Thursday, February 27, 2014

Spring Dining Room and a Mirror Makeover - Show and Tell Friday




 

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  It's felt like Spring here in Northern California until today when a big rainstorm came through and erased our sunny 70-something degree weather that we've been enjoying!  We really need the rain though so I'm not complaining!





 

Last weekend I was trying to figure out what to put on the wall in my dining room.  My dining room, if you can even call it

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Finally! A new blender!

It's been a long time since we've had a real blender. Our old one from probably the 70s broke many years ago and I've made do with one of those hand blenders for the longest time - I'm not sure what brand it is; you'd think I'd know it since I see it on the blender itself every time I use it, but I'll probably know it when I see it. I think it's one of those that was first advertised on TV back when hand blenders were kind of a new thing. It's been good for me for making smoothies, but really takes a long time to blend when anything is frozen. It just hasn't been a high priority to get a new one, so we never got another one until recently.

I actually haven't used the new one yet, but it's a Ninja Kitchen System Pulse (BL201) - so it's one of those multifunction devices that works as a food processor, blender, and apparently can also be used for making dough.



Like I said, I haven't used it yet. Someone else used it as a food processor, and I think it worked out pretty well for them. I'll most likely be using the single serve cups a lot! I probably won't be using the dough attachments that much, but it'd be interesting to give it a try to see how well it actually works. I'm definitely looking forward to making my next smoothie with this!

Monday, February 24, 2014

The Power Of Paint

I think one of the biggest things you can do to change the look or feel of your home is paint!
I was reflecting back on how our home has changed over the years & paint has definitely been the most dramatic way we have changed things around here!

Here are a few examples:
Our exterior...
This is the "before" when we first bought our home.
Here it is now....
This transformation occurred in a few phases.  
If you'd like to read more about it, you can find it HERE.
Another dramatic transformation was our entry way.
Here is the before...
 I stained the rails a walnut color & my husband added board and batten, which we painted white.
Here it is is now...
You can see the whole transformation HERE.

I also love taking an old piece of furniture & making it new with paint.
I have done this a number of times, but my favorite transformation was my daughter's dresser.
It was in pretty bad shape, but I only paid $20 dollars for it.
Here it is now...
I love how it turned out!
We just recently transformed her whole room with paint.  
You can see the reveal HERE.
The only part of our home that hasn't been painted since we moved in is our main floor.
We will be doing that when they finish our kitchen.
I really want it to be bright and fresh.  
Here are a few of the colors that I'm considering:

This is a paint by Benjamin Moore and it is called Marina Gray...

This one is by Sherwin Williams and is called Accessible Beige.
The trim is also by Sherwin Williams and is called Alabaster.

It is really hard to decide what will look best with our furniture.  
I'm leaning towards one of these colors.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Still unpacking - Show and Tell Friday


 




 

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  This move to the new apartment has been a lot of work!  I kept thinking I must be getting old because I'm usually all settled in within a week of moving!  Then I remembered that the last time I moved (almost 11 years ago) I had a lot less stuff! 

 




Honestly, since I started blogging in 2005 I have collected more stuff than ever!!! I think it's

Monday, February 17, 2014

Planked Kitchen Ceilings...

Our kitchen remodel hasn't moved along much at all.  
We have been waiting for the city to approve our plans to bump out the kitchen & then we changed the plans, so we are hoping it gets started soon!
We are going to add some faux beams to our ceiling, which really has me excited!
Here are a few of my inspiration photos...
These two photos have the beams formed in a grid. 
I think it looks really elegant!

Another favorite style of mine is a planked ceiling with beams...
Traditional Kitchen by San Francisco Architects & Designers Taylor Lombardo Architects

It's amazing how it changes the whole look of the room.

If we had a vaulted ceiling, I'd love to do something like this room.  
It is gorgeous with the planked ceiling and decorative beams...

This is the type of ceiling we will be putting in...
It combines the planks & beams, which I love!

It's hard to imagine my kitchen actually being done...
This is what it has looked like since the end of December.
Let's hope things get moving soon!!
Which ceiling do you like best?
Sharing with these blogs:
Not Just A Housewife
Just A Girl & Her Blog
Home Stories A to Z

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Moved in my new place and on a nationally syndicated radio show all in one week! - Show and Tell Friday!



Some of my pretties waiting to be washed and displayed!




I'm not sure what I was thinking but last week I really thought I would be able to show you so much more than I actually can! I'm all moved in my new apartment but it's still chaos here! It's not photo-worthy yet!  When I've moved in the past I've stayed up all night unpacking boxes because I become obsessed with getting everything

Monday, February 10, 2014

Suave Professionals® Moroccan Infusion Lotion and a chance to win $1000 Visa Gift Card!









I was given the opportunity through BlogHer and Suave to try out the new Suave Professionals® Moroccan Infusion Body Lotion! 



I was very intrigued because about a year ago or so I heard a beauty blogger raving about Moroccan oil for your hair. She went on and on about what a difference it made...It turned her frizzy hair smooth! Of course I ran right out and bought it to control my

Thursday, February 6, 2014

No Show and Tell this week! We are moving!




 

Sorry no Show and Tell Friday this week! We start moving on Friday and we are overwhelmed with packing right now! Come back next week and I'll have the new place to share!

 

In case you missed it, scroll down and enter for a chance to win a $1,000 Target Gift Card!   I really want on of my readers to win this....

Coral, Yellow & Blue Girl's Bedroom

My daughter's room before...
AND
Here is her room after...
It turned out so colorful!  My daughter loves it!
I have to admit it is one of my favorite rooms too, it's just so bright & cheery!

