Get those Photos out of The Box!

Great for Displaying Favorite Photos!

I was visiting a friend the other week and saw this fabulous lamp (above) and thought it was such a great way to share photos with friends. If you’re anything like me, you have tons of photos somewhere in a box or two tucked away waiting for you to put into a photo album or scrapbook. Since that’s probably not going to happen anytime soon, why not display them?

Spinning Post Card Holder

I spent a few minutes searching online today for a similar lamp to purchase for myself, but couldn’t find one, so I’m considering something like the rack above. You could probably find something similar at a flea market or vintage shop as well. Wouldn’t it be fun in a guest bedroom or family room? You could display a recent trip,  photos from past generations, photos of family and friends, etc… I’m loving this idea!

PS. Let me know if you have a resource for a postcard lamp! xoxoxo

Ladybugs for Sale!

They say Lady Bugs bring luck!

Did you know you could buy ladybugs? Why would you want to buy lady bugs?…by the thousands, I should add. As in 50,000 or more. Apparently, gardeners in the know, understand that those lucky little bugs take care of all kinds of nasty things in your yard. You can purchase 72,000 of them for $72.00 to cover and protect a 1/2 acre to 2 acres of your yard and garden, which is what a friend of mine in Florida recently did while I was there visiting. It was too cool to not share! Check my photo’s below! Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait till next year to do that here in the midwest!

They arrive in a burlap bag...

Grab a handful or two...

Scatter them throughout your yard

And off they go...

 I have to say it was pretty interesting, although a little ticklish…Go get ‘em lady luck!

Put your Baskets to Work!

Step Basket from Ballard Designs

How often do you work around the home and as you get to one room - you think of something that you needed from the room you were just in. Apparently, it happens to lots of us, because somewhere along the line, someone with a two story home was inspired to create a nifty little basket such as the one above just for stairs. This basket is perfect to store household items that need to be carried on your next trip up. Below are a few more baskets that you can use in your daily routine to save you both time and aggravation.

Carry a Basket from Room to Room

Designate a basket (preferrably with handles) as your room to room basket.  Use it to carry items such as a cell phone, cordless phone, pen, notepad and anything that you need to have with you as you go from room to room.

Home to Car Basket

Take the basket idea a step further and put to work one such as this from the Container Store. Carry it with you every time you go from home, to the car and back to home again. Store it near the door you’ll use out to your car and fill it with items that need to be returned for credit, a water bottle, snacks, a shopping list, etc. Baskets are a great way to help you keep your busy life on track.

Have a great day! xoxox

Have a Great Weekend!

A Spooky House for Halloween!

Check out this house for Halloween! LOVE the shadows they create. Pretty spooky isn’t it? Spiders can be found at grandinroad, meijers and most costume stores. It may be too late for this year, but shop on Sunday for great buys for next year!

Tuesday Tip: Welcome to My Home

Welcome to my kitchen!

Have you ever noticed some homes are more comfortable than others? Certain homes, although beautiful, have a museum like – hands off mentality. Others seem to embrace you the minute you walk in. So how do you make your home more welcoming?  It all starts with personal touches you can place throughout your home.  Here’s some suggestions…

 

Welcome!

Entry Way: A chalk board in an entry way is a great way to greet guests! This one is used to give a little history about the house, but it could also be used to say Welcome, Happy Holiday’s or anything that you’d like to greet a guest with!

Dear family and friends...

The Kitchen: Let’s face it, when you have a party or a gathering with friends, like it or not, they’re going to end up hanging out in your kitchen! It’s a natural gathering place, so why not put a clever note like the one above inviting guests to make themselves comfortable and help themselves to whatever they’d like.

Place a personal note in a guest bath

A Guest Bath: I like to make sure that when guest are staying overnight, their bath is stocked not only with towels, but items they may need while visiting. Some of these items are an extra toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, hair dryer, disposable razors, hair spray, lotion, tweezers, nail clippers, tampons and deodorant. Leaving a framed note such as the one above let’s them know that anything there is for them to use!

