close enough to me!

By the way, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS ROOM from Serena and Lily!

I can see it now, this room with board and batten! Woohoo! I can not wait!

What do you think about Board and Batten? Have you been wanting to try it? If so, what’s stopping you?!

FINDING INSPIRATION: with clearance items

Last week, I had a line up of posts from some great bloggers! This week, I want to add my two cents to what they had to say!

Erika, from BluLabel Bungalow, discussed how she was inspired by her daughters outfit and used it to come up with a mood board for the room.

Well, I’ve told you that I’m inspired by anything, but what I didn’t tell you is that A LOT of times I’m inspired by clearance! Target clearance at that! You already know that I’m putting ideas together to start on Nicholas and Brendan’s room and that the plan was to use red, yellow, and black

But then, I found these images of vintage cars at Goodwill

So I started to rethink the colors for the space. Thinking more of blue, yellow, green, reds… Then, I started to notice that Target was putting a lot of things on clearance! So I waited just to see if anything I liked would be marked down! And guess what?

I found this rug for $39.98!

The colors are blue, green, yellow, and orange!

Then, I went over to see if these chairs were marked down more than they were before I left for NY. Guess what?

They were! AND I was able to purchase ONE for

Can you see it? $17.21!!! Now that is a deal! So by now the room is already complete in my head! Like I can literally see how everything will be! But before I left, I wanted to look around and see if I could find some frames for the vintage cars and I did!

Perfect! I wanted a large frame, but I needed it to be matted to the size of the pictures. These frames are 8x10 and matted to 5x7… SCORE! But the prices are better

$6.48! Now, that is seriously a great deal! I wish that they were 75% off, but hey, 50% works for me! Plus the frames will work perfect with the bamboo blinds that I find myself adding to every room I work on

Then I started thinking about lamps. I really like the lamps I used in TJ’s room. Not to mention they are on sale this week for $14! The shades come in lots of different colors. I think green may be a winner right now with yellow coming in second!

I used the lampshade to one of these lamps in my sister’s nursery (I really need to get over to my sister’s house to see my NEPHEW Miles and finish his room!)

Tomorrow, I will talk about the wall treatment for the room! Yes, you heard right WALL TREATMENT! Here is a hint: B&B!

Are you ever inspired by clearance?! Have you found anything at Target lately for a great price?! And how many of you saw my tweet about the $2.98 sheet SETS at Target?!?!

And one last thing, Thank You to everyone that commented and emailed me on my post from Nate Day last week! I will definitely post about my first time flying, and I will share some of the 400 pictures that I took while in NY. I love that city (I knew I would), and my husband and I are already planning a trip there together!

NATE DAY 9/21: My Story

Originally I planned to break my trip to New York into 3 parts due to it being a major milestone in my life.  I took my first plane ride to meet a group of people that have been friends in my computer for over a year!  This was a very special moment for me, but unfortunately, my plans changed and here I am blogging on my feelings on the 9/21 tapping of the show.

 

I received an email saying that I was invited to be a part of the audience that will consist of design bloggers.  I was super excited, but the fact that the email came one week before the taping had me saying that I wasn’t going.  I talked on the phone to another blogger who was invited and told her that I was not going and she said that I definitely should go! Still undecided, I saw a tweet from Janell that said that she had just received the email and was going! OMG, I thought.  Okay so I HAVE to go now, I thought to myself! Seriously, if Janell was going to fly across the country to attend the show, I knew that I could put my fears aside and fly one and a half hours to attend!  So I from there, I called my husband and told him the news and from the jump, he said yeah you have to go.  At this time I’m really siked! I’m excited at the fact that I get to meet Janell AND get to see Nate! Then as the hours and days past, I start to see tweets from EVERYONE saying that that are going and how fun it was going to be! So now I’m SUPER DUPER SIKED!!! Not only will I get to meet Janell, but I will be meeting all of the bloggers that I talk with and in a way look up to because of all the hard work they put into blogging and sharing ideas and inspiring me day to day.  So Janell, blog friends, and Nate, I mean who can pass that up right?  Oh, and not to mention all of the invitations that came poring in like the HGTV luncheon, the Rue Magazine launch party, the Nate Day after party…..This was sure to be a great event!

So I arrive in New York after MY VERY FIRST FLIGHT!

I originally had planed to stay at the hotel alone my first night there, but Jade from Flip Flops and Pearls asked if it was okay to stay with me and boy was I glad!

We toured the city together (something I never would have done alone!) on Sunday…

We toured the city again on Monday before we attended the HGTV lunch

That was not a statue! It was a dude and he scared the heck out of me when he moved!

The lunch was SO COOL! We shared our ideas on different trends we like/disliked, we told them who our favorite blogs were, AND we met EMILY the latest winner of DESIGN STAR!

And guess who came over to me BECAUSE THEY KNEW WHO I WAS?????!!!!!!

THE MOGGIT GIRLS!!!!!!! Yeah, I’m famous!

