Teaser…

I’m battling a major migraine tonight, so this post is going to be short and sweet. A lot of you probably saw this already on Twitter or Facebook, but I’ll post it again here for anyone who missed it. They are plain ol’ cardboard boxes. I put them on the stove so you can get an idea of the size. I have big plans for these babies. I really hope it doesn’t crash and burn, but I guess we will see, check back in a few days…

Etsy Round-Up: Red

I can sit and look through things on Etsy for hours on end. Some days I have a certain item on the brain, like lamps. Others times I just pick a category at random and start looking through it. Maybe that's why I’ve been itching to do an Etsy round-up, because I spend so much time on there anyway. Well I finally got around to it today. I picked red for a general theme, in honor of Valentine’s Day coming up. But they are by no means a bunch of Valentine’s-themed items. (Keep in mind I would prefer to attempt to make several of these before I would buy them. But I love these versions all the same.)

 

1- Paper Garland- Red Elephants on Parade.  2- Sukan / Red Linen, White Felt Birds Pillow Cover – 12x20 inch.  3- 'Mini Reds’ 2 Piece 5x9 Original Paintings.  4- Red Neoprene Rubber Sterling Silver ‘LOVE’ Pendant.  5- Red Barn Owl Figurine.  6- Red and Black Sushi Set.  7- My Fair Lady Headwrap – Red, Cream, Charcoal. 8- Red Rose on Red Pillow.  9- Nautical Pillow Cover – Red White Blue – 12x18 inch. 10- ‘Dragon Dance’ Original Paintings, Set of 3 Canvases 48x20.  11- 12” Bird Feeder or Bird Bath Made From Red Glass Traffic Light.  12- Set of 4 Red Chevron Cork Coasters.

Every one of these represents something I love. All things nature, trees, animals, etc (well ok, I’m not crazy about snakes, spiders or insects- but as long as they don’t come near me I am fine). Art. Up-cycled and eco-friendly items. Headwraps and jewelry. Several of them also represent people who are important to me (for instance, one of my sisters has a major things for owls, hence the owl figurine- but that doesn’t mean I don’t love them all too). So what do you think, dreamers? Do you love them all as much as I do? Or do you hate them?

My Day…

...hasn’t been a terribly productive one as far as blog projects go, but it has been tremendously productive in other aspects. Jess and I went to my mom’s and pretty much just spent the day with her. We walked around Mary Jo’s (a local fabric store with a truly MASSIVE selection and variety), walked around Walmart looking at baskets and other crafty things, got a few items Mama needed, and stopped at Subway for lunch. Then we headed back to her house and got our taxes done, Jess and I both got haircuts (yes my mom cuts our hair and does our taxes, and does a great job on both!), and then helped Mama clean out some old boxes and stuff. 

While we were at Mary Jo’s, I found the fabric I want to use for the lamp! Its totally not what I was looking for, but I saw it and fell in love. And it will still be totally designer-inspired! (If I’m lucky maybe the lovely Beckie over at Knock Off Decor will feature it! My blog could sure use the publicity.) I can’t wait to get started on it! Hopefully I can get that underway soon!

The whole point of us helping Mama clean was because she said she had some things I might want for projects. We ended up taking home 2 small lamps, some wire squares that I used to use for a guinea pig pin, a big box full of old fabric scraps, an old handheld sewing machine that looks like its never been used (its still in the box, and has all the original accessories!), and probably a few other things I’m forgetting. I’m already working on plans for most if not all of it.

So, after all our running today (after we got home, we still had go back out and drop some bags off at Goodwill and make a Walmart stop of our own), I still had one thing left I needed to get done today. My niece's birthday party is tomorrow, and since we’re short on cash. I wanted to make her something. Her mom suggested earrings, since she just got her ears pierced this past weekend. So I set to work digging through all my old jewelry-making supplies. This is what I came up with. Keep in mind that Madison will be 9, so I wanted to keep them age-appropriate, but still be fun. They look orange, but they are actually pink (her favorite color) or red, depending how the light hits them. So, what do you think? Mission accomplished? I’ll let you know how she likes them.

Overall, I think today was a pretty productive day!

The New Bedding I’m Lusting After

This insomnia crap has me considering overhauling our bedroom (when we have some money, of course). Currently, its black and red. And I know red is considered a very stimulating color. So I've been looking at more subdued bedding. (I'll find other ways to bring in the red, because Jess has always wanted a red bedroom. I've always wanted blue, this was our compromise. We picked out red sheets, a black comforter, and I was going to paint the walls a soft blue. But I never got around to painting.) So I’ve been thinking throwing in some navy as a major color player might help. And then I found this comforter at Z Gallerie that sealed it for me:
 
I don’t care much for the sheets they paired with it (although I do like the pillows in the back), but throw in some solid sheets in a lighter blue, possibly some striped or otherwise patterned ones, and I'd be in heaven. I love the texture! Doesn't it look like it'd be amazing to curl up with after a long day?
 
 

 
 
I love these Marimekko Biloba Blue Queen Sheets from Crate & Barrel, but they are $139! So I’ll keep looking.
 
 
 
 
 
I think the comforter I may actually buy (eventually, of course. Oh how that's getting old to say...). Its gorgeous, and for $129.95, the price isn't terribly bad, at least not for one of good quality. I wouldn't be paying $30 each for the coordinating pillow shams though. But I could find some nice coordinating sheets easily and cheaply, and pillowcases too.

