Who Would Have Thought....

I came across a few super chic finds from the most unexpected place, I'm not even sure how I wondered on over to their website.....I NEVER shop here!  I guess you can find treasures just about anywhere!  Just have to take the time to look!

 Have you all been to Kirkland's lately?

Check out a few of these items, I may just have to snag one of these gorgeous sale mirrors for myself!

sale $59!

sale $59!

sale $59!

$39

sale $349!

$89

These would look fabulous, and very Jonathan Adler-esque spray painted a beautiful glossy white!

Oh, and they are only $12!!  Perfect for a little white makeover!

Side Table Dilemma

I mentioned in an earlier post that I  have been looking for a new side table for the living room.  Not even sure exactly what I want, I'm open to just about any shape and am pretty flexible about the color as well!  I've just been looking for something that speaks to me!
  I've seen several that I've liked enough to bring them home and try out,  but I seem to be running into the same problem with all of them!  " What's the problem?" you ask!   Have you noticed that most of the side tables out there seem to be uber short!  I mean, many of them have felt like Elf furniture ( you know that scene from Elf where Will Ferrel is too big for the little elf beds and chairs, well that keeps popping in my head every time I bring a table home to try it out! ) maybe it's just me!  And it's not like Karl, my sofa is tall or anything;  in fact it's actually on the lower, more modern side of things!  

I thought I found the perfect table when I ran into Target this past week!  I love this little table, and it is such a great price on sale for $69!

I mean you can even open the side panel and put something inside!  And check out that West Elm looking pattern on the sides!  LOVE!
Then I hear a voice say "isn't that one shorter than the last one?!"  ugh, why did  Josh have to go and burst my bubble!  But he was right, it barely made it up to my knees....well maybe right over my knees but still!  I like to wear heals a lot of the time, and really don't want to feel like a giant next to my furniture!  Maybe if I'm decorating a kiddie room this would be a perfect fit, but it does not fit the size I'm looking for!

So my weekend project is going to be undertaking the design and building of the perfect side table for my living room!  

First, I checked out Ane White's website to see if I could find anything with the feel of what I was looking for. While I LOVE her site, I just didn't see what I wanted!  But she has so many building tips, that I'm sure to keep her site handy this weekend!   

 So I'm designing something myself!

Totally not even going to use a pattern or anything.....haha I guess you don't use a pattern for wood working, but you get the idea.  I'm relatively certain I can complete this.....if it doesn't work out I guess I'll be back to the never ending search for the perfect side table....or at least one tall enough!

  

Here's is a little inspiration for what I am going to attempt to build this weekend!  Don't you love the nail head trim!  The color and trim are right in this photo, but I'm working on a different shape!

So stay tunned for a side table update this weekend!

Is it just me, or have you all notice the super tinie tiny side tables that have been floating around?!

My Tuesday

 Because I work on Saturdays, I'm normally off on Tuesdays and typically use that day to work on projects around the apartment.  This past month however, has been a little different.  Between working most Tuesdays this past month or something else randomly coming up, I just can't seem to check anything off my list of projects!
Something else came up this past Tuesday, but I can't complain, I had too much fun!

Anyway let me explain, my sister who lives in California has had a bit of a rough time lately with her new..well  four month old, little girl.  Her Husband is deployed; and has been, pretty much since she was born,  Her poor little thing has not been doing so well, it just seems to be one thing after another.   Originally my mom went out to help her for the first month or so, but came back when things got a little easier.  Well this past week, my sister found out that her little one has something called hip dysplasia and will have to wear a brace of some sort to help the problem!
Normally my mom watches my nephew while my other sister is at work ( most daycares in the area have a 6-12 month wait!)  but with everything going on she decided to head back to California to help that sister.  Well that left this sister a little short on the baby watching front!   Are you keeping up with which sister is which?!  It's very confusing trying to explain people without using their names!  I guess I could go all Dr. Suess on you and call them sister one and sister two!  Just count yourself lucky there are only two sister's in this rather long explanation, in case you are wondering there are four girls and one boy in my family!  Now that could get confusing in a little narrative!
 Well, long story short, I offered to watch the little bugger for the day!
He was too much fun!

First off let me just say I DO NOT know how you ladies with kiddos get anything done!  AND my little nephew is such an easy baby, he never fusses!  But I couldn't paint or work with power tools...cause you know....babies and chemical-ly smelling fumes  and power tools, don't mix!  

Josh took the day off to hang out with me and the little guy!  It was so cute!  I came out of the bedroom to see them chillin on the floor, watching a cartoon and talking!  Yes at three months old the little guy loves to talk!

So while Josh was entertaining the little one, I decided it was about time to tackle my dirty little secret......

seriously it's pretty scary!  Cue music from Psycho!  

This stand is right outside of my closet and has become a total catch-all as I get ready in the morning!

