Just For Fun...

Ok, just for fun, 

 - and  since i have nothing else interesting to talk about right now- 

let me go back and do a little before and after of part of my living room... mainly the sofa and chairs

 I mean it's not Fabulous, Amazing , Shocking, like some i've seen... but it's better!

I'll start with an after photo, so people's eyeballs won't break when they see the picture on the blog post...

sofa before, bought on craigs list

Living room before with random cool vintage sofas

and ginormous vintage rug that weighs a thousand pounds that i grabbed at the Le recyling centre

(the dump)

sofa after slipcover with blue pillow...'

and a couple of great lamps from TJ Maxx

sofa after with flowers behind it....

here the walls are the original kinda yellowy color, i lightened them to "canvas natural" by Ralph Lauren

and decided the faux flowers were too much, even though i kinda liked them...

sofa after with plates all around the mirror...

cute, but it got a little annoying after a while... seemed like too much

as you can see, i'm constantly changing the pillows... and the stuff on the sofa table

one more...

sofa now with just 3 plates over the top

a few more befores...

after

notice i white washed the gold mirror 

chairy before...

chairy after slipcover...

Chairs before slipcovers...

sofa looking messy with throw on the middle because kids are home and they like to eat things like pizza and chocolate stuff while they sit on it...

 before....

chairs after...

So it all was a process, still ongoing..

I guess one of the best changes was lightening the walls and painting the living, dining room and kitchen all the same color

i added a seagrass rug from ikea, it's GREAT and was not that expensive

adding lots of mirrors everywhere!  I'm sure any decorator would say i have too many mirrors, but i don't care... they're cheap and you can fix them up!

finding that square coffee table on craigslist, it was dark wood, and I painted white and distressed it...  

the rest, the mantel and the coffee table and little stuff gets switched around all the time!

But the very best thing i spent my money on, 

and believe me.. i don't have much money, so it was a splurge

were the slipcovers...

I love my white sofa and chairs

I guess if i had to choose between something practical like new tires so i could drive safely to work,

and slipcovering a cool old chair

i would just drive a little slower... ;)

so total cost over a couple of years

well, lets add it up!

paint  around $50.00

sofa craigs list $75.00

sofa fabric $150.00

sofa slipcover $400.00

one chair thrift shop $19.99

other matching chair free

chair slipcovers for two chairs $250.00 each  $500.00

fabric for chairs $100.00

lamps TJ Maxx around $40.00

rug ikea around $140.00

random mirrors $150.00

craigs list coffee table $75.00

$1699.00

Holy Crap!  

did I spend that much!  That's alot! at least for me!

but to redo a whole living room, maybe that's not too bad

and i had to save up each time for the slipcovers...

you could actually go to Ikea and buy two really cute white slipcovered Ectorp chairs for around $250.00 each

but i couldn't get to Ikea

anyway, i've never really added all this up before the post, so while i recover from trying to show you a thrifty makeover that wasn't really that particularly thrifty

...

let me end with these gorgeous pink flowers from Pinterest after boring you with another rendition of my living room...

wouldn't this make a cool painting done on a really big canvas!!!?

ok, when i "previewed" this post, some of my fonts were all BIG and wacky... the only thing i really typed in extra large was the 
"HOLY CRAP"  part
so if it looks like i'm yelling stuff with big fonts,... sorry guys, i have no idea why that is going on!

...the end...

New Painting - She Reminds Me of a Flower

I've been working on this delicate lady for the past couple of weekends... I'm close enough to finished, so i thought i'd show you guys - 

She reminds me of a flower...

kinda like this bouquet from Pinterest

that's all for now...

the end

Pretty Little Sconce....

I ordered this little sconce from Amy of Maison Decor, she has an Etsy shop, 

where she sells all kinds of treasures,  and when she showed it on her blog post, i just fell in love...

It was here in about 2 days!

This is from her house, and it's her photograph....

the faded blue white on the little rose is the most perfect color

here it is at my house, with my photos...

I loved it in this funky little spot beside my "dream"  i painted on the wall over the bed, 

which by the way, you can see, still needs some touching up...  

uh... you can tell a little difference in the photos can't you... 

...oh man...

Amy has a new camera, and she knows how to use it!

ok, AND... (watch me justify bad photos) these were taken this morning, getting ready for work, running late, without my glasses, and when i was in a partial morning stupor... ready to run out the door...

