Going Coastal With Color!

The March edition of Country Living really caught my attention. I mean it really did. Articles from The Great Escape to the Natural Instincts, and the closet turned office (how great was that!), every article was full of inspiration! Not only did the cover catch my eye, but the tag line boasting: "Refresh Every Room" and that was what I am ready to do. Refresh. Refresh. Refresh. Can I refresh every room? Perhaps not, but I can start in the living room. And so I did. I injected a little color (OK, a lot for me) threw in some coastal vibe, and with a few small changes, I was feeling more and more refreshed by the minute.

Sometimes making a few small changes can really make an impact. My way of changes come by way of decorative pillows. I can not find an easier way to really add a jolt of color than pillows (aside from paint). They are easy on the wallet and really pack a punch.

I slowly eased out of my neutral safe place, by choosing a color pallet that I love. Green, OK, that's easy for me. I use green in the kitchen and technically green is considered a neutral.

Turquoise, I have been in love with this color for years, I can always use more!

But the color that really got me out of my comfort zone was orange.

I added just a touch, but I am really, REALLY, really loving it.




I took out my earth tone area rug, while I'm on the hunt for a sea grass rug. Believe it or not, I really thought that not having an area rug would bother me, but it's actually kind of refreshing! Sea grass rug is still on the list, but for right now, I am OK with the bare floor! Also what made a real difference for me is wall color.

I painted the living room recently from a warm gold:

To a cool stone.

This was a huge step for me. I had used this color on the walls for years, there is nothing wrong with it, but I had grown tired of it. I made the leap from the warm yellows, to the other side, of cool stone. I don't think these bright colors would have worked with gold walls.

The pillows are a combination of old and new. Between Walmart and Target, and one from Hobby Lobby. The Orange Circle pillow was at a great price ($4.99) for the cover and I just put in one of my own pillows! Super simple!

The tray was a Walmart purchase, although it did not come this color. In the acrylic/summer/ plastic section, you'll find these round trays in wimpy fading colors. Krylon paint strikes again, this time in Pumpkin Orange. I turned a 5.oo tray into a showpiece! I can't rave about this paint enough!

Fresh lilacs from our garden, in a milk glass vase...not only are they beautiful, but smell so heavenly!

I spray painted a pair of brass lamps that I found at the Goodwill. I LOVE the shape of them and for under $9 a piece, they were mine!

From Brassy:

To creamy dream!

Faux coral, beautiful shells and and hour glass, reminding me it's time to get back NC!!! :)

The garden sphere (Pier 1) looks terrific on the coffee table. Now, if I can only convince Logan it's not a ball!!


All of these accessories are easily changed and rotated. Which is a real sickness of mine. Change. rotate. love it. love doing it.

A pair of modern hostess tables got a fresh coat spray paint. They were originally an espresso brown, now they look great in turquoise!

I hung a grouping of various artwork above the sofa, most of it inexpensive art, or my own photography. I love the framed coral fern, which is probably one of my best Goodwill finds ever!!

Pillows,

Pillows,

...and more pillows!

I'm still on the hunt for a couple more orange accessories, and those lamps might see a different color before long, but so far...I love how it's feeling!

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you are inspired!

Logan's Room: Fun Projects

Oh good! You're back!

Working in Logan's room has been really fun, and I've been doing some fun projects, just to really pull the details together, I hope you like them.

First, lets do a little re-cap because I've broken his room down into so many parts!

I first showed you the Goodwill armoire: I color washed old fence planks to create a fun piece.

Thank you for all the comments on this and the great feature over at Mustard Seed Creations ! We have been living with this for a about 3 weeks now and it still makes me happy just looking at it!

Then I showed you the fabric I used in his room. The amazing women in my life helped me pull off some great sewing projects {Thank you Elaine and Colleen}

Now, for some of the handmade projects and accessories I used in his room. I know, I know, how can I use accessories in a 4 year olds room? Let's just say, very carefully!!
With the vintage feel of the key fabric I used, I started liking the idea of using vintage toys. I haven't collected a whole bunch yet, but I'm always on the look out for fun vintage toys whenever I'm thrifting.
I did find a fantastic vintage lamp that I totally love Logan really likes... I need to replace the shade, but otherwise I love the chippy finish!

