a d d i n g   i n   a    b i t   o f    n a t u r e

I am having a really crazy week, so I hope this post makes sense.

Ok, focus Alison.

I have had a lot of comments on the bold colors I choose for my home. I didn't used to be so drawn to such vivid colors but I think my home really calls for fun vibrant colors. I just can't imagine my victorian decorated in more muted colors. 

To balance out all of the grass greens, beachy blue-greens, cherry reds, and yellow I have really classic neutral furnishings {either white slip-covered or classic men's library leather}.

I also have hardwood floors and sea-grass rugs that really "ground" the rooms and allow me to add color.

I was feeling this week that I did need to add some natural elements into my room.

This was a super thrifting week for me, not for furniture {darn} but accessories.

At Value-Village I got three wood bowls { $2.99 each!}

I really wanted an antique bread bowl but the one I found at a local antique store was $130, boo, I can't justify paying that.

I did find this antique bamboo mirror for $20.

{oh I really heart this mirror}

All week I have been saying very focused prayers about starting a business. What would I sell and to whom? Where would I sell my items?

Well, I went to my favorite antique store and got on the waiting list for a booth.

Baby steps. We will see what God has planned for me.

I also want to thank Miss Mustard Seed for featuring my green table this week, you have no idea how much this means to me. I can't even describe in words how much I respect her and I am a huge fan of her blog!

missmustardseed.blogspot.com/

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I need to run to the store and figure out what I am making for dinner!

m i r r o r    m a k e o v e r

a n d 

a   m i r r o r    o v e r   a   m i r r o r

I bought a thrift store mirror the other day that I was dying to make-over for my living room.

{pretty, not my style but I love the size of the mirror and the chunkiness of the frame}

I painted it with Benjamin Moore's Covington Blue, semi-gloss.

{love love love this color}

{oh, I might need to clean the mirror!}

 I added big black wood knobs. 

The knobs add interest to the mirror.

Also, above my mantel I used to only have the little round mirror and I knew the wall called for something more substantial so I added the big mirror behind the little mirror. It really brightens up the room.

{the big mirror was on the wall that I added the new blue mirror}

I always add a fun mirror to a wall if I get really stuck on how to decorate it.

s l e e p i n g    b e a u t y

I got the cute Craigslist bed yesterday, it is very sweet. 

{my car on the other hand is a disaster, two kids 2 hours in the car}

Remember here is the before.

I decided to use the same {leafy green, American Accents by Rust-oleum} as I used on my family room table.

I had extra paint and I had this a green polka dot bedspread, the same color, that used to be in my daughters room.

Last night was the first night Camden slept in her new bed, it went well!

 I did have to rearrange some of the furniture once the bed was in.

I am happy with the results!

r e d   d r u m   t a b l e

I have just a quick little before and after project for you. I bought this little antique drum table for $5.99 a couple months ago. It was cute, I love the shape but I am pretty sure it is wood veneer and well it looked a bit cheap.

It needed some lovin.

I sanded and added three coats of Krylon Cherry Red.

{my favorite red spray paint}

I will get a paint sprayer one of these days, I need to get around to researching and pricing them, but for this little project spray paint worked fine.

Then I did a little bit of distressing on top. 

{yes...crazy for me! I usually like crisp glossy finishes}

You might think I am going color crazy with my furniture finds this week but I did buy a Tiger Oak dining table for my kitchen nook that was a STEAL~! 

And I am not going to touch that beauty with paint.

{pictures of oak table later this week}

please scroll down to see what sites this was linked to.

g o i n g    g r e e n

A few weeks ago I showed you my family room. I had this cute little white cottage table. The kids kept messing with the casters and moving the table around. I needed the casters on the table to raise it for the kids chairs to fit under.

{oh and I took off the curtains to the office, much better and brighter}

This table is the most used piece of furniture in my house and this room is definitely the heart of our home.

I needed to come up with a solution, and possibly a free solution?

I had bought this $10 craigslist table a few months ago and I didn't like it in the kitchen. Too much black, not bright and cheery like the rest of the house. I knew if I hung onto it I would find something to do with it.

{I also took the curtains out of this room, what is with me?}

So I cut the legs down.

{I did this with a hand saw, I really need to get some better tools}

Then I needed to decide what color. This is the hardest part. White was out, it shows too many crayon marks. 

Then I went off to the store to look for some aqua blue spray paint, but they were out of the color I like. But I found this color, and thought, oh why not!

{leafy green, American Accents by Rust-oleum}

It picks up the color from the pretty trees outside.

Do you think I am crazy for going green?

One of the greatest things about this makeover is my husband. He didn't even blink and eye when he got home from work or say "Um what is with the big green table taking over our family room?"

He is a happy table and now I need to think of a nickname for him.

Please scroll down to see what this was linked to.

w h i t e    s i d e b o a r d

I finally have a new before and after for you! I bought a thrift store oak sideboard last week.

I hope I don't hurt your feelings by painting this, but I think it was ugly. It is just my personal opinion.

 I sanded, brushed on two coats of primer and three coats of high gloss white paint.

I wanted something light and bright since all of the other furniture in the room is painted black. I was considering painting it yellow or turquoise but I really didn't want to compete with the stain glassed window.

I decided to make my own curtains instead of buying pre-made panels. The windows required 96" panels not the standard 84" and I wasn't thrilled with the selection out there for 96" panels.

Plus I wanted something fun. I chose this Waverly Fabric from Fabric.com

I didn't add lining, I wanted the light to shine through.

The fabric is definitely darker turquoise in person but I actually like it better that way.

It took 6 yards to make the curtains.

I added these darling bird pulls that I purchased from a local store called Dwell.

These from Anthropologie would be sweet.

I had extra Waverly fabric so I reupholstered my desk chairs

 I also added the bird pulls to my desk.

Here is the view from my family room.

I think it turned out sweet.
Please scroll down to see what this post was linked to.

 f a v o r i t e    h o u s e    f r i d a y

Yeah it is Friday! This house is one or two blocks away from where I live, I have been walking/driving by this house everyday very curious what they were doing inside. 

Yes, I have even walked up the front porch and peaked in.

I knew this house recently sold and the new owners were "flipping" it so that made me even more eager to know what was going on inside. 

Guess what! The new listing came on today! I love the new/old cottage, I think they really captured what the home needed to be.

I love the yellow they chose as an accent color around the doors/windows.

 This bathroom is perfection....well maybe more counter space, but the pedestal sink is cute.

 I want to sit on this porch with a glass of wine {or two}.

 cozy

 fantastic view

Darling kitchen. It has the marble counters and subway tiles I want.

u p d a t e {s}

Hello! This cute boy above went back to school today, I think he is feeling much better after a week home with mom.

I wasted no time today. I have already made two trips to the dump and one to Goodwill {to drop things off, not actually buy things for once}

I am in spring cleaning mode. I realized that now that I making room in my basement for a playroom I don't have a place to paint furniture, so I am tackling cleaning out my garage before I finish the basement playroom project.

I feels good to be productive today, maybe I will even have some good projects to share with you this week!