Thursday, June 28, 2012

miracles never cease...

Detail Boy and I had one hour this morning too quickly buzz through Ikea
 in search of ideas for his room,
 and that included a trip to the restaurant for a breakfast of swedish meatballs...yuck!

It was a success, we have a furniture plan and paint color! 

Here are some peeks...

Besta cabinets in black -brown finish above the bed and nightstands flanking the bed
 creating a built in look. (No TV, despite persistent negotiating!)
 He likes the addition of hardware.


Mellby Chair in Eldris Black & White

I had already put these charcoal paint samples up in his room.
One of the displays at Ikea had this wall color with the dark Besta cabinets,
and he liked it!  Woo hoo!


I suggested this rug for some fun texture, but it got nixed because of the 
'friction!' 


We need to decide on bedding, lighting, rug and a few accessories,
 but the fact that we made these decisions in less than an hour is pretty 
miraculous! 

I almost forgot to share his previous choice...I kid you not!


On a serious note, please pray for our state, as you've no doubt heard,
 the fires are causing untold devastation, thousands have been evacuated and
hundreds have lost their homes, resources are limited and the forecast is for
the unseasonably hot weather to continue. 
Despite my joking about miracles, we're in desperate need of one.
Wishing you a safe weekend, my friends! 





Wednesday, June 27, 2012

the simplest july 4th decor & hostess gift...

...simple yet patriotic! 


It's our family tradition to spend a few days over the 4th of July holiday in Vail.
I like our home to look festive for our neighbors and housesitter,
 but since we're not here I keep the decor to a minimum.


I've had these flags for years (dumpster dives after a parade!),
I pull them out every year and stick them in the
window boxes and the urns on our front porch....5 minutes at the most!

Similar flags can be found at the Dollar Store.
Just add them to any pot on your porch.

On Saturday we're invited to a fun BBQ with some of our favorite friends and their
families. I put together a quick and easy hostess gift. Since we'll be bringing food and
we like to take something to drink as well, I kept the hostess gift small.


A simple glass canister with custom label and one of Ikea's dish towels.
I added a festive ribbon trim.
The candy is a treat for their kiddos, I hope they appreciate that it coordinates! :)


In case you missed it, one of my favorite bloggers, Maryann from classic. casual. home.,
just did a great collection of hostess gift ideas here
She inspired me to add something to my thrifting list that would makes any
 friend, neighbor or hostess
smile!  


Tuesday, June 26, 2012

would you care if someone copied you???


I found an idea I LOVE on someone's blog.
I saved it to my 'DIY Projects' board on Pinterest  here,
(probably along with hundreds ? thousands? of others)
 9 weeks ago and didn't give it another thought, until today.

It is an incredible update of a buffet/hutch, similar to the one I just purchased.
I would love to copy it, but for some reason I'm feeling guilty.
I wouldn't care if anyone copied anything I shared, that's the point of my blog.

I'm just not sure everyone feels that way, do you share my philosophy?
Or, do I need to look at it from a different perspective?

Are you dying to see it???
Samaa from Honey Sweet Home is the talent behind it...

  

...isn't it gorgeous?

Here is her before...


Here is mine...

image 3
  
image 2

I had planned to add interesting hardware to the center of the cabinet doors.
I was undecided about what I would do with the hutch, my friend Suzy even suggested
painting or applying fabric to the back.

I'd love to copy it exactly do a similar version. :)
Would you care if someone copied you?




Monday, June 25, 2012

fresh fruit inspired decor...


                               Enjoy...                                                  

bradbournefarm.blogspot.com

elledecor
naturelivings.blogspot.com

conspicusousstyle.com

kinderpedia.com
theboxwoodterrace.com

docakilah.wordpress.com
elle decor


google.com

Pinterest via Lucia Marie

arcadianhome.com



producegeek.com

designersattic.com

birdworms.com

a-touch-of-luxe.blogspot.com

One of my favorite things about summer! 


Sunday, June 24, 2012

craigslist came through...