A Guest Bedroom: There’s lots of fun ideas to do for a guest bedroom. My aunt likes to place a framed photo of her and the guest on the bedside table. You could leave a note under the pillow expressing how glad you are that they are visiting and place chocolates on a pillow with the bed turned down as well. An extra pair of reading glasses next to a book is a nice touch and I especially like a book with fun things about the town that you live in as well.

The bottom line is it’s the little personalized touches that make your home a place that feel comfortable for those that visit. It’s those little touches that will bring joy to both you and your guests! xoxox

Games We Play

I love a good game. I love football games, board games and even a few internet games. Games we play at home are part of the memories we create for the future. Think about it. Chances are some of your best childhood memories involve games. For me, favorite outdoor games were Kick Ball, Ghost in the Grave Yard, Kick the Can, Freeze Tag and Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light STOP!

Indoors, some of my best childhood memories are about playing Monopoly, Trouble, and the Game of Life with family and friends. Do you remember where you were and who you were with when you played your last game of Charades? I’ll bet you two things: you weren’t a child, that you  were actually all grown up and you probably remember a particular phrase a friend acted out that caused everyone to LTAO all night long. That would be laughing their (fill in the blank) off all night long…sorry, keeping up with the texting crowd! But I digress…

Anyway, my point  is that when decorating our homes, we need to plan for the games we play. If you are saying, hmmmmm…. I don’t play any games – then I challenge you to change that. Games are about laughter, friends, family and memories. Games are good for the mind. If you can include them in your home, you’ll be happier for it! Here’s some great ways to incorporate games within your home’s decor and ideas for storage as well.

Place a favorite game on a table between two chairs and always have an on going game with a family member. Good games for this are scrabble, checkers, chinese checkers or chess. You could also set a game on a coffee table and invite guests to do a word for fun. Even better, add a coffee table book about the game with strategies, photo’s, history and more.

Keep DVD’s of games for your TV stored in a drawer of an end or coffee table. Interactive games such as Family Feud, The Price is Right, Deal or No Deal, etc. are great when you have a gathering and can form teams. Break out a game out after a holiday dinner and it will beI promise a lively, memorable time for all ages!

Have a Jenga game started when kids wake up on a day off from school or when guest come to a party. It’s a great way to start a day or break the ice at a party!

Love to play Wii? Chances are that someone in your family does! A storage ottoman is a great way to provide extra seating for guests or a place to put up your feet. It’s also perfect to store your game gear. They come in lots of sizes and are perfect as a coffee table, tucked under a sofa table or in front of a fireplace. While you’re at it toss in a blanket for cool winter nights and make sure it’s big enough to a hold a guitar if you have guitar hero!

Well, gotta run…I’ve got an online scrabble game going on with a gradeschool friend. Hey Lori… Game on! xoxoxo

Friday’s Food: The Yogurt Experiment

The Yogurt Experiment

Yes, yes, I know this is a blog about Decorating, but part of making your house a home, is filling it with yummy food and fabulous smells…so with that in mind, I’m starting a new tradition of blogging about food on Fridays. Before I do though, you need to know the following…

 

Disclaimer: It’s true…I am not a food expert. In fact, some may cynically say it’s a miracle my kids somehow survived their teenage years on fast food, boxed entrees and cheesy meat loaf pie. Some may even smirk as I say they grew up to be smart, healthy and charming young adults…yet that’s true too. I will admit…some of the food back then was good, in fact, most of it tasted good - It just wasn’t really good FOR you. And yes, some of it was just plain bad. The good news is I’ve been exploring organic, trying to eat healthy and am actually enjoying my kitchen. This is especially good because although the kids are just about out of the house and on their own, food is the quickest way to get them to visit! Anyway, the point here is…I am not a food expert!

Come visit with me on Fridays and my guess is you’ll do one of two things: 1) shake your head in sad disbelief that anyone could actually be this uneducated about food or 2) find yourself right along with me, saying…”who knew!” or “I can do that too!”.

