Sweet and Simple Dresser Makeover

The last dresser makeover I showed you went from blah to va-va-va voom bright turquoise! This one went in the opposite direction. As you can see in the before picture, it was hot pink. Now I am not opposed to hot pink on the right dresser, and have used it several times on more glamorous pieces, but this one was hot pink with poorly stampled flowers and butterflies as well as fairy stickers on top. It definitely looked as if it had been done by a child (at least I hope so!). The pink paint was not sticking either, as it had not been primed and the paint was just scraping right off. After scraping much of the paint off, I filled holes for hardware, painted it a warm white, and added new nickel cup pulls. It's much simpler this way, but sometimes understated is the way to go. Understated pieces are the best places to display your glamorous collections, as they don't take the attention away, and give you a nice calm backdrop.

My Christmas "Barn Show" Finds

My friend Gail Kramer (thekramerangle.com) is, among many other roles, a Barn Girl. Each Spring and Fall the Barn Girls put an "upscale yardsale" together with all sorts of fabulous chic finds, architectural pieces, and loads of eye candy! They also have a Christmas show which started yesterday and ends today. If you have time, get on over there (thebarnshow.com)! My two children were in school this morning, so I had some time to get over there kid-free, and wanted to share the fabulous finds I scored!

I had been looking for a long and narrow mirror for my entry way, and spotted this one 9from an old vanity) for a mere $30! I also purchased this adorable miniature wreath for $4, and these gorgeous white glass curtain tie-backs for $6 each. (I showed the effect in the whole master bedroom because I also wanted to show off my new IKEA flokati rug that I love!). I found this wonderful antique copper numeric stencil plate for a birthday gift for my mom, who loves to stencil, and loves antiques, so it was the perfect unique gift and just $36! Not pictured is also a cute square mirror from an antique mantle mirror that I am using as a decorative plate on my sideboard. I was so excited to come home and put my new items in place- thanks ladies!

Cool Gray of Winter

I love gray, and I am so happy that it is making a big design impact these days. It is classic, but not as formal as black, and comes in so many shades. I was shopping in IKEA today, and noticed some lovely dressers in a stunning charcoal gray. I was thrilled because I had just put the first coat of charcoal paint on a piece I was working on..... coming soon!

In the meantime, check out these gorgeous grays I found while doing some googling!

Fantastic French Dresser Makeover

I will be the first to admit that French Provencial is not my favorite style. I still buy it to paint, because it does have certain beauty and feminine details that always look nice painted. I just prefer the m ore simple pieces. This dresser was one of the most ornate French style pieces I had ever seen, and I just didn't know what to do with it at first as that simple side of me was trying to figure out how to calm down the ornate details! Then I thought, to hell with it! I went through my paints and found this beautiful bayou blue, and decided to do a wood and turquoise combo. I stripped the top using furniture Stripper and Fromby's Refinisher to finish it off. I also went through several steel wool pads, rubber gloves, and I got a little woozy from the stripper. After that was done, I got to work priming the rest, painting and distressing, and finally antiquing. I only have a bad picture from before, but I wanted to show you the transformation. It has turned into quite a "notice me!" piece!

Feathers of Thanks

Earlier this month, my 4 year old, Sawyer, came home with a turkey he had made in school, bearing different colored feathers. Upon each feather was written something he had told his teacher he was thankful for. His feathers read, "my family, my grandparents, my 2 dogs, christmas, and dinosaurs." My 2 year old, Emmy, had a similar discussion in her classroom, and I almost cried when I saw that the one thing she was thankful for this year was me. I love being a parent this time of year, and seeing that I am teaching my children to be grateful for the many blessings in their lives. I told them today that I was thankful for the moments when they get along well and play together nicely, but that is only one of the feathers on my turkey this year. If i were to make a turkey with different colored feathers, I would run out of room!

This year, I give thanks for...

a husband who loves me unconditionally (even if he doesn't always like me!);

my wonderful children, who show me the world in a different, and usually happier light;

my parents, who have been the best role models I can imagine;

my health- I ran my first 5k today, with my 53 yr old mom, I might add!

a roof over my head, even if it is a little leaky at times;

a successful business, even in times of national economic strife;

friends, friends and friends!!! close friends, far away friends, playdate friends, gym friends, blogger friends.... all of you, i am thankful for;

most of all, i am thankful that a fabulous 2009 is coming to an end, and i am grateful to be surrounded by so many wonderful people as we head into a new decade together.

I wish you all a full belly, safe and happy travel, and a Thanksgiving that was filled with blessings and many memorable moments. Be well!

My New Sideboard

So I found this sideboard last weekend at Chartreuse & Co, and loved its lines, and the storage it offered, and it was a perfect fit for my space! Of course, I forgot to take the before picture, but here s the after! It is now all set up in my dining room, and I have added one little touch of Christmas in the "Winter Frolic" snowman.... I am just itching to get my other decorations out! Bring on the sparkle and shine! I need a little Christmas!

Deep Creek Weekend

Sometimes all you need is a fire, a glass of wine, and amazing natural surroundings. My husband and I went away this past weekend to Deep Creek, a beautiful ski/lake/mountain area of Western Maryland. And to make it even better, my parents took the kids for the weekend so Chris and I could relax. We spent Friday stopping by Chartreuse & Co (chartreuseandco.com) to see all the beautiful things they had in store for Christmas. I also purchased a new (well, new to me!) sideboard for my dining room! Before and after pics will be coming as soon as I am finished! After stopping by Chartreuse, we made our way to downtown Frederick, MD and had lunch and shopped. I fell in love with a fabulous boutique called "The Muse" which sells hand-made and artisan goods. They had such wonderful items- I was able to purchase some unique Christmas gifts! After that we continued our drive to McHenry, Md, where we stayed. While in McHenry, we hiked, relaxed, drank wine, and just had a nice time being surrounded by such beauty and inspiration. While on our hike we saw some wild turkeys, a buck, and a woodpecker. The leaves had already all fallen out that way, but I was amazed at how much color was still to be found, and am drawing inspiration from that. If you ever have the chance to go, and you just need to find some peace, head to Deep Creek! We will be back!