Happy Halloween!

In the past, I haven't had too much to contribute in terms of enthusiasm for the Halloween "season".  I love fall though, and get so inspired by all of the wonderfully changing colors, crisp air, and the harvest season of thanksgiving.  Because we've enjoyed a longer autumn this year, I've been more motivated than usual to put out a few decorations, and spread a little Halloween cheer.

Our church puts on a huge event called Pumpkin Patch every year, and my husband and I enjoy volunteering there by doing carnival games, face painting, cookie decorating, and seeing thousands (yes, kids come to the event by the thousands!) of adorable little ones in their costumes.  Because of this though, we miss handing out candy to the neigborhood kids and enjoying being part of the festivities on our street.  I don't want to be "that neighbor" who skips out on everything, but since we kind of are, I put together these little treat sacks to make sure everyone knows we haven't forgotten them!

These felt bags were a cute $0.50 find at Target--here they're part of the table centerpiece

Brownies with dark chocolate drizzle and candy corn-colored sprinkles.  I'd be lying if I said I didn't do some "sampling" along the way!

 Like these kids won't have enough sweets to munch on, the brownies (and more candy--I had to make sure to fill the treat sacks!) will add to the sugar-high.  Pretty cute though, and I hope it helps score some points with the neighbors! 


Have a great weekend, and enjoy the festivities!

We Love New York City

My husband is known for his ability to surprise and impress.  During our first year of marriage, he managed to orchestrate a birthday trip to Las Vegas, and kept it a beautiful secret from me until the day we left.  As if I wasn't ecstatic enough, when we arrived to our hotel later that day, I looked across the lobby and locked eyes with my dear brother and sister-in-law--they'd flown to Vegas from Canada as part of my husband's grand master plan of surrounding me with the people I loved the most on my birthday.  I was beyond impressed!  So for this year--my 30th--I kind of had a "hunch" that there was something up his sleeve, but as usual, I had no idea what.  Imagine my delight when he announced that we'd be spending a whirlwind 4-day weekend exploring the Big Apple!  We had an amazing time together, experiencing a place that neither of us had ever been.  Its impossible to recap all that we did, and although the photos tell a million stories, I wanted to capture the memories in a little project.  It had to be inexpensive "art", since we'd definitely spent our wad in NYC!  Here's what I did:

First, I sifted through my purse and suitcase for any and all remnants that represented places we'd been or things we'd seen that weekend.  I was particularely drawn to the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island ferry tickets for their graphic nature and turquoise color scheme.

Based on the color scheme of the little "tokens" I collected, I chose this pretty rubbed-silver frame.  It has a mat with a linen wrapping, and I thought the natural textures would be a nice contrast to the graphic nature of the project.

I decided to create 3/4" x 2" tiles and arrange them in a brick-set pattern.  I thought these little "subway tiles" would be another great reference to New York!

I love how the final product turned out, and how its an unconventional way of preserving a few of our memories from that weekend.  Along with the framed "V", its also an inexpensive (under $25) art piece for my ever-changing mantle displays.

White Kitchens: What Everyone Should Know

White is the new white. This is a kitchen scheme that is not going anywhere anytime soon. Which in my eyes is a good thing because it allows us to create kitchen spaces that are classic and timeless--or at least in our 21st-century eyes "timeless". With this in mind, I thought I'd offer a few pieces of advice to keep in mind when pursuing your dream of a white kitchen.

1. Finish is everything.
There are many ways to achieve the color "white", but quality and proper finishing techniques are critical when it comes to creating a white that will stand the test of time.  Professional finishes can range from those that are factory-finished (in the case of box cabinets), shop finished (in the case of custom cabinets), or site finished (in the case of custom and existing cabinetry).  There are distinct features to every process, and every cabinetry type will have its own set of pros and cons.  Because white can be unforgiving in many ways, do your research and make sure you understand the type of finish and the process that will be used in the application you choose.