After that was over, Jade and I walked around a little more where we went back and forth on if we were going to attend the launch party for Rue Magazine.  Long story short I was going, but changed my mind due to blisters on my feet and not having a FAB dress like Jade;-)

(She FANCY, huh?!?!)

Anywho, she had a great time and I received a lot of tweets from everyone saying that they hope my feet feel better! Thanks Jade!

Later that night, we switched rooms because we were shacking up with Janell (woot)!!! And the next morning we had to wake up extra early because Janell was being featured on the show (double woot)!

(and just incase you’re wondering, yes she is just as FABULOUS in person as she is on her blog!)

We are in the green room backstage at The Nate Show!

okay, so after the first taping was done, we had to line up for the taping that we were invited to!

OMG, we met the most AMAZING group of women (and men)! It was so much fun! And I tell you this, I can never look at a talk show the same again! The audience does a lot of work! 

Okay, to get to the part that everyone have been talking about.  No, Nate did not say that his shows audience consisted of design bloggers.  No the show did not consist of projects from design bloggers.  It was not about blogs at all.  That was a bummer because I did (I think we all did) think that he was going to acknowledge us.  Even if we were not part of the show, I thought we were going to be mentioned.  Am I mad/upset by that? Nope.  Did that change the experience for me? Nope.  Would I do it over again if the same thing happened? YES! Here is the thing, when Create Girl and the Moggit Girls put this entire thing together, the tweeted Nate and said this: “Nate, wouldn’t it be cool to have an audience full of design bloggers?” And he said yes! When they invited us to the show, they NEVER EVER EVER said that we were going to be part of the show.  They NEVER EVER EVER said that it was going to be based on us.  They did say that we were not allowed to bring cell phones and lap tops inside which told me right there that it was going to be an interactive social media type thing.  But I did think that he was going to say that we were there on air.  What he did do was, in between tapings, he told us that he was very thankful for everything that we had done for him.  He said that it was one of the nicest things that he had ever had done for him.  He said that he printed our posts to keep because nothing of that magnitude had ever been done for him.  And with that I smiled because NATE BERKUS TOLD ME THANK YOU! He thanked me and everyone else in the audience for blogging about him.  Isn’t that what we do when someone blogs about us?  We thank them, right? 

To make a long story short, I can understand bitterness of those that flew in only for a day only to realize that the show had nothing to with bloggers.  But to me it did.  Like I said, I MET the most AMAZING women. LAUGHED with the most AMAZING women. STAYED with the most AMAZING women. ATE with the most AMAZING women.  CONNECTED with the most AMAZING group of women! We had a blast! And who do I thank for bring all of us together? NATE BERKUS and his staff!

I just wanted to get this out there.  I do want to talk about my first trip to the big city in another post and all of the fun that I had! I also would like to talk about how I felt on my first plane ride.  But, if you’re sick of hearing about this trip, I certainly understand because I am too to be honest.  I won’t post anymore about it unless you would like to hear it!

 

So, what all have you read?  And what are your thoughts about the different Nate Show opinions?!!!

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

I get asked all of the time what inspires me? The answer is simple: ANYTHING! It can be the color of the sky when the sun in setting, some new towels at Target, or my boys sitting on the floor playing with a group of cars! Erika, of BluLabel Bungalow wrote this post a while back when she was preparing to change her daughters nursery over to a "Big Girl" room! What I like the most is that her inspiration came from an outfit!

Ava Grace is now 2 years old and has outgrown her little crib...yet, another reason to redecorate! Items chosen for her room will grow with her through her grade school and teenage years plus or minus a few accessories! I love the challenge of translating fashion into stylish and livable spaces. Here's the adorable inspiration outfit (from Gymboree) chosen for this design...

Isn't that inspiration board AMAZING! All that from one little outfit! Erika is great at putting rooms together that starts from a favorite outfit!

What inspires you? Have you ever been inspired by something as simple as an outfit?! Do you have a favorite outfit that you wish could be transferred into the design of a room? Contact Erika Ward: Erika@Blulabelbungalow.com

GETTING BACK TO BASICS

Hi guys! I'm returning home today and I know that my house is going to be less than par since I left my hubby in charge of three boys! So it was funny when Tonia sent me her guest post talking about cleaning your home! Maybe she was hinting at something;-)

Hello there people, Tonia here from Chic Modern Vintage. I’d like to say that I’m taking an impromptu trip to some exotic locale, but that is not the case. Ms. LaKeitha is in New York and I’m filling in while she’s out. We all like to discuss how to decorate, and what to use to decorate. I like to get down to the bare basics of great decorating. 

I was speaking to a long time family friend the other day, we discussed bed bugs. Yes, bed bugs. She asked, “You remember when, your Grandmother use to take all the mattresses out, and lay them out in the sun?” Then she went on and asked, You remember when she would have everybody in the house cleaning windows?”

