Welcome Wagon Friday 7/16/10

My garden looks like it's on steroids. And I haven't fertilized it in months. I keep having to cut the potato vines back just to walk down the path.

Here are my picks for Welcome Wagon Friday this week:

Creating A Vintage Life is Mona Kay's blog. She finds lots of vintage goodies at garage sales. On her blog she will show you what she does with these treasures once she gets them home. Like upholstering a foot stool. She has another blog called The Vintage Years. On this blog she gives shout outs to where garage sales are being held, if you happen to live in her locale.

Purple Chocolat Home is Jacqueline's blog. She had heard so much about the famous chocolat (French for chocolate) in France. So when she visited there, she was determined to try a chocolat from every Paris shoppe. Little did she realize that there was one on almost every street! Purple, in ancient times, was a color reserved for royalty. Hence her blog name.

Her sister also has a blog, called Red Couch Recipes. Between the two of them, you see a heck of a lot of good food. One I'm dying to try is the root beer flavored ice cream. Yum! Feeds you and then takes you backpacking to burn off the calories.

The Hillside Home is Ashley's blog. She obviously knows her decorating stuff. She managed to sell her gorgeous townhouse in four days. And that was with an eleven month old baby (Liam) running (or perhaps crawling) around. She lives in Orange County. She is also a photographer and has a photography blog, Ashley Stinson Photography.

Treat yourself with these new and delightful blogs. There's plenty of eye candy. (And food galore.) Maybe you can make some of that root beer flavored ice cream for dessert. Send the Welcome Wagon their way, folks!

Technorati Tags: Friday Featured Blogs,Welcome Wagon Friday

Organizing A Craft/Office/Living Space

I have been asked to explain how I created a craft/office/living space that is both functional and organized. So I did some measuring this morning.

I spend most of my daytime hours in this room, and it is 14 feet by 18 feet. In this space I have doorways on three walls. So this limited me somewhat on furniture arrangement.

Still, I managed to define a living area, an office/computer area, and what I refer to as my library/bistro area.

Below is the corner which is my office area. I measured it out, and it comes to about 5 x 8 feet.

I use old vintage boxes to store books I often need for reference.

A rolling file cabinet stores the home's necessary files. And on top of that I have scrapbook paper I use for decoupage projects.

When remodeling this room over a year ago, I had shelves built up high around three sides of the room, where I could put knick-knacks and such there was no spare room down below for.

Adjacent to my office space is my library/bistro space. I can sit here and have coffee and scan through decorating and gardening books. This area is 6 x 7 feet. So I have a lot packed in a small space. The key is to use your space both horizontally and vertically. And to combine function and decorating at the same time.

Just across from my computer/office area is my living area. I have a reading chair and couch, along with a table and chair combo, along this long wall. It measures out 8 x 18 feet.

Between the photo above and the one below, you see the entirety of the west wall. I use outdoor rugs, due to the fact that three pets are in this room much of the time.

I have very little drawer space, so I have to go vertical for some things. This rubber stamp cabinet I purchased at Michaels. I think you can also get them at Hobby Lobby. I can store my stamps and get the extra benefit of seeing them on display.

Try to buy decorative storage when you can. It looks good, and you can hide supplies at the same time. This textile box looks old, but it's actually a reproduction piece.

Just use your imagination. Size up how much room you have, and decide what components must fit in this area. Then divide that space into little "rooms" to get the most of that space.

Another hint is to carry a tape measure with you in the car. Then when you find a piece, you can find out if it will work in your space without making several trips.

You can use dish drainers for file dividers, vintage jars for small things like buttons. Think outside the box and look at what you already have with fresh eyes. Go through your garage, basement or attic and see what you can come up with that would serve a function and look nice at the same time.

I'm linking to Today's Creative Blog's Get Your Craft On Tuesday.

Technorati Tags: Utilizing your space,craft areas,office areas,library corners,decorating,storage

Loving Summer Sundays

I like to get up and have a bowl of cereal. And then enjoy a nice big cup of coffee.

Which I brew right here at my little coffee bar, above.

I like to gaze outside while enjoying those first wonderful sips.

Then I go out to check on the plants and flowers.

I'm joining up with Summer Sundays at The Tablescaper, where you'll meet up with other folks talking about their summer Sundays.

I get a kick out of watching the dogs play outside.

Then I might take a Sunday afternoon drive out into the country.

Enjoying the many colors of nature.

Coming home and sitting down to a simple meal.

Then retreating to my chair to read a good book of fiction.

What's on your agenda for the day?