If you happen to fall in that first category, please don’t be a judge and jury - I’m forty something now and don’t have time for it…but please do join the conversation and share your expertise and helpful ideas. On the other hand, If you’re an explorer like me, feel free to ask any questions (There is no such thing as a stupid question by the way!) and let me know if you’ve tried something I shared! I’d love to hear from all of you

YOGURT FROM SCRATCH a work in progress I was visiting a friend in Florida a few weeks back who was making her own yogurt and I was intrigued. Call me sheltered, I didn’t know people made their own yogurt. It was so delicious and she used it in so many healthy ways, that I decided to try it last weekend! It’s actually quite simple and my first batch turned out simply yummy! I tripled the recipe and made enough to share with my children and friends. You’ll find that different things will work for you, so I’ll share what I did and alternatives that I’ve read about. 

You’ll Need:

Containers for the Yogurt

Containers to store the yogurt when finished. Ideally, use glass jars that you might normally throw away or recycle, such as those for spaghetti sauce, pickles, baby food etc. You also could use plastic containers from peanut butter, ricotta cheese, yogurt, etc… I was impatient and didn’t have any on hand, so I purchased the 16 oz wide mouth ball containers at  Meijer’s and really liked them – the wide mouth is easy to clean! Only thing is that unless you are giving them away as a gift, it can get costly if you don’t get them back to use again.  

Thermometer that will register 180 degrees. Preferably (but not necessary) with clip for edge of pot. A meat thermometer will also work.

Candy Thermometor with Clip

 

Single Large P0t or Double Pot. Any large pot works well, but if you find that your milk burns on the bottom as it heats to 180 degrees, use a double boiler or simply a smaller pot inside a larger pot filled with water to protect the bottom. Note: if you find that the milk is thickening/burning on the bottom of the pot, do not scrape; simply turn the heat  down a bit. Scraping the bottom will cause your yogurt to taste burnt. That’s bad!

Organic from Walmart

  

½ Gallon of Milk. I used Horizons Organic Reduced Fat Milk with DHA Omega-3 which is supposed to be good for your heart, brain and eyes. 

Whole Foods has Yogurtmet

Yogurtmet and/or yogurt with live cultures. Per ½ gallon you’ll need either 2 packets of Yogurtmet, 6 Tablespoons of Yogurt with live cultures (can use yogurt from previous homemade batch once you’ve made some) or 1 packet + 3 TBL of Yogurt with live cultures, which is what I used. Note: Yogurmet can be found in the refrigerator/yogurt section of whole foods or other healthy food co-ops.

DIRECTIONS

• On stovetop, heat milk on high to 180 degrees. Stir whenever you walk by it and remove any film that develops on the top with a paper towel
• Remove from heat and cool to 108-112 degrees  It will probably take about 40 minutes or so to cool, so check in 20 minutes and then every 10 minutes or so. (I’ve read that you can place pan in a sink of cool water to quicken process. I did NOT try this)
• Once you get to the cooled temperature, put a cup or two of the milk in a bowl and stir in the yogurtmet/live yogurt until dissolved/blended and then stir back into the pot
• Pour milk mixture into containers and cover with lids

If you have a gas stove (lucky you)…Place the jars into the stove with the pilot light lit. 

If you don’t have a gas stove…

• Place the jars on a heating pad (on top of a cutting board to protect counter) and cover jars with towel to keep heat in – just make sure it’s an old fashioned one that doesn’t have an automatic shut off feature, which is what mine had. Unfortunately, I made my yogurt late at night and was going to put it in the fridge in the morning. The automatic shut off was worse than having a newborn. Not a good nights sleep – haha!

I have read that you could do this as well.

• Place in oven with light on. I am trying this next, and will check the temperature after a few hours to see if it is warm enough
• Leave yogurt in pot and place inside larger pot with warm water and change the water occasionally; making sure to cover the pot to keep heat in and protect from dust.
• Place jars on a warming plate.

