Pillow Covers- My new addiction

In my post "Those Old Ugly Throw Pillows" I told you about the super cute pillow designs I found on Amazon.

Well gang, I am now an addict.  I never thought about all of the options that were available to me, and I feel as if an entire new world has opened up to me.

So, I love holidays.  I love the time with my family, the anticipation of the event, and I love decorating my home in celebration of the occasion.  Now that Little Man is aware of these occasions, I have tried really hard to create those memories and traditions that will he will carry for the rest of his life.

So what do holidays and throw pillows have to do with one another?  EVERYTHING!  For each special occasion, I can now decorate my home a little more without spending a fortune.

Here's what I mean:

This pillow cover can be found on Amazon for only $7.30.  So I can easily replace my Feather Pillow Covers for a more Holiday feel without dropping $25-30 for a similar pillow at Target.

Here are some of the other great occasion pillow covers I have found-

Cotton Linen 18x18 Pillow Cover for $5.67

Cotton Linen 18x18 Pillow Cover for $5.39

Cotton Linen 18x18 Pillow Cover $12.50

So these are only a few of the great pillow covers I have found.  I'm excited to see the different ways I can use these to change my decor with each special occasion!

Hope you saw something you love too!

KL

A Few New Things

So right now I've got several projects that I am working on at the same time.  In my previous post "I Need a Coffee Table", I shared with you a recent Goodwill table that I reworked.  In another of my Goodwill junking trips I found this children's chair for $4.

The chair is solid wood, and the hardware is in good shape.  This photograph was taken after an hour of scrubbing and using Goo Gone to remove dozens of children's stickers- most of which were at least 15 years old.  As you can tell the chair is missing several of it's original wood plugs.  So thus far I have removed all the wood plugs, tightened all the hardware, and lightly sanded the chair.  I got on Amazon and ordered Replacement Wood Plugs for $1.89.

After my wood plugs arrived, I reinserted as many original wood plugs as I could and added the replacement plugs.  Three of these needed wood glue to hold them in place, because the opening had become wider than original.

That's as far as I have gotten at this point.  I am thinking about using this in Little Man's room with an antique desk his grandmother found.  I definitely want to paint it.  But for now, Little Man is enjoying having our new coffee table and his chair for snack time.

In other projects, I decided I wanted to paint a piece of trim over my kitchen sink.  Here is the area taped off and ready for paint.

Our kitchen cabinets are solid white, but we have a dark brown trim in part of our molding.  I was thinking I wanted to mimic the brown color to accent the design of this trim.

This is the first coat of paint.  I am going to let it dry over night then do a second coat.  Once this is finished, I will take a photo up close and further back. This should give an idea of what it looks like framing the window and tying into the molding.

My fingers are crossed that this will work out.  If not, it's going to take a lot of white paint to hide that brown.  Sometimes its fun just to take a risk and paint is an easy fix.

Go paint something today!
KL

There's Beauty in the Details.

Part of Little Man's Mobile

Today during a few down minutes, I looked through the photographs of Little Man's first nursery.  (We moved about 8 weeks after he was born.)  At the time, I thought the nursery was cute but definitely not up to pinterest standards.  Now as I take a moment to look back, I realize how much beauty is in the details.

His first pair of Stride Rite shoes.

Little Man has outgrown most of these clothes and toys, which creates so much nostalgia in the pictures.  I keep telling people that he is growing up way too fast, but these images truly emphasize that.

The original toy crate.

But, most of all I realize how much beauty I ignore everyday.  The piles of toys, crumbs on the floor, and crayon marks on the wall are all temporary moments in life that can seem frustrating at times.  However, these same "messes" are exactly what I want Little Man's childhood to be about.  

A raspberry teether.

So, while I spend my days cleaning, decorating, and projecting to make my home traditionally beautiful, I am going to work extra hard to embrace the nontraditional beauty of the everyday.  I would encourage you to look around and find the unexpected beauty in your own home or environment.  It's there if you look hard enough.

But that doesn't mean I get to stop doing the dishes or washing the laundry.  Have I mentioned how much I loathe ironing???


KL

The "Mommy" Wardrobe has GOT to go!

Little Man is 22 months old.  And for 20 months my uniform was yoga pants and t-shirts.  During the year after little man's birth, like most first time moms, I struggled to find time and energy to get dressed, fix my hair, or actually do my make-up.  Looking back, it wasn't that having a new baby was SO hard, it was that I had no idea how to juggle.  I thought I was a master multi-tasker before his birth, but now multi-task has a whole new meaning.  We went out to dinner a few nights ago, and my husband commented that he was exhausted just watching me manage our Little Man.  We do like to call him an Octopus- arms going in every direction at once.  But honestly, I hadn't noticed that I was doing anything more than the normal disaster control.  And I think the main reason is that I have become a better multi-tasker.

With this newly refined multi-tasking ability, I have found myself able to put a little more time and energy into myself.  So I am longing to dress like an actual adult again.  I want pretty clothes, nicer make-up, and hair that doesn't spend every day in a bun.  So my first step was to look in my closet and see what's left.