Early Spring Cleaning at The Townhouse

I was scheduled to work 12 hours today, but ended up getting sent home after only 6. As much as we could really use that extra money, turns out it was a blessing in disguise because for whatever reason I went on a maniacal cleaning spree. Cleaned out my closet and dresser and bagged a LOT to take to Goodwill. Reorganized a lot of things because my dresser has very shallow drawers (anyone else know how ANNOYING that is??). Put up clothes that don’t fit but I couldn’t bear to give away (trust me, I put PLENTY in those Goodwill bags. Yes I said bagS, as in trash bags full. And kept one measly little stack, maybe enough to fill a grocery bag). I haven’t touched Jess’ stuff though (yet- I told her either she does it or I do lol), but at least I feel like a made a ton of progress.


I’m trying to hold off on taking any pictures that aren’t absolutely necessary until my new camera USB cord gets here in a few days so I can take them properly instead of with my phone. So bear with me.


The Townhouse. How does that sound? Jess and I haven’t decided whose name we’ll eventually take when we do the formal our wedding ceremony (definitely NOT mine, but maybe hers or her step-dad’s) or if we’ll just pick a completely new one. So I can’t very well call it The Lawniczak House or The Rayne Home, now can I? (Btw, for those of you who don’t know, Lawniczak is my last name. Now you understand why I’m so adamant about not keeping it right? Rayne is a name we’ve discussed using if we decide to make our own, its part of a name that, growing up, Jess had always wanted to name a future daughter. Funny, I hate it as a middle name, but like it as a surname.) Opinions? Like, dislike?


Since I’m holding off a few more days on my own pictures, here are a few from Pinterest (add me!) that I am LOVING right now:



These lanterns are SO easy to make! And how much  fun are they!? I definitely want to try this project one day soon. (Hey Kelly, you wouldn’t happen to need any lanterns for Madi’s party next week, would you? Lol)

Anyone who knows me at all knows I LOVE colorful things, whether its rainbow colored or just colorful. In fact, one of my nicknames is Rainbow Brite. (Totally fulfilling a major gay cliché, I know.) So I’m sure its no surprise that I LOVE this bathroom!!! Did I mention I LOVE it? Just wanted to emphasize the enormity of my amour for it. No, but seriously, I really love it.

Ok, I know chevron stripes are supposed to be the trendy thing now. And there are some instances where I like them, mostly in smaller doses like throw pillows and occasionally as large as an area rug. But I will always hold a special place in my heart for stripes, especially bold, dramatic ones like these. (Btw, Lowe's pinned it, but there is no source and clicking it just goes to google.com so I have no idea who to credit. If anyone knows, please let me know!)

What have some of your latest pinning obsessions been, dreamers? And don’t forget to go enter to win the Valentine’s Day Gift Basket if you haven’t already!

Valentine's Day Gift Basket Giveaway!

~*~This giveaway is no longer accepting entries! The winner is Jena W, congratulations Jena!~*~

I am so excited to announce I am starting my first giveaway tomorrow! My good friend Amber makes her own body care products and sells them on her Etsy shop, Phenomenal Creations. (She has just signed a contract with a boutique in New York to sell her line!) And she has agreed to let me do a giveaway of one of her most popular products this time of year, the Deluxe Valentine's Day Gift Basket, which sells for $56! Here is a preview picture:

Deluxe Valentine's Day Gift Basket

The basket will be customized to the scent chosen by the winner. She has over 40 scents to choose from, everything from dead-on imitations of designer scents like CK Eternity and Vera Wang, to her own mixes like Asian Bloom.

The winner will receive an email and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

HodgePodge

Yesterday was crazy busy! We picked up that (free) old new-to-me recliner I found off Craigslist. Plus, when I called the lady as planned for directions, she said she had an armchair and two pillows we could have if we wanted. I figured what the hell, we'd at least look at it. Its far from what I'd call attractive, but its in good shape, so we took it too. Between driving to pick up my father-in-law's truck, finding the house, loading furniture, getting home and unloading furniture, taking off the old sectional corner piece to Goodwill (the recliner couldn't be saved), returning my FIL's truck, and getting back home, plus furniture arrangement and making dinner, it was kinda insane! We got everything arranged (probably temporarily, but its working for now) and sat down to eat dinner and watch a Grey's Anatomy episode, and I swear the next thing I knew it was midnight. Normally that means nothing to me, but I had to work 7a-7p today so it was off to bed. And now I'm writing this in my downtime at work (scratch that- was writing it at work, on my new blogger-droid app that I'm not sure if I like- now I'm editing on my computer at home).

So. New projects! There's the hideous chair I just mentioned, that I want to try to paint, I think sooner rather than later because its currently covered in a very ill-fitting fitted sheet. There's also the lovely burnt orange recliner that I either want to make or buy a slipcover for. Last, there's the 2 pillows, that I plan on making covers for. Now all I have to do is decide on colors! In general the only major color I've picked for the room so far is the teal of the curtains I already have and love. I'm thinking teal and green and gold and brown? I need to go fabric hunting, maybe something will speak to me. Plus there are the projects that were waiting on me before, like finishing up the tumbler for the bathroom, and the apothecary jars. So I guess I'll be a busy bee again tomorrow!

Speaking of ruminating, the last thing I mentioned ruminating on was the mudroom bench. I drew up a plan while working that I wanted to share to hopefully give y'all an idea of what I'm wanting to do. Ignore the not-to-scaleness and the out-of-proportionness, I am not a great artist, but the old man I was sitting with today knew what it was meant to be, so hopefully y'all will be able to see it too!

I realize you wouldn't be able to see both in front and down into the back like that, that's what I meant when I said ignore all that lol. Also the far right cubby goes all the way back so as not to be blocking the air filter, that I just realized I didn't do. Does it give you an idea at least?

I'll be starting a giveaway soon! My good friend Amber at Phenomenal Creations is putting together a gift basket, and the winner will get to choose his/her preferred scent! Details as soon as I have them!