Regardless of your warming choice above, leave jars for 7 hours and then place in refrigerator. You could do it for as little as 5 hours and as many as 9 hours, but the longer they are left to warm, the thicker the yogurt will get AND the tangier it will get. You want to keep it at a temperature between 95 degrees to 106 degrees. 7 hours is a good starting point and you can adjust the next batch accordingly. Also, yogurt will thicken additionally in the refrigerator.

Tip: Place in the back of refrigerator which is usually the coolest. Yogurt will be ready to eat in 4 hours.

Tips for Eating:

You can sweeten the yogurt with a bit of honey and eat with oatmeal, fruit, granola and more.

• Add a bit of honey and jam for a fruity taste.
• Add finely shaved cucumber (removing as much water as possible before adding to yogurt) to create simple riata sauce that you can eat with spicy foods to calm the heat.
• Mix with hot cheesy potatoes as an alternative to sour cream
• Top butter nut squash or sweet potatoes with yogurt drizzled with honey and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
• Put in blender with fruit and a touch of for a smoothie

I’ve heard that it’s best to purchase honey that was made in your region because honey contains natural anti-bodies to help fight illnesses and you want to have anti bodies for your particular area. Just an interesting tidbit that I learned!

Enjoy xoxox

Thursday’s Quick Tip: De-Cluttering your Counters

Getting clutter off your counter

Clutter is an evil thing…All of us strive to get rid of it all, but sometime the stuff we have on our counters are things we like to have at our fingertips and often don’t have the cabinet space to store it. The thing is, when assorted items are on your countertop, it not only looks messy; it’s difficult to clean around them.

A friend of mine has come up with a perfect solution that she uses in her kitchen and bathrooms. Items that she normally kept grouped on a counter top, she now puts on top of a cake plate. The raised plate gives items a place of their own, looks great and best of all makes cleaning the counter a breeze. I think it’s a brilliant idea. HomeGoods has a great selection of cake plates usually for around $12.00 – 19.00.

Here’s some I found online…

Martha Stewart at Macy’s $31.00

 

Tag from Amazon $26,00

 

Vintage from Look in the Attic $38.99

Tropical theme from Classic Hostess $45.83

Classic Silver from Crate and Barrel $19.95

 

TIP: Add some glam by purchasing an inexpensive cake plate and using a glue gun; glue a band of  beads to the rim. You can find beads online or at most fabric and craft stores.

Getting Your Groove Back

Let’s face it, some days we just don’t feel like smiling. Life has a way of throwing us curve balls- those unexpected twists that shake up our daily lives.  Every day presents us with new challenges, some bigger than others, but each take a bit (or alot) of our energy and sometimes it hard to get our groove back. Often, we become so wrapped up in taking care of others, we forget to create time to renew ourselves. Whatever your story, you need a place of your own. Whether you’re a stay at home mom or out in the work force, all of us need a private space to rejuvinate…a place to give us a hug whenever we are there.

A space of your own is just that - a place that’s all yours. It’s where you can have a cup of tea, read a book, journal a bit, collect your thoughts, work, or just BE. It’s a place, big or small, that surrounds you with beautiful things that are dear to you , It’s created just for you. It’s not for your kids, your spouse, our anyone else – it’s 100% certified for you. The best news is it’s quick and and easy to do.

If you have an extra room, claim it as your own and create a space with only things that you love. Consider it your private getaway to dream.  Items to include are books, journals, candles, a comfy chair, reading light, footstool, favorite photos, inspirational words and favorite colors.

Don’t have an extra room? Thats okay! Look around to find a corner of a room, a space underneath an open stairwell or a table next to your bed to claim for yourself. Using items suggested above, create a place you can retreat to each day. A simple chair with a side table, reading lamp, candle and photo can work just as well as an entire room.