Do you see the boxes at the bottom right corner, they are Christmas ornaments that never got put away!!   I mean COME ON!  Christmas was forever ago, and I still haven't put them away!

I gave it a quick clean up before I moved onto cleaning up this flying mess in my closet!

This stand will soon be replaced by a wood dresser, just as soon as I get the new- to- me dresser repainted!  Since it will soon be replaced, I haven't been that stressed about making it look pretty!

I'm thinking I may try to take this old stand apart and remake it into a sofa table for my living room, we'll see how that turns out!

I got a good start on the closet, but had to stop because this little guy decided to wake up!

Anyway, who wants to finish cleaning when it's so much more fun getting this little cutie  to laugh!

Words to Start the Day With!

Pinterest

Faux Bamboo!

First off, let me just say that I think I have failed EPICALLY in posting projects this week! ahhhh!
I can't seem to get back in the swing of things....have I mentioned that I am trying to lose weight and get back into shape?  On top of working a full time job and trying to get my butt back to the gym ( Bonus, I have lost 7 pounds this last month!)  I just haven't been able to motivate myself to post!  

Well.... I may need to make another New Years resolution!  haha!  Can I do that five months into the year?!?!  a quarter year resolution?  Well whatever it's called, I'm going to do my best to be more focused and get stuff done!  .....well at least I'm going to try!

Anyway, I finished this little project a week or so ago and thought I would share it with you all!

  I have had a love affair with faux bamboo furniture for the longest time.  I love these pieces below, they are definitely what inspired this next DIY project! 

Sorry, I don't remember  where these images are from,!
They have been in my inspiration file for a while!

I want everyone of these pieces, but I'm not sure I will ever be able to afford any of them!  Even if I won the lottery I'm not sure I would actually spend the kind of money most of these pieces probably cost!  When I was looking for some, most pieces I liked rang in around $1,000!  Yikes!  I'm too cheap to spend that, even if I LOVE them!

A few weeks ago I ran into my local Goodwill store to see if I could find  an end table for my living room.  No such luck in that department, but I did manage to snag these great faux bamboo frames!  Three of them for $3!  My kind of price to fulfill my faux bamboo love!  If I couldn't find the perfect piece of bamboo furniture then I would have to be satisfied with these great bamboo frames! 

Opps! I already started painting one, so only two of my lovely faux bamboo frames got their pictures taken!

The moment I saw them I knew they would be coming home with me! I also thought that they would look fabulous with a gorgeous shade of turquoise paint, which as it turns out I had just pick up from Lowe's a few days previous!

I popped out the images and got to work!

This low VOC Valspar paint went on like a dream with my Purdy paintbrush, love working with this non-stinky paint!

My original thought was that they would look great above my chalkboard side table, but I really HATED it here! Definitely NOT working for me! 

 Something was just off!  It could be the lampshade and table were just a little too shabby chic for my tastes anymore.   I have plans to replace the lampshade with a gorgeous drum shade of some sort, as well as to replace the table, both are on my list of living room makeover musts!

So for now, because I LOVE them, they will sit atop my Ikea bookcase for me to enjoy looking at in my living room!

I just love the bamboo details!

I'm thinking of painting this lampshade with a chalkboard paint!  

 I love how bright and happy this turquoise paint makes my $3 frames, makes me smile every time I look at them!

I'd rest my bum here!

You've heard me say that I'm trying to pull my living room together...well,  I know what I like, but don't always like the price! 

 Champagne taste on a .....well lets just say a teeny tiny budget!  So sometimes it takes me ages to find a piece of furniture I'm willing to buy.  Needless to say, I'm always online browsing for furniture.  Sometimes I come across such a wonderful, unique piece that it makes me want to go out right now and buy a house so I would have a place for it!  Like this gorgeous chair from TJMaxx!  Sigh.....still love it!

  I'm trying to find the perfect chair...not to big....not to little....but comfy with the style I want; a reading chair where I could curl up with a good book,  for my living area.  Well I haven't found that YET, but I did come across this wonderfully, gorgeous chair from World Market that got my heart beating!  I mean I want to go out right now and buy a house so I would have someplace to put it!!  I just love it!

It's not the cheapest deal I've ever seen, but it's not bad at around $100.  I think you get a lot of look for the money!  You can also sign up for their World Market Explorer deals, and get coupons and discounts emailed to you all the time!

Think you might want to rest your bum here!  Well, you can find it right here at World Market!

Getting back to Business!

So I am trying to get back to business, and really finish a lot of the projects that were put on hold last month.

I wasn't completely idle with everything that was going on this past month, but mostly I only got to the start-it phase of my projects!  So I'm going to be finishing up a lot of projects soon!

I did want to show you all some design work I've been up to!  

I've been helping one of my favorite budget design blogs.  She is also one of the first blogs I started reading and following when I got into this whole blog thing!  

Strictly Simple Style!

Here is some of the new look I helped her with!

Make sure you go check out her fresh new look!