decisions, decisions

I'm not good at making decisions. I'm a list-maker, a pros & cons weigher. Small decisions like furniture are not my strong suit. Big decisions I've always made based on my gut, and they've worked out well for me. But choosing little things? I labor over these decisions, ask for input, drive my husband and friends crazy.

Nope, I haven't yet painted my table & chairs or chosen fabric for the chairs. I have bought 5 yards of burlap but for some reason I bought it in an ivory tone. Maybe I'll stencil it. Maybe I'll dye it with coffee (can that be done?). Maybe it will sit there for another year, who knows.

My latest decision that I have not yet made and I bet won't make for a while yet is which storage solution I want to use on the big wall in the kitchen. I made a couple of mock-ups (terrible photoshop skills) hoping it would help...but it hasn't yet.

I like the idea of shelves because the baby won't be able to get to them. But hanging shelves and I are not really friends, and I can imagine that everything will get dusty. However, I have a ton of white porcelain serving dishes and such that I'd love to get out of the cabinets.



A glass cabinet would be nice because they're so pretty (that is, if I can find one I actually do like at a price to match). The cabinet would take some floor space, but not much; however, with a 160 pound Great Dane who likes to walk around with us, clearance between furniture is quite important. I taped it out on the floor and it seems doable.



Just haven't the slightest what I should do. I'd like to get it all done so I'd quit wondering about it, have my kitchen cabinets cleared out a bit (I absolutely despise the sound of clanking pots when I need to start dinner), and can't take looking at the oak table any longer. Anybody out there have an opinion? Experience to share? Help!

been having fun

I've been having fun baking and making invitations lately. I should probably be cleaning the house...but a girl needs some 'me' time, don't you think?

Both of these were designed to be e-mailed in PDF format. They were so fun to make.

I've made a ton of stuff, including mini cupcakes for the cupcake birthday party, but only thought to take a picture of this chocolate pumpkin bundt cake I made for my aunt & uncle's birthday (they share a birthday - isn't that sweet?).

Sorry for the blurry photos - I never remember to use my DSLR and use my iPhone instead.

I've also made pumpkin cake balls dipped in white chocolate and milk chocolate and lemon meringue pies. Now I think I'll make some dog biscuits for my poodlemutt Paisley's 4th birthday, which is today. At least that's one baking project that won't put pounds on my hips.

Operation Cupcake: Take 2

Better...



These are pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting - and miraculously even my husband, who insists that chocolate is the only good dessert, raved about them.

And I am happy because they look much better than last week's attempt and I have someone to split the calories with.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Operation Cupcake: Fail

I promised my dear friend I'd help bake and decorate the cupcake menagerie for her daughter's birthday.

So I tried decorating some cupcakes in the simple style of thick piped icing, like these pretty cakes...



But my cupcakes turned out so ugly!


(not to mention flat due to the silicone pan I used)


I think I've figured out a couple of things I'm doing wrong, and I'm going to get some more supplies. Luckily I was able to pawn off a few cupcakes on my family but I've eaten three before noon today. Oh, the sacrifices we make for our friends!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

busy busy life

The little one is keeping me so busy! He's getting more independent (now I truly understand the meaning of bittersweet) but I hate to just plop him down so I can spend more time than I need to on the computer. Besides, I enjoy spending all the time I can trying to figure out sillier and sillier ways to make him laugh.

I am helping a friend plan her daughter's first birthday party. Since I have another 6 months to go with the little man until that milestone - and I am super girly - this is a blast for me.

1. Etsy answin23 2. Bakerella 3. Etsy TuChae
4. Bakerella 5. Real Simple 6. No Fuss Fabulous
7. Etsy Whimzy Creations 8. Martha Stewart 9. La Fuji Mama

Isn't the idea of a high chair sign saying "I am 1" so cute? And I love the mini-sandwich in a cupcake wrapper. We'll just have to make sure the guests aren't expecting frosting and sweetness when they bite into a savory sandwich.

holidays

The weather's finally turned crisp here - for a couple of days, at least - and I am having silly little thoughts of the holidays.


dress via The Bottom of the Ironing Basket
My son's first Christmas allows me a little license with formality, no?

Or perhaps something a little more restrained, but still festive...

Candela Sequined Cuff & Hem dress, Saks Fifth Avenue, via ShopStyle

But this, so casual and warm, would look nice with my new over-the-knee boots, and wouldn't make my jeans-wearing family give me a sideways glance...

Cowl neck pocket tunic by emilyryan, Etsy

Finding a focus

Since I'm all over the place with ideas for the kitchen, I've decided to follow Living with Lindsay's Making Your Dream Room a Reality Series. The first goal is to identify what inspires you in the photos you are drawn to.


I love the monochromatic white look in this kitchen, the drawer pulls, and the glass-front cabinets. This kitchen reminds me of ours, which has a breakfast nook, kitchen, and family room area in one big room.


I love much of the same in this kitchen - monochromatic white, glass cabinets, and I also adore the feminine table and chairs.


The pops of blue appeal to me in this kitchen, as well as the plank ceiling.


I love the worn finish on this table, which is quite similar to the shape of ours. I also enjoy the mismatched chairs and white grommet-top panels. I'd bought some like these for the kitchen but ended up using them in my baby's room.