Here are three things to add a bit of spark to your home this Fall. Things that my Grandparents did when to keep their home in tip top shape. It will only cost you a bit of sweat.

Clean windows let tons of glorious light in. Try a good cleaning inside and out twice a year. In the Fall and then again in the Spring.

It’s a bit of a hassle and might be considered a bit weird, but laying your mattresses out in the sun, will freshen them up. We never had bed bugs either.

Fall is a great time to clear out things out, and get organized. Donate usable unwanted items. This way you’re not overwhelmed when Spring comes.

These are things we all know to do but sometimes they are overlooked or maybe not mentioned. A good clean and organized home is really the first layer of decorating.

Thanks so much LaKeitha for asking me to fill in while your off gallivanting in New York. I hope your having a fabulous time in New York City. Can I get a key chain, please?

Great tips Tonia! I laughed at the thought of me putting the mattress outside for a while! My husband would not only think I'm crazy, but he would probably check into a hospital too! Have any of you ever put your mattress out in the sun for a while? Do you have any cleaning rituals that you do with the change of the season? I'd love to hear them!

Okay, so I'll be home later today! I may be able to post tomorrow or I may wait until Friday after I've gotten some rest...I can't wait to share everything with you!

BOARD AND BATTEN: A Tutorial

The oh so talented Emily (Decor Chick) is here today to show us how she made her own version of board and batten for a room in her house. I must say, I love the look of board and batten and have wanted to try it for some time now. I know you've seen it many places and I swear the tutorial on how to do it just keep getting easier and easier! Don't believe me? Keep reading!




To satisfy my love of all kinds of different styles and colors, I decided to do board and batten on the one big wall in our upstairs multipurpose room. :) The upstairs will have a different vibe than the downstairs, and I think that's so fun! Probably a design rule no-no, but I don't follow rules. :)

I know I just showed you all the other day what this room looked like, but here it is again.



And new paint and several battens later, here it is now (remember this room is not decorated yet)...







I'm singing "Isn't She Lovely" right now. :)

This was a very easy project and went very smoothly, but I say that because I had the guys at Home Depot cut it all. Haha. I wasn't charged for the cuts though! I took all of my measurements with me, and decided to go with the lattice strips for the battens like Thrifty Decor Chick did in her big boy's room. One, because they are cheap, and second, because they don't stick out from the baseboards. I'll show you in a bit how they sit perfectly on top of the baseboards. She really is a clever gal!



BUT wait, I think I was pretty clever too because I thought to use a thick door casing that looks like nice molding instead of a plain wood board going across. Why you ask? Well, because it's more decorative, AND because it gives me the plate ledge to display pretties on! I'll show you that further down too. I haven't seen anyone do this, but if you have, you are very smart. :)

The lattice I used for the battens at .66 per foot...




And the casing I used for the board at $1.50 p/ft.




I had each batten cut 4 1/2 ft tall. My wall is 17 ft and 1 inch long, so they cut 2 of the casing boards to get it the right length so I could just joint them together. Everything fit perfectly when I got it home. I love that!!

So all of this was only $70.00




Not bad! And no those aren't my calves in that photo. I sure wish they were though.

I put all of the battens up with tape until I could nail them all in with the super cool nail gun. I spaced them 12 inches apart, and used a spacer that size to make it easier.



And whenever I hit an outlet, I just simply "jumped" it like it wasn't there. :) I know my Dad is cringing right now at my mathematical spacing skills, or lack thereof, but that's ok because it doesn't bother me. So yes, a few of my battens aren't exactly 12 inches apart, but most of them are. :) A quote from my Dad, "I prefer uniform spacing, but you like the occasional random placement." Yes Dad, you finally understand me!!

Here are the battens all up.




And with the board (casing) on top...




See how perfectly they fit on top of the baseboards?


Awesome!

Then it was just a matter of caulking, painting it all out with a semi-gloss white paint, and more caulking, so here are lots of pictures. The paint for the walls is Sherwin Williams "Oyster Bay." LOVE this color. It's a nice blue/gray, and really love it at night. Lots of gray comes through. I almost went all gray but chickened out. My heart said blue-gray. :)

Shut me up already!!








And my favorite part...THE LEDGE THAT WAS ALREADY DONE FOR ME!!




And that's it folks! I hope this little tutorial was enough oomph for you if you have been wanting to try this. This was a very easy project I promise!! Did I mention I did EVERYTHING all by myself, paint and all??! My husband did help me touch up the paint all around the room thank goodness, because I was d.o.n.e. with paint. Painting ceilings is hard. Well not really hard, just a pain. He also took care of little girl so I could "get er' done!" That was a huge help.

And no, of course this isn't "true" board and batten, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper and looks just fine to me!

Now comes the fun part...decorating the room! :)



Now who is going to try this in their home besides me?! I love the look of board and batten and for 70 bucks for this project, its certainly worth giving a try! Thanks again Emily for that amazing tutorial!