I'm definitely a night person

here is a nightime photo of it, it's just the cutest little sconce ever

now when mr. fractured and i snuggle, 

i can light this candle, 

and i will look alot better than i really do in the candlelight!

i am trying to refinance my house, and yesterday i had to sign about 800 sheets of paper that had really legal important looking numbers and writing on them, none of which i understood at all...

and then fax it all to a mortgage refinancer guy,

it's possible i just sold my left kidney and i don't know it...

ok, i don't have anything else interesting to talk about 

so

here is a little bouquet, just for you guys

wish i could hand deliver it!

 happy Thursday!

look at my messy sofa in the background, i doubt i'm gonna get a job staging photos anytime soon...

the end...

I Actually Did Something Crafty...

Ok, so you probably think since i paint, i can do all kinds of crafty creative things.. nope, not really... 

But i did pull this one out... and i think it's kinda cool...

I collect all kinds of funky, sparkly jewelry from everywhere... i really like the kind that costs around $1.00 at the thrift shop...  But it is a BIG JUMBLED MESS... and i don't wear some of it, because i can't see it half the time... 

Sooooo...

I got an old mirror from my friends shop, Fetch Antiques and Interiors...,  the frame was dull goldish brown, but had lots of texture...

and i took the mirror out of the frame, and took it in the backyard, and spray painted the heck out of it...

and i was thinking i wanted some old screen or old rusty chicken wire to staple in the frame to hang stuff on... and was trying to figure out where i could go steal  

find some, because i didn't want any new shiny stuff...

anyway, (lord this story is getting long) i thought about these lace remnants i had... and thought i'd try stapling them on the backside...

and it worked!  and i thought i was so clever... 

people who don't craft alot think they're really clever when they think of something... 

probably 10 million other people have already done this whole lace in the frame thing....

and then i just started adding jewelry to it...

my walls aren't really pond scum green, it's the light

I kinda liked it plain with just the lace, and didn't want to junk it up, but geesh, i was making to hold the jewelry for goodness sake...

do you see that little glass ornament thing, i'm gonna take out the shredded paper and put little flowers in it, won't that be sweet... little violets, or this time of the year,  pansies

anyway, it's in the bathroom right beside where i look in my 10X mirror, put on my makeup,  and try to decide what the new thing growing on my face is... and if it's really safe to inject botulism that close to your brain... 

I've tried to take photos of my bathroom before to show you guys but, it is basically impossible to get a good shot, because all the shots are aiming directly into a window...

but here are a few pics anyway

because if you're like me, you're nosy, and you like to look at other people's stuff...

It's not that great or anything, but here it is... 

sure would love some wide planked chippy white hardwood floors in here... 

the cabinets were builders grade brown particle board, and i painted them white...

the chandelier was $15.00 at the Habitat for Humanity shop

that was a score!

the little ottoman underneath the slipcover was beat to death, so i emailed Christiana at Ruffled Linens she has a shop on Etsy

and she custom made a heavenly fully ruffled  linen slipcover for me for a great price!

ummm, notice my Rachel Ashwell swatches Amy gave me... I've been playing with them...

I have lots's of ruffled things hanging everywhere...

this cool old vanity tucked in the corner...  you 

can see it better in the first photo...

some vintage lace that i just tacked up for a little curtain...

and then, beside the toilet this cute little table with lace that i bought from "Nest", a little shop near me

It's a great place to stash things

...like your toilet tissue, and your vodka...

lots of random stuff, shells, dried hydrangeas, mirrors i've found at the thrift shop...

i can be pretty darn shabby... maybe not in a good way sometimes

, 

anyway, that's the bathroom overview... i'm really thinking of painting it this grayish lavender that Amy of Maison Decor painted her hall... I'm just itchin to do that... I went to her blog to try and find a photo of it, but AMY, i can't find it!  

the end

OK Guys, What the Heck Is This Thing Called, and Where Can I Find One!?

This is a photo from Pinterest... and I love what they did here with the silver platters... Sooooooo.... I tried looking online for a  

tiered towel holder/three tiered wall tray hanger/whatever, etc.....

I have no idea what this is called... Do Ya'll???

 Because i think this looks great...

and I'm asking you, because you guys know stuff!!

 It's such a cute and functional idea isn't it!

Be great on a wall in the kitchen...

the end...

The Most Beautiful Skirt in the World ...

My friend Amy, of 'Maison Decor' is the best... 

I tell her all the awful stupid things going on in my life... especially stuff about my kids, who will basically make you want to rip your eyeballs out, and jump off a cliff... and she is always there to understand and listen and she never judges, 

she really gets it, and offers support and funny comments

and i totally love her

there is no way to describe what our conversations have meant to me... 