The secret is to define a space that is only for you.   A place to get your groove back and make you smile. Start your morning there with a cup of tea and coffee even if for only a few precious moments. Take that time to create a daily to-do list, which is a great way to reduce stress. End your day by crossing off your to-do list and writing down three things you are grateful for. By the way, I promise you that if you take the time to write down three things you are greatful for at the end of every day (especially on the worst of days) it will change your life.

PS. If you still don’t feel like smiling, watch this funny clip…it always works for me..

Get Organized: Guest Bathroom Closet

Marth Stewart I am not. I’m a clutterbug with messy closets. That’s good news for you if you happen to be a clutter bug like me. You can follow right along as I’m inspired by Oprah and Peter Walsh to organize my life.

I’m starting with a bathroom closet and yes, I’m a bit embarassed to show you the ugly truth of it. I hope you’ll not judge but, simply be inspired to clean out a closet as well! I will admit to not being satisfied with simply organizing…my designer brain wants it to look beautiful as well. I’m working on a budget, so going out and buying all new things to organize my stuff is not an option, but if I can buy a few things here and there and use exisiting items somewhere else, I can rationalize a purchase or two

The closet is in my guest bathroom on our main level which I’m pretty sure gets opened occaisionally by a curious visitor. For some odd reason it’s the bathroom of choice for my daughter and I to dry and style our hair. I even keep my tooth brush in there to use before I run out the door. Additionally, here that I store items for visiting guests, first aid components and other miscelaneous things. It’s near our kitchen and is the central storage area for shared items in our home.

This was my criteria for the project:

• I wanted it to be finished in about three hours. If it wasn’t done, I knew it would linger on and that drives me crazy.
• There had to be a specific place for certain items such as hair items, first aid, etc.
• It had to look nice. I think clutter free zones should be pretty – pretty makes me happy.
• It needed to be inexpensive

So let’s get to it - here’s what I did….

1. I forced myself to throw away anything I haven’t used in 6 months to a year. It was hard to do that , so I went back through my save pile several times to make myself get rid of more.
2. I couldn’t stand to look at the wood shelves, so I covered them all for less than $5.oo with good old cream and gold contact paper. Ideally, I would have painted the closet, supports and shelving, but it meant that the project would have taken a few days and I wanted it DONE!
3. The existing acrylic stair step shelf organizer was used to hold items that get used often such as hair spray, soap, tooth paste, etc.
4. Items that could be grouped into categories went inside fabric bins that I got on sale at Meijers for $5.99 ea. I chose a dusty plum, but they are also available in lime green, red, hot pink and navy.
5. Loose items such as combs, hair clips, etc.went into the small plastic 3 drawer unit that I already owned.   
6. Once it was complete, I added the labels which I think are totally adorable :) I’ll give instructions for those in my next post.

Here’s the photo’s!

   

Photos above are of the top three shelves. I left the very top one empty, because I can’t reach it and didn’t want to put junk up there.

   

All the crap on the floor was what actually prompted this project. Things kept falling off the shelves and it was driving me NUTS!!! Looks much better now doesn’t it?

Bottom to top view of newly organized closet!

Above is one of the bins…I used it to store hair stuff such as the blow dryer, curling irons, hair straighter, and a brush.

So what do you think? Up next I’ll have directions for the labels and a template so you can create your own! Also, just made the valance for the Kuster’s kitchen…I’ll have pictures for that soon!

Why I am Proud to Be an American

I was going to write something for the 4th of July, but this post from 2007 pretty much sums it up, so I’m going to re-post it instead. I hope everyone has a great weekend! Here it is:

I got an e-mail this morning asking “Why are you Proud to be an American?”  For some reason, that caught my attention. I am really looking forward to the 4th of July because it’s a day I can spend with my family, But I realize that I haven’t put much thought into why I have the day off. So, here is why I am proud to be an American…

I am proud to be an American because I wake each day knowing that who I become, is entirely up to me. Dreams do come true in America. We have freedom. With a vision, hard work and passion - anything is possible. 

 I am proud to be an American because I am granted the freedom to openly express my personal beliefs and opinions. If they differ from my neighbor’s, that’s okay, because it’s the culmination of these differences combined with respect that make our nation great. 