She knew she wanted to use the colors: coral, yellow & blue. 
 We also decided to add a variety of patterns with the curtains, lamps & her vanity.

We actually found the coral colored paint in the clearance section.  The gallon was only $7.00!
We used it to paint her bed...
Her vanity...
You can see the before picture HERE.
This owl above her bed...
We also used it to paint a few frames!
I recommend always checking the clearance section of paints, because you never know what color they may have!
My daughter also LOVES owls...
 We incorporated them with these cute lamps!
We found this cute pillow at Hobby Lobby.
We added board & batten all the way around the room...
 She also wanted a chalkboard to write different quotes on.
It looks great on her $20.00 dresser that we painted a few years ago.
It's amazing what a little paint can do...You can find the before picture of her dresser HERE.

 Well, like the quote above her bed says, "Do what makes you Happy!"
Changing her room has definitely done that!

Here is a list of where we purchased some of the items in her room:
-Paint from Home Depot:  It is Behr paint & the color is "Balmy Seas".
-Curtains: World Market
 ( I actually just bought one at 50% off and cut it down the middle & sewed the sides)
Owl lamps:  Walmart
Lamp Shades:  World Market
Chalkboard: TJ Maxx
Yellow quilt:  Overstock.com

I'm sharing with these blogs:
Chic On A Shoestring
Love Of Family & Home
Finding Fabulous
The 36th Avenue
I Hear Nap Time
Flamingo Toes
Make It Love It
Home Stories A to Z
Domestically Speaking
Just A Girl & Her Blog
Snap Creativity
Thrifty Decor Chick
Under The Table & Dreaming
Savvy Southern Style
The Dedicated House
Down To Earth Style

Monday, February 3, 2014

A reason to love Target even more - The Target Cartwheel App!









I know I've said it before... I love Target!!!  I've seen many bloggers that feel the same way!  Later in this post I'm going to tell you about the new Target Cartwheel App that will save you money when you shop there and how you can enter to win a $1,000 Target GiftCard®!  Can you imagine $1,000 to spend at Target? I would love that!



I shop at Target a lot and over the years that I've

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Voile Curtains

I'm so excited to have a guest post by Kathy, who is a contributor to the blog Yorkshire Linen Co.

Hi I am Kathy and I drink,eat,sleep home decor! It is a passion that keeps me going. I am very happy to be here today, a bunch of thanks to Sally @ Love of Homes. Please stop by the blog  Yorkshire Linen for more of my work.
8 Dainty Tips for Bedroom Decor Featuring Voile Curtains
If you are creating a delicate and dainty bedroom for a young lady, you can do no better than to use voile curtains as part of the dÈcor scheme. There are many reasons to use voile in the bedroom, eight of which follow below:
Easy-Cleaning
Voile is marvelously easy to clean. You can take down the curtains, pop them into the washing machine (they will fit into most standard machines thanks to the very light thread used to weave the curtains) and then hang them back up straight away after a good spin cycle. There will be no damaging dripping from such light fabric and they will dry very quickly with any creases falling out as they do so.
No Nets Please!
Voile is a great replacement for netting, which can sometimes seem quite dated and old-fashioned, having no place in a modern home. If you are not keen on net curtains, or simply want to try something a little different, invest in several pairs of voile curtains so that you can try the effects of different colors and lengths.
 Screen Out
Voile panels can be used as a kind of shield during the day, diffusing bright or harsh sunlight and softening the dazzle and shadows inside the room, while still allowing plenty of light and fresh air to flood into the room. Hang a panel over the window so that it lies flat, with no gathers or pleats to maximize the light entering the room and to allow yourself a reasonable view through the delicate and fine-grained fabric. Team this with opaque curtains or blinds for those moments when you want complete privacy from the outside world.
 Folds of Fabulous
Masses of sheer fabric clustered at the window look great, especially when they are allowed to move gently in the breeze. Plentiful folds of voile work to block our unwanted attention, while allowing in plenty of light and air.
 Lace Effect
Voile, while simply a light woven fabric, can have a gloriously lacy look, which is perfect for lightening the tone of otherwise sombre or neutral dÈcor. Lace-look curtains add a wonderfully light and frothy touch to any roomís dÈcor and they are perfect for girls and women of all ages. For a variety of bedding lace options, my favorite place to get it from is The Find.
Stripes
Voile fabric is able to hold patterns and stripes very well. This means that you can find striped voile curtains that use the colours that you have chosen for your roomís colour scheme. Finding curtains that exactly echo the colours used in your dÈcor can really pull your room together, imbuing it with a wonderfully professional polish. For exotic and captivating voile curtains, my utmost favorite is Yorkshire Linen Co.


Colours
Voile panels and curtains are available in a huge range of colours: many more shades and tones that can be found in other fabrics. This is because voile tends to be cotton-based and very light, and therefore, will pick up and hold dye colours accurately. Choosing voile as your preferred curtain fabric opens up an immense world of opportunity: in which you can choose several pairs of curtains, one in each of your colour schemeís chosen hues which will enable you to quickly and simply make fairly dramatic changes to the appearance and ambiance of the room.
 Feminine Note
If you dÈcor is fairly neutral and bland, voile curtains can add a very necessary feminine note. This can help you to personalise the room around your character, making the room more attractive and inviting and less like a blank canvas or hotel room.
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Thanks again Kathy for sharing your article.
Stop by and see more of her work at the Yorkshire Linen Co. blog!