On several different trips, I found vintage toy blocks, an old rattle, a glass baby bottle {I just thought it was neat, not really a toy} and a small collection of paperback classic stories. Right now I keep them in an apothecary jar on top of his dresser.

I made some of the artwork in his room and some art I kept from Keegan's room that he out grew a long, long time ago...
Remember the marquee signs that used the vinyl lettering? Well because of the digital age, those types of signs are becoming obsolete. I got my hands on a whole box of numbers and decided to do an art project.

I primed and painted an MDF board and strategically placed the numbers in a fun random pattern (that's right; strategically random. Yes, I'm a little nutty :)

I love the graphic punch and the red and white looks really great.

Right now, it's leaning above his dresser, it may stay like this....or I might come up with a different configuration down the road.

I hung a nice cast iron star right above the art piece (from Hobby Lobby). I love the juxtaposition of the graphic nature of the art with the rustic star.

I created a fun tassel for the bandanna valance on the windows. Yes, you can use a tassel in a little boys room!! :)

I made it out of a napkin ring (found at the GW) and jute twine. It was 15 minutes well spent, I love how it turned out. I think I remember making these out of yarn when I was a little girl...

I glued buttons in fun colors around the napkin ring, just to keep it playful.

I think I want to make a second one to hang on the apothecary jar lid too...

I have a real love affair going with burlap and since burlap is definitely on the rustic side, it has made it's appearance as a pennant banner. I was so inspired by Jen's Spooky Banner, that I used the same idea, just used Logan's name instead. Jen is really inspiring, if you haven't check out Tatortots and Jello, you really must! Jen always has great projects and tutorials to boot, just like this one!

I hung the banner across the curtains and I gotta tell you, I love looking at it!

I did modify Jen's method just a tad and used different font. I printed the letters I wanted to use from my word processor, laid the cut burlap pennant over the letter, traced with a Sharpie and filled in with black acrylic paint. The burlap is just transparent enough to trace out the letters. This was such an easy project, I think I will make more for the holidays!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are enjoying the process of Logan's room! I hope you're inspired! I have a couple more furniture projects to show you and the whole room reveal!

Fantastic Parties: Here

Logan's Room: Inspirational Fabric

I find great inspiration in fabric. As much as I would love to go to high end fabric sources, budgetary restraints lead me to look for alternate routes for fabric. When I saw the Lil' Cowpoke fabric at Hobby Lobby, I instantly loved it and never looked back! My MIL was with me, and was a little surprised to say the least, I'm not a "cowgirl" by any means, but the images of the cute vintage cowboy kids was just too much to resist! Not only did it offer cute nostalgic images, put a really fun color pallet that I will use as a jumping off point.

Key Fabric:

Accent Fabrics: Blue ticking, Cable knit, and denim with just a smidgen of burlap

For the window treatment, I bought 2 twin flat sheets in red at Wal-mart. To jazz them up a bit, I sewed some blue ticking on the bottom, and used a silver rod and clips.

Now for the valance, Elaine had to take over. As you know, I can sew a straight line, but when it comes to doing intricate things like the "bandanna valance" ......she's definitely my go-to gal! I had this idea of making a valance that looked like a bandanna or pocket using the key fabric and trimmed in blue ticking. And that's exactly what she gave me. and without a pattern no less!


My MIL and I made these pillows with the exception of the cable knit, which I got on clearance at Wal-mart. The denim pillow I made out of old jeans that my oldest son had outgrown.

I designed this "baby changing" station for when Logan was little. Once again Elaine executed this sewing project for me. When Logan was a baby, it held diapers, lotion, medicines, now that he's older, it holds toys and books. My design is very simple, using lined blue ticking, pockets from old jeans, etc. She made curtain style tabs and I used an old yard stick for hanging. It turned out really cute and super functional.

Elaine wasn't the only sewing contributor, Logan's great-grandma also sewed a comforter and a doggie blankie too! These women can sew! Without their help, I would not have been able to create this fun look for Logan's room!

He is a happy camper cowboy!

Thank you for stopping by! Next up, I'll be showing more details of Logan's room, like the jute tassel and Logan's name pennant!

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