First things first- I had to purge any remaining maternity clothes.  Yes, those are comfy shirts, dresses, and skirts but I'm not pregnant.

If you are looking for ideas of what to do with your maternity clothes here are my suggestions: 1.  Give them to a pregnant or "trying" friend.  2.  Find a second hand store and consign them.  3. *Most Important Idea* Donate them to a battered women's shelter.  Many women need donated clothes during their pregnancies, and struggle to find them.

Secondly, I began trying on everything.  If it's too big- donate it.  If it's stained or damaged- cut it up for work cloths.  Used clothes make the best wood staining cloths.

 The last category is the too small group.  I always struggle with this.  Most new mom's don't fit back into their pre-pregnancy clothes because of a change to their body.  This can be a weight change or a proportion change (meaning your hips shifted during pregnancy and labor).  With the proportion change, your pants and skirts will be loose and snug in different places.  What was once your favorite pair of skinny jeans, now sit too low in the back and create funny folds in the front. So, in these situations I have to push myself to be totally honest.  If it doesn't fit right, I'm not going to wear it.  So, its got to go.  Off to the Consign or Donate pile.

Now I had to see what was left- and honestly it was a sad sight.  So, I am working on renewing my wardrobe with pieces that are both functional in my day-to-day life and stylish.

Obviously this led to shopping trips to a variety of stores.  And with Little Man in tow- clothes shopping is no fun.  He has very little patience browsing, and even less in dressing rooms.  Goldfish crackers only work for so long.  ;)  So I began looking for another option.

My hairdresser told me about Stitchfix.  This is a really cool website that provides an online personal stylist.  You complete a personality form, and schedule your first "fix."  The stylist chooses 5 items based on your profile, and mail them to you.

You pay for only those items you keep.  While I have found several things I love through their website, I feel their prices (even when you select the low cost option) are very high.

So after two attempts with Stitchfix, I stumbled across what is now my

ABSOLUTE FAVORITE CLOTHING WEBSITE!!  

TWICE

So what is this amazing site?  Twice is a place where you can buy and sell designer clothes in mint condition.  Yes, you read that right- mint condition.  I have made 3 purchases from twice so far, and am thrilled with everything I have seen.

Some of my purchases--

New with Tags Loft sweater for $15. (Orig $90)

Jessica Howard sweater dress for $22. (Orig $190)

New with tags Express button down for $9. (Orig $50)

Romeo and Juliet Couture $8. (Orig $60)

Over half my items are new with tags still on. (A website tip: If the item says NWT in the description, that means it is New With Tag!)  And, I have been able to sell items to them as well.  After signing up for an account you are able to browse all their in stock items- and a word to the wise- they add new items at midnight, so the early bird catches the worm on this site.  Now if you purchase an item, when it arrives you can return it at no cost for store credit, or receive a refund after a $5 shipping fee.  So essentially you can take your $100 budget and keep mailing items back until you have only pieces you are crazy about!  No wasting money buying clothes online that don't fit perfectly or that aren't really your style.  

And Twice also sells men's clothing.  I picked up this beautiful Tommy Bahama button down for my husband for under $20.  He wears it at least once a week.

If you are struggling to refresh your wardrobe, check out these two options.  Good luck finding beautiful things in a budget you can afford.

KL

Those old, ugly throw pillows...

Throw pillows are really expensive!  Recently, I moved our two couchs around and decided I needed to add some different color pillows to tie our living room together.  So I started pricing them out, and WOAH... I was blown away by the cost of two nice pillows.

Even at discount stores like HomeGoods and Tuesday Morning you pay $15.99-25.99 per pillow.  And most of those are the poly-filled, scratchy kind.  And if you do find a high quality pillow, the color or pattern is questionable.

So I started looking around my house to see what I could change and reuse for little or no money.  I was able to come up with two simple solutions.  I wrote about the first one in my post After The Comforter Dies.  My second solution began with pulling out all of our 10+ year old throw pillows from the bed, guest room, and tucked in the linen closet.

Some of these were shredding at the seams, but after closer inspection I had two pillows which could easily be recovered by some simple pillow covers.

So I pulled out my phone and began an Amazon search to see what kind of options were out there.  And I was shocked to see the number of CUTE super inexpensive covers available.

18x18 Cotton Linen Throw Pillow Case $5.64 with Amazon Prime Shipping

18x18 Cotton Linen Throw Pillow Case $6.98 ea with Amazon Prime Shipping

18x18 Cotton Linen Throw Pillow Case $5.94 ea with Amazon Prime Shipping

There are hundreds of other options, but I thought these were the three cutest ones at this price point.  If you are in the mood for a new look, I highly recommend checking Amazon for a great deal.  And if you are not already an Amazon Prime member, follow this link for a 30 Day Free Trial.  So worth the money!

And here's what I decided to use in my living room....

I just fell in love with the feathers.  Such a cute and current design!

Have fun playing with your throw pillows today!

KL

Please tell me you use Amazon Prime....

I use Amazon for everything- literally everything.  