I am proud to be an American because we are a country willing to defend human rights and independence both inside our own nation and throughout the world.  We may not agree on the how’s and the why’s, but I am so thankful for our young men and women of many generations that have fought and continure to fight to protect our nations’ independence and to prevent human suffering around the world. 

I am proud to be an American because as a nation, we care. We have heroes big and small; everyday there are random acts of kindness that we will never know about. We care about our neighbors, we care about strangers. We care about the world. We are diverse people of many different cultures and varying backgrounds, yet united, we make up this often crazy and mostly wonderful country called America. It doesn’t get any better than that and that is what makes me proud to be an American.  

Thank you to the men and woman who have and are serving our country. Men and woman whom ultimately ensure that we have privileges we so often take for granted. Thank You.

Inspiration Board for a Chocolate and Green Bedroom

Note: Double click image to enlarge

I was at a graduation party this past weekend and ran into a good  high school friend of ours – Mark aka “Wooley”.  The recreational area where the party was held had a really nice red accent wall and Mark said he was thinking about using that shade in his master bedroom. He asked what my opinion was and since I shamefully had not been to see his new home (which he has had for a year!) I offered to stop by on Sunday and take a look.  I should add that I’ve heard Sunday’s in the summer at Mark’s include cocktails poolside, so it was not a hard sell!

Although I loved the red that he was considering, I felt that it blended too well with his furniture and suggested that he went with something that enhancedthe wood, rather than compete with it. His furniture consisted of a rich cherry sled style bed, large armoire and dresser. Additionally, he had splurged and purchased a really beautiful deep chocolate Hotel Collection bedding set that had a tailored black stripe as accent … nice job Mark

As I thumbed through a paint deck, my initial thought was to go with a blue/chocolate scheme, but Mark is a  bachelor and I was afraid the blue would go more feminine than masculine. I also should add that he is a bit obsessed with golf and once I saw the green, it  just seemed like a natural choice! I chose Sherwin Williams Rural Green and created the inspirational board pictured above. He also has the option of adding a little splash of orange down the line, which I think he would like as well.

The inspiration board is about clean lines, fresh accents and a peacefull elements for relaxing and romance – Mark should like that last one! What do you think?

Oh, and typically, I would list where everything is from, but that’s easy today…it’s all from Z-Gallery. Hmmm…do you think I like that store? And best of all there’s a 20% off accessories sale going on right now – gotta love that!

What Makes a Great Outdoor Room?

 

Note: You can double click the photo to see it larger.

• Draperies, table tops, wall art, fire pit, and chair from Ballard Designs
• Plants from Smith and Hawken
• Area Rug and Pillows from Walmart
• Row of Hooks from Pottery Barn
• Lighting from Pier One Imports

Ask Amy: Window Treatments for Sliding Glass Doors

Drapery Panels from Ballard Designs

Design Question from Lisa: I am redoing my condo that I bought to update it. I have a very large sliding glass door but don’t want to put up just blinds, I would like to do something different and have searched everywhere for ideas and can’t find anything but blinds and more blinds. Please help…..

Lisa, there are a couple of alternatives you can explore. One is to treat it as a window and put a pair of panel draperies on either side. It will soften the room, provide a way to bring in some pattern and texture, and can be pulled together for privacy and energy savings. Here’s a couple of photo’s I found, most of the doors are french doors as opposed to sliding, but it will work for either, just make sure that when you hang the rod, you leave enough room to the left and right of the door frame to stack the open draperies for easy access in and out.

From Elle Decor

 

From Pottery Barn

Another alternative is a cross between a blind and drapery. Hunter Douglas has a brand called Silhouette which is a design that combines a vertical or horizontal blind with a sheer fabric. It’s actually quite beautiful and gives offers more options than simple draperies  or blinds which are either opened or closed. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a great option to have. Here’s some photo’s…

A combination of verticals and sheer drapery

 

Hunter Douglas

I hope that helps…I’d love to hear what you decide to go with! 