When i write to her, i don't hold back, i use all my usual bad words, you know like "those gosh darn kids", 

(yeah right) 

...it's priceless to have a friend like her...

Anyway, she sent me the most beautiful skirt in the world, and some Rachael Ashwell swatches picked out just for me, 

she saved me the pink ones, because she knows i love pink..  Thanks Amy, you know i love this stuff... you're so my dog...

Just look at this skirt, it is so me...

 The lining is as pretty as the outside, it is this vintage lavender silk... 

i mean, come on... how great is that...

The skirt has 3 layers

 in the history of pretty skirts, this one has to be one of the best... 

vintage... with 2 layers of tea colored gauziness, and soft silk lavender lining....

then to top it off, she sent me swatches that were probably handled my my hero Rachael Ashwell...

in my favorite colors - 

the pinks

she saved those just for me

miles away from me, she went through those swatches and she thought about which ones i would love

and gathered up the pink ones just for me

that's big in my book of love

 Here they are resting on the amazing skirt...

everything came in a box, wrapped in tissue, one with sweet light pink ribbon, 

and one with this insanely gorgeous pink toile ribbon, and her stunning Maison Decor  card... !

kisses to you my friend...  you're the best...  you know how special your friendship is to me

and, oh yeah, i haven't even told you the lastest ...!

the end

This Little Rose Is Being Delivered As a Surprise Today....

To one of the smartest and sweetest bloggers and friends in the world.  

Missy at  My Cottage Charm...

She is so funny, and she knows how to do everything!  This lady can rock a power tool!

and if i want to know any tips and tricks about fixing things or getting stains out, or cooking, or decorating, i always go to her  

Pinterest account...

It's loaded with great photos, and tons of helpful information...

and you should see her laundry room makeover, you'll just faint at how cute it is... 

so ... here's to you Missy...

...the end...

Shabby Sheep....

Like the little play on words???  

Someone else thought of that, i'm really not that clever...  

Anyway, This girl decided she wanted to be painted during the holiday time off from work...

Here's how she started... this is the scary time of the painting, when i think, oh no, ... this will never look good!

I want you potential artists out there to see how rough a painting can start out looking, and to tell you... don't give up!

Had to show you guys this gorgeous pansy ... i think the other plant is kale...

I just put a few in my window box, and i meant to buy some yellow ones too,... but i wandered off somewhere and started something else, and forgot to buy more pansies

and ummmm... about my last blog post..

well what i learned from that

is that you probably shouldn't eat 13 Trader Joe liqueur filled chocolate covered cherries in two days, until you turn into one yeast ball of toxic sugar brain damage...

 

and then drink a really big Bud Lite on an empty stomach

and then do a blog post....

and threaten to murderize your readers if they notice a galvanized bucket in an urn behind a lovely flower arrangement...

...even though the  Bud Lite on the empty stomach was pretty awesome...

the end

THERE ARE TOO MANY MESSES AROUND HERE!

Ok you guys, stop being so organized and doing blog posts that i can't keep up with reading... What the heck!  I don't know about you but My house is trashed!   How are you guys doing this blog posting right after all the relatives and kids and holidays and Christmas stuff...   I.... thank the lord... finally took down the tree, and the wreath, and the ribbon and all the Christmas stuff, and then i went upstairs to put it all back into the evil closet with all the 

"STUFF I WILL SURELY NEED SOMEDAY"  

and decided on a whim to clean it out just a little, so i could walk in there without things falling on my head.  

It is impossible even considering quantum physics,  for that many things to fit in that small space, i found this out because i ended up throwing stuff out of the closet into the hall, and it was insane... i was knee deep in pillows, baskets, lamps, glass thingys from TJ Maxx, ribbon, wrapping paper, a softball glove, candlesticks, ummmm... halloween stuff,  bins of stuff, baskets of stuff, lamp thingys, fabric, a shell... a plastic skull... $8000.00 worth of silk flowers all tangled up, a trumpet... filing cabinets with stuff from 1994... i ended up standing in the pile in the middle of it all, going HELP!  Why did i start this...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, just for the sake of keeping up with doing a blog post with you organized freaks out there... i'm posting a photo of this kinda cute basket i found in the closet...  

ok, you know i love you... i'm talking to you like i would my sister...

but now my car is trashed too and filled up with stuff for the thrift shop

i'm pretty sure i will need as soon as i drop it off...

but the closet is better

at least i got the through the first layer...

and if you notice that there is a galvanzed bucket in an urn behind the basket,  i will have to come and kill you...

the end...