 The Woodshop of Avon

2. Choose your white carefully

All whites are not created equally, and what looks great in the showroom or on the paint chip may not be the "right white" in your home. A professional designer should always provide expert advice, as well as adequate color sampling to ensure the white is right for your space. Once your cabinets are in, this is an expensive and difficult thing to change, so its important to get it right the first time!

4. Consider a secondary color
There's certainly nothing wrong with doing an all-white color scheme--if you like white, embrace it.  Keep in mind though, that white is less forgiving than other finishes, and depending on your lifestyle can show wear over time.  It may be wise to consider a secondary color or wood species at an island space.  If you have an area that will be the "hub" of entertaining, food prep, and gathering, a darker finish or harder wood could be just the thing to hide life's wear and tear situations.

Source

5. Layer in texture
Either visual or tactile, to add interest and dimension to an all white color scheme. You can do this in subtle, yet effective ways through the use of backsplash material, countertop surfaces or textiles within the space.

Fiddlehead Design Group

Click here for some additional great color advice (and more beautiful photos) on white kitchens.

The Newlywed nest: Part Two

After posting photos of my (former) luxurious bathroom, I got all nostalgic thinking about that first house as a married girl.  I realized I had these shots of our pretty living room.......I loved how this small, but light-filled and comfortable space was starting to look.  Thankfully, we did get to enjoy it for a little while before we moved.  Our new place has a larger living room, and many of the furnishings made the move with us, but I haven't quite gotten everything "just so".  When I finally do, I'll be sure to post pictures.

This was definitely a cool-toned space, but there was a quiet warmth to it.  I used Restoration Hardware's Light Silver Sage on the walls, and was delighted to find a beautiful rug at HomeGoods that was in the same color tones--very restful.

A great reading chair by the window.  The framed "V" hanging on the wall was a gold-leafed Christmas ornament I found on clearance after the season was over.  I love letters and typography, so I gave it a prominent place by the front door as a monogram tribute to my new last name.

There you have it......a little look into my former love-nest.  Of course we love our new "work in progress house", and hope to give it that wonderful feeling of home in the years to come.

Before and After Bathroom: From the newlywed nest

After my husband and I got married, we lived in the house that he'd purchased during his bachelor years.  It was a charming little Cape Cod with many adorable little features--he did very well on his first home purchase.  Of course the moment I moved in, my nesting instincts took over, and  it was time to re-vamp, re-decorate, and re-design!  This bathroom project is one that I'm kind of proud of, and it actually managed to win a first place design award in a state-wide competition.

This bathroom contained a mix of cobbled together elements--peeling mirrored wallpaper, linoleum flooring, plastic wall tile, and a child-size vanity.  Not the cool, relaxing oasis we were going for.

 

Say ahhhhhh.........The makeover brought such a classic cool to the room.  I love Cararra marble (can you tell?), and in this case, you can't have too much of a good thing!

                                          

                                            

 

These photos bring back fond memories for me of my first home as a newlywed, and that bathroom was a wonderful spa/oasis that it was hard to say goodbye to.  But we parted ways when we sold that first little house over a year ago to move into another wonderful house that is full of projects.  Hopefully, this new "nest" will lead to many great makeovers--we'll just have to wait and see!

Mr. Owl

Its been ages since I've posted anything to do with our little modern cottage. Not that there's been a lack of activity, that's for sure. Over the past few months (with the exception of July when my husband decided that it was his "month off" from any sort of renovation work ;), we've been busy painting walls and trim, tackling wallpaper removal and skim coating (an unfortunate pursuit that will be the subject of a later post). Then there's the kitchen/dining area, which is almost completely complete, but of course in the eyes of a designer, nothing is ever quite "finished". I did a little photo shoot this past weekend of the finished project, which showcases our labor of love, and makes for a great before and after (more photos to come). Here's a little sneak peak of my recent spray painting project--our new kitchen mascot!

This little guy was a ceramics project that my mom did in the 1970's--glossy brown with speckles--not exactly cookie-jar-chic. I think the results are fabulous!