Step Five: Adding a Wood Floor- a Kitchen on a Budget

      

After Photo: New Wood Floor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The Kuster’s are just about finished with their kitchen remodel, which means I’ll do the full unveiling soon, but in the meantime, here’s a sneak preview of the new wood floor. They used prefinished planks they found at Sam’s that fit their budget and their needs. I’ll talk more about wood floors in my next post, because I’m going to see it in person tomorrow evening and want to take some close of photo’s to show you what I’m talking about – I like visuals

Below is the before picture – amazing what a difference a new coat of paint and a DIY wood floor can make! Stay tuned for the final pictures…

Before Photo: Old paint and Flooring

Designer Quote by Billy Baldwin

 

Billy Baldwin (1903-1983)

“Decorators should never insist on throwing out everything the client has. Even when they are far from perfect, loved possessions add personality.”  Billy Baldwin

                                                                                                                                                                    

I love quotes. It just seems to me, that quotes are full of such wisdom; inspiration that for some it took a lifetime to find. This quote from Billy Bladwin caught my eye today and is as timeless as ever. It’s actually a great quote to ponder as we all battle this difficult economy.  

 

A good designer will take the time to find out what is precious to you. They’ll come to understand what you love, how you live, and use this knowledge to make your house a home. It’s not about buying everything new. It’s not about creasting a showcase. In fact, a good designer knows that it’s not about them, but truly about you. It’s something to remember when starting a DIY project. It’s always nice to have something fresh and new, but sometimes hanging onto to pieces of the old reminds us of who we are and provides warmth when we most need it. 

 

 

Finding Inspiration: Take a Closer Look

Inspiration can be found anywhere

A decorating project is always easier if you start with inspiration. Inspiration can be a page from a design magazine, a treasured item in your home or something as simple as a sea shell found on a beach. The interesting thing about inspiration is it often may be right in front of you. Unfortunately, if you don’t take the time to really “see” your surroundings, you may be missing some really beautiful things. How often do we get caught up in day to day activities that we overlook the tiny details that life offers us and miss out on truly ”seeing” the beautiful things that are often right before our eyes.

As I first walked the shores on the northern tip of Grand Cayman Island a few weeks ago, I thought to myself how easy it would be to design a space inspired by white sand and shimmering water in shades of blue and green…but then I was prompted to look a little closer… 

Along the shoreline

To be perfectly honest, after an initial glimpse of blue skies, white sands and sparkling water, I would have been totally content to sit with my toes in the water, a good book, and a glass of iced tea. If I hadn’t been prompted to take a closer look by a seasoned beach explorer, I would have sadly missed a collection of treasures deposited by the sea.

Hunting for treasures of the sea

A true treasure seeker I have learned, knows that in order to see beauty in it’s entirety, one must have a keen eye…a treasure seeker needs to really ”see” everything around them including what’s often beneath their toes. 

Closer view

Even from this view, it’s tough to really see what treasures can be found, but I discovered that if you look close enough, you may be lucky enough to find items such as these…

Treasures from the shore

Upon closer examination, I found tiny perfect shells, colorful sea glass, and amazing coral rock…

Washed up bottles and fisherman’s netting.

The treasure seeker suggested that I combine my beautiful finds with a few handfuls of sand, several washed up bottles and pieces of old blue netting to create beautiful keepsakes such as the sea bottles below. They’re 100% made of items from the beach… Treasured memories in a bottle.

Treasured memories in a bottle

And then I got to thinking…and looking even closer…

Close up of a treasure bottle

Could a decorating project be inspired by a simple tiny shell that I almost didn’t see? There were two shells that I loved above all the others that I found.  One of those shells can be seen in the close up photo of a  treasure bottle above. One afternoon, as I explored the shoreline, something caught my eye…

From a distance

and I bent down for a closer look…

 

Would you have taken the time to see these two shells?