I've been searching for the perfect china cabinet/armoire for the kitchen on Craigslist for what seems like forever. The simple lines and white finish are so appealing.


But the detail and bright color of this one are also drawing me back to it (from Design Gal & Her Handyman.)

This photo's open shelving would be great on the wall next to the fireplace - and the chairs are similar to mine. I love the distressed look (from Jennifer at The Old Painted Cottage.)


And again...the similar chairs, but in blue. I also love, love the wall color.

Does that all seem contradictory? I love monochromatic white but I also love pops of color. There's not much color in my house - not even in my baby son's room - but I think I'm ready for a little.

Kitchen...

I've been thinking more and more about the burlap chairs. At first, I thought they were a terrific idea - cheap, durable, neutral - but then I realized my cat would love and adore scratching them up. I was even planning to upholster teal underneath prior to stapling on the burlap for a little color. However...not sure cat scratching post-seat cushions are the way to go for me.

Then I found this photograph


And I fell in love with the aqua chairs. The caned backing is so similar to mine, and I just love the pops of color. My uber-traditional husband, however? He has a hard time with WHITE furniture - can you imagine the heart attack he'd have at turquoise chairs?

So I'm on a new track. I would like a large-print turquoise houndstooth on white chairs (so yes, I'm back to upholstery), or perhaps even yellow...if I could paint the not-yet-purchased-waiting-for-the-perfect-one china cabinet turquoise. The walls in the kitchen are a neutral grey/blue, at the moment, so I think this would work.

The Michael Miller yellow houndstooth


I am smitten with this Duralee print - the repeat is perfect scale - but at nearly $150 a yard it is in the stratosphere concerning my budget.



I suppose it's a good thing I have no time to refinish the table at the moment, since I can't make up my mind.

kitchen table & chairs

We were lucky enough to have a dining table with leaves and chairs given to us by my mother's friend. It desperately needs a paint job, but with a new baby and my indecision about upholstery, it's been put on hold for a while. I'm definitely painting the set white, and I originally wanted aqua geometric print like one of these Waverly prints:




However, with the prospect of a toddler in the near future (and my incredible clumsiness), I'm not sure a pretty print is wise. I was browsing Joann.com and happened upon burlap, which is cheap and the perfect shade of brown to hide my coffee stains and baby food. Then I remembered that Layla at The Lettered Cottage has used burlap in several places in her home (my favorite - the dining room curtains in this post) and felt like a genius.

After consulting with my dear friend Mr. Google, I found that Melaine at My Sweet Savannah upholstered a chair in burlap. Our chairs are a lot like Jennifer's at The Old Painted Cottage, which you can see here (and see her amazing cottage reno in this post).

Here are our chairs (with a couple of prints from Calico Corners and please excuse the terrible photo):


And my main inspiration photo - the table closely resembles my table and I do love those mismatched chairs:


Just one thing...I haven't told the husband my plans. No doubt - he will think I am completely nuts and that it will be ugly...but I'm sure he'll change his tune once I'm done!

p.s. I would have posted more pictures instead of all the links but I'm not sure what the blog etiquette is quite yet.

the grass is always greener

I've been longing to move lately, to a place with seasons and to a house with character. It's probably because we've just made a move to establish real roots where we are, and we always want what we can't have, right? Oh well, a girl can dream, and fix up her subdivision (read: boring) home while lusting after gorgeous homes elsewhere.

The kitchen...those cabinets are fabulous. I am planning to repaint ours, and maybe, just maybe, add some glass.



Who wouldn't love this tub? A good book, candles, a wonderful bottle - I mean glass - of champagne.



A fireplace in the bedroom? Yes please.



Now, the outside could use some work - I'd probably want it painted white with blue shutters and trim.



For a cool $2.35 million, this could be ours...
Okay, dream time over!

Boys in the way

I live with my husband, which means that the laundry room is a perpetual mess. He doesn't clean out the detergent cup, leaves stinky, wet gym clothes on the floor, throws dirty dish towels haphazardly where he pleases...I suppose I shouldn't complain, since he does do some laundry.

He does not understand why I would like the laundry room to be clean and neat and :gasp: - pretty. Well, I don't do ugly...why should I? There is enough ugly in the world without having unpleasantness in your home.

Currently I love this first laundry room, as in, I stare at my laundry room and imagine how to make it look like this one! My little room is currently a bit of a darker blue, but I don't think I'll be repainting anytime soon. I've got galvanized tin buckets on the (ugly wire) shelves, and have hung sheers behind the washer and dryer to hide all of the plugs, water valves, etc., but the sheers are always brought forward onto the washer as I'm afraid they're a fire hazard.





I wonder if some sort of wood shelf with an apron could hide all of the plugs and water valves?



This might be an idea to both hide the ugly utility plugs AND provide a place for lovely husband to throw the gym clothes and dish towels.

good morning

It is a good morning, because the kid is taking his nap, without fuss, and my coffee turned out delicious, and although I have spit-up on my shoulder and the house is a mess, I didn't fight with my husband and already talked with two good friends.

And, I do believe I have found love in the shape of this Anthropologie mirror.


I begin this blog because I need a diary with a lock, and this will be it.