I planned on sharing the kitchen remodel today. But, after spending an hour taking photos and
having issues, then going to three stores to find a new camera battery,
 I came home empty handed, and ordered one online.
The worst part (besides wasting my day) is my flowers and fruit won't be fresh by the
time I get to take the photos...grrrr!  

On to the better part of the weekend...Friday I found some chairs for the dining room.
Not what I originally had in mind, but I loved the detail on the backs and knew
 as soon as I saw them, the style would add nice interest to the room.

image 1

The table and this buffet came with the deal...$250.
I LOVE the buffet, it's 70 inches long and would fit in my dining or living room.
Mr. Simple had a hard time wrapping his head around what we would do with
the pieces already in those rooms, but I assured him we could try all of them
in a lot of different places and it would work out!  :)

image 3

This hutch goes on top of the buffet, and the sweet little elderly lady told me it
was the prettiest part of all. I stupidly mentioned I may not use it and she
relayed that she did the stained glass herself, I immediately took a liking to it
so I wouldn't hurt her feelings!
I can visualize it being a beautifully updated piece with a little paint and
creativity in place of the stained glass.

image 2

Maybe something like this...


via
or this...

buffet
via

I'm leaning toward not using the hutch, I think it may make the room feel a little closed in,
but we'll see after we get it home.

We still need to pick everything up, as I hadn't planned on buying a boatload of furniture...
Craigslist can be dangerous!
Have you bought anything you don't need lately?


Thursday, June 21, 2012

al fresco dining...

One of my favorite things about summer is dinner on our deck with friends.
We're having guests on Saturday who haven't ever been to our home,
that means I can serve one of my go-to menus, it's perfect if you'd like to serve
 something a tad more upscale than burgers. 


Everything can be prepared ahead except grilling the chicken and
dressing the salad.

The Junior League of Denver cookbooks are the best, I have several and have tried
 many of the recipes over the years, some of my favorites are included in my menu:

MENU

Bruschetta
Grilled Sesame Chicken
 Spinach and Berries Salad with Dill
 (shown on the cover above, recipe here)
Cold Sesame Asparagus
Key Lime Pie

 My simple Bruschetta recipe & Key Lime Pie  I shared here.



I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

I know it sounds like I'm gong overboard with the 'sesame,' but the asparagus
doesn't have sesame seeds and has a much different flavor than the chicken.
They compliment each other nicely.

Sesame grilled chicken
photo courtesy of recipes.com

flicker.com
Sesame Asparagus Recipe

Cold Sesame Asparagus

2 lbs. fresh asparagus
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/2 t. salt
1Tbsp. sesame oil

Blanch asparagus in boiling water about 1 minute. Drain, immerse in ice water.
Drain again and pat dry. In large bowl combine soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, salt and
sesame oil. No more than 1 hour before serving add asparagus to soy sauce
mixture and toss. Chill at least 30 minutes.

As always, simple and easy to prepare dishes, so you don't miss out on the party!

Hope your weekend includes some al fresco dining...
be it dinner with friends, a casual picnic, or a hot dog at the ball park!
Enjoy!






Wednesday, June 20, 2012

cowhide rug


What I love about my cowhide rug...


it's neutral...


it makes a subtle, yet interesting statement...


it doesn't compete with other patterns...


it will work in any room...

  
it's not too popular... 


it gives my room a casual element, it's unexpected, and
it's me!


American Furniture Warehouse
100% Natural Cowhide Handcrafted in Brazil
$225
Online description here - Available in stores only



Tuesday, June 19, 2012

hide and creeps??

I've always loved cowhide rugs.
 It seems most people have a love or hate relationship with them.
  Do you think they have an unexpected elegance or do they give you the creeps?

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birchandbird.com 
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greigedesign.blogspot.com
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houzz.com
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willowdecor.blogspot.com
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google.com
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4bp.blogspot.com
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emilyclark.com
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fortheloveofahouse.com
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cotedetexas.blogspot.com
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housebeautiful.com

I might have a new one to show you tomorrow! :)
See all the creases in the photo above, mine has had books stacked on it
to press them out for a few days, but if it's good enough for House Beautiful
 I'm not waiting another day! 


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