Could these tiny little shells that are smaller than the nail on my baby finger actually provide inspiration for a decorating project? I think so.. In fact, I imagine that the color and pattern found in those two little sea shells could inspire a room just like this…

Could this interior by NYC designer Evelyn Benatar been inspired by a tiny sea shell?

I really don’t have any idea as to what the actual inspiration was for the beautiful room above, but  I do know that inspiration can be found anywhere and the key to finding it is to learn to truly “see” your surroundings. Whether you’re inside your home or on a far away beach; if you take the time to explore the little things (like a treasure seeker),  you might just discover that something as simple as a tiny sea shell can inspire a color pallette that dreams are made of.

 

Step Four: Valances and Wall Art – Kitchen on a Budget

 

Painted Wall and Cabinets

If you’ve been following the Redo of the Kuster’s Kitchen, I’m happy to report that the painting is done and it looks fabulous! As of the last update, they had painted the walls and beadboard, but still had the cabinets to complete. It’s amazing what a little paint can do!

Before Photo

 Lori found some apple pictures that she really liked. Remember the original apple photo that she loved? I think the new one’s below work much better – don’t you?

Wall and Beadboard Painted with New Artwork

Before Photo

Additionally, they hung the window treatments on the window and door Doesn’t the valance on the door look great with the photo’s? Lori purchased an extra one so we can make a custom valance to go over the eating area. I’ll take lots of photo’s when we do that in the next few weeks!

Valance on Door

What’s up next? Besides hanging the chandelier and making the additional valances, the final project is to lay the wood floor. They found prefinished laminated flooring at Sam’s Club and hope to have it finished in the next few weeks! I can’t wait to see that! I know…I’m holding out and you haven’t seen all the areas, but I wanted to save the best for last! Once the wood floor is installed, we’ll do a full unveiling…Stay tuned!

What’s the Big Deal? Downsizing Your Life.

This is definately larger than my childhood home

I read an article a few months ago about a woman who was renting a one room cottage on the property of an estate. Set back by a late life divorce, she had to learn to budget which made her realize she really didn’t need to live as large as she had been living. The cottage became her paradise. She only had space for her favorite things. Everything was amazingly organized (by necessity) and ultimately, it was the place she loved to be.

Downsizing for her actually turned out to be a wonderful thing. But…wait,  isn’t it all about the big house, the expensive car, the designer bag? Maybe, but I’m thinking… that was then and this is now (didn’t you just love that book?) After all, Obama is calling for change, Maddoff is losing his penthous and the lady standing next to you in the elevator has the same Prada bag on her shoulder as you . Of course you know hers is a knock-off, but does anyone else?

I saw a page from  January’s “O” Magazine that talked about how everything from houses to dishes have gotten larger since the 1950’s and 60’s. I remember thinking when I was growing up that our home was pretty nice. I had my own room, we watched Charlie’s Angel’s as a family, dinners were always around 6:00 pm or when dad got home from work; life was pretty good.

I’m not sure at what point we began to “Live large”. Did you really want to increase your plate size from 9” to 12” and ultimately eat more? Well, maybe we really did need our chair sizes to grow from 20” deep to 25” deep to fit our increasing backsides. I guess that’s also why our average bath towel size has increased from 24” x 42” in 1956 to 34″ x 56″ today. I don’t remember thinking that 19” was small for a TV. In fact when I was newly married, I thought we were really fortunate to have a 22” in my bedroom. Now my 42” flat screen looks tiny compared to other models that I see.  

Dancing the night away in the 50's

I am sure my mother and father were perfectly happy at this dance (above) in the late 50’s with a 5 oz glass of wine. Today, a wine goblet will hold an average of 12 ounces.  I’m pretty sure that for most people, five would be a much better choice.

The bottom line here is that although downsizing may not be for everyone, if you are willing to change your “Image is everything” mentality to “less is more”, you might find that you’ll save money, lose weight and quite possibly live a more joyful life. It’s definitely something to think about! In fact, I’m seeing that downsizing is the new craze.