Technorati Tags: Summer Sundays meme,The Tablescaper blog

Welcome Wagon Friday 7/11/10 & Good Sales

On Monday I was in Hobby Lobby. They had their rubber stamps 40% off, and I was going right by there. So I strolled the aisles, looking at the deals. I always carry my measuring tape in the car, and found this piece of distressed furniture that I went back and bought yesterday.

Here’s the top. Isn’t it cute? Reminds me somehow of beach colors. It was marked down from $150 to $75.

It was just what I needed to round off my computer desk area. I have a glass desk with no drawers. A girl’s gotta have drawers to stash stuff in!

So I spent all day today trying to purge and organize.

I also found this little metal home sign for just over a dollar while at HL.

The last couple of times Hobby Lobby has had their rubber stamps on sale, I’ve managed to come home empty-handed. But this time I bought four.

A rooster, the suitcases stamp next to it on the third row, a kerosene lantern stamp, and one featuring vintage postal stamps.

Of course I have some new blogs for you to check out.

Maison Decor is Amy’s blog. She is an interior designer specializing in window treatments and paint colors. She is a wife, mom, stepmom, dog owner and lover, gardener, tinkerer, secret painter and fancier of French Country elegance in design.

Adventures Of The Striped Stockings is Celia’s blog. Her blog started out as a place to have fun wearing striped stockings. But it has become a place to document her journey. Celia is enjoying being a homebody, gardening and creating a home that is warm and inviting.

Vintage Remixed and Faded Highways are two blogs by the same couple, who live in Georgia. They often take road trips. And when they do, they take the back roads and explore small towns. Where life is a bit slower and a whole lot sweeter. These two blogs chronicle their adventures and travels in Faded Highways, while focusing on vintage decorating with Vintage Remixed.

So have a great holiday weekend this July 4th. And when you’re too pooped to party, settle down in front of the computer and visit these nice folks who are new to our blogging community.

Technorati Tags: Friday Featured Blogs,Welcome Wagon Friday,Hobby Lobby finds

Build A Tabletop Water Fountain

This was my project for today.

I ordered this Beckett container fountain kit online from Home Depot. It was under $30.

I went outside and looked around for an appropriate flower pot that didn't have a hole in the bottom. This blue one was the perfect size to fit the pump and filter inside. I filled around the middle tubing with stones from the yard. Added water. Then decorated the inside rim with seashells, to help keep the water from spitting out of the flower pot.

It came with two fountain nozzles. But I found I liked mine without either of them attached. I'll save them for a future project.

I arranged it here in my garden room with my plants. For they love a little humidity in the air.

I shopped the house for blue and white dishes to fill this old vintage pan.

The soothing sound of the water is about to put me to sleep!

It's fun to create these little tabletop vignettes, and for very little cost. All I purchased was the kit itself.

I'm linking up with Claudia at Dipity Road's Finding Beauty. And Cindy at My Romantic Home's Show & Tell Friday.

Technorati Tags: Tabletop Water Fountains,creating your own water fountain,tabletop vignettes,Beckett kits

Welcome Wagon Friday 7/9/10

It’s Welcome Wagon Friday again. Here are my picks for this week:

Freckled Laundry is Jami's blog. She is all about creating a vintage chic for herself on the cheap. (We like that!)

Buttons For Baga is Genie's blog. You will be wowed by color when you click on this blog. She loves creating things from fabric and fiber.

Blog Out Loud is the brainstorm of Megan of the popular blog Beach Bungalow 8, and Rebecca of Loving Living Small, also a contributor to Apartment Therapy.

This is not a new blog, but one well worth mentioning. I just chanced upon it myself. I think it is a great resource for bloggers. It will aid you with networking, give you vital blogging information, as well as inspiration to grow your blog.

Here you will find (at the top) Free Resources. That alone is worth the visit. I shall be scrutinizing the site myself when time allows.

So hop on over and make some new friends. And give me feedback about Blog Out Loud, and whether you found the information useful. If so, I will be looking out for other blogs (about blogging) that give us free resources. (We like free!)

Technorati Tags: Friday Featured Blogs,Welcome Wagon Friday,blogging aids

Red & White Polka Dot Chairs

Remember this little table and chair set I found for $129 at the antique mall?

For some reason unbeknownst to me, the chairs were upholstered in beige and white fabric. At first it didn’t bother me that much. But the more I looked at it...

I already had this red and white polka dotted fabric in my stash. So I did a little reupholstering job. What do you think?

I’m joining Rednesday with It’s A Very Cherry World.

I think it is very becoming on my two white chairs. And I didn’t have to spend another cent.

Please go over and visit other lovers of red at Rednesday.

Technorati Tags: Reupholstering chairs,Rednesday,It's A Very Cherry World blog,red and white polka dotted fabric,garden room