In 2007 my husband became one of the earliest users of the Amazon prime service.  At that point it was $50 a year with no delivery fees.  He hates shopping for anything and thought this was a great solution.  At that point I was skeptical at best.  A website where I can buy paper towels and have them delivered?  Why would I ever do that?  I can just pick them up at the grocery store....

Now 8 years later, I am a total addict.  I participate in the Amazon Mom program for discounted diapers and wipes for Little Man (20% off!).  

I watch movies and tv shows thru the free steaming video section.  We have an Audible subscription for 2 books per month. (You can click the link to get 2 free books with a new enrollment.)  

We use the monthly Subscribe and Save feature for paper towels, toilet paper, dishwashing detergent, cleaning supplies, and a variety of other things. Our wedding registry and baby registry were both on Amazon. I have a Kindle, and use Kindle First to get a free new release once a month.  I use the Amazon music app to stream thousands of free songs thru my phone.  We also use the Wishlist feature for both Little Man and ourselves. (Which is a huge help during the holidays!)  To be honest, I can't think of a single feature Amazon has that we don't use.

And we get all of this plus Prime Shipping (2 day free on all Prime items, 1 day shipping on select items) for only $99 per year.  And, did you know that you can add family members to your Prime Account too?  You can send them an invite through your account so they can use the Prime shipping feature too.  Both my brother and sister use our Amazon Prime account.  So even more bang for our buck!  This is one of the best deals anywhere.  

If you are interested in trying Amazon Prime here is a link to a free 30 Day Trial.  I highly recommend you look into it.  Plus, who doesn't love opening a just delivered package?

Have fun Amazon shopping!
KL

So, Who Am I?

For any of you out there reading this blog you are probably wondering a little bit about me.  That's always an awkward topic of conversation, right?  Who really likes talking to strangers about themselves?  

So, what do you do for a living.... well I am a Registered Nurse who used to work in Surgery, but I am currently staying home with my son.  

So, where did you go to school... I went to the University of Georgia for undergrad, and back to Athens Technical College for my nursing degree. 

 

So, how did you meet your husband.... We worked together in a Cardiology practice while he was finishing his masters degree.  He makes fun of me for saying this, but I knew he was "the one" the very first moment I laid eyes on him.

Ok, enough of the awkward staged questions you're obligated to ask a new acquaintance.  Here's my real story.  I am the oldest of three kids from an incredibly normal, quirky, pain-in-the-butt family.  My parents got married right out of high school, and have been married for 38 years so far.  My maternal grandparents got married when they were 15 and 17 years old, and will be celebrating their 60th!!!! wedding anniversary this November.  I have a younger sister who is my best friend, mentor, and confidant.  She is an amazing teacher and school administrator working with elementary aged kids.  I also have a younger brother who is a police officer and serves in the national guard.  I am exceedingly proud of his hard work and dedication.  He is an amazing, honest, inspiring man.  My husband and I have been married for nearly 4 years, and have one son, Little Man.  And no that is not his real name. :)

I spent my entire childhood "junking" with my Grandmother- I am fairly sure I have been in every antique and thrift store along the east coast, and quite a few on the west coast.  In high school, I worked in my Grandmother's antique store, and frequently spent nights at auctions bidding on cool junk. I love my time with my Grandmother, and as you can see "junking" is in my blood.  

My Mom also has this amazing eye for decorating, and is a true artist at heart.  She has hand made concrete art pieces, painted artwork that should hang in a gallery and keeps a home that could grace the cover of Southern Living magazine every single day.  When I was younger, I thought I could never keep a house the way she does- I was just too lazy.  But as I have gotten older, I see more of my Mom in my actions every day.

My personal interests and tastes are a combination of my Mom and Grandmother.  I have a huge collection of antique books, an inherited collection of Wallace Nutting Paintings, and an eclectic mix of Pottery Barn, Target, Hobby Lobby, and DIY projects.  I like a little of everything and hopefully you will see that thru my posts, ideas, and projects.

Wallace Nutting (American, 1861-1941), "Joy Path", hand colored photographic print;

Hope this gives you a little insight into my every day life!
KL

I need a coffee table...

But I already own 3.  Ever had that problem?  My basement has a room where coffee tables go to die.  See the following examples:

The table left by our homes previous owners.  Cheap wood that can't be sanded down.  And its huge!  Like nearly dinner table size.

The hand-me-down set of 3 matching tables.  Possible redo project down the road, but currently too long for my living room.

And last but not least, the old semi-failed DIY table from 5 years ago.  Too frail to withstand the abuse/weight of Little Man.

And there you have it- I collect coffee tables that I can't use.  So what do I do, but go to Goodwill and buy another table that I can't use as is.  

I forgot to take a photograph of the before table, but lets just say it was a kid's play table that had been used and abused.  Similar to this image I found on google-

                       

So first things first, let's take the legs off and sand the wood down to see what we are working with.

Had to measure the legs and cut them down to coffee table height.  Originally the table legs were about 20" long.  I used our table saw to cut them down to 16".  I wanted to play it safe and not go too short.  I may end up cutting these more.

After some serious sanding, I found some incredibly beautiful wood underneath all the stain, paint, and grime.  

This was the underside of the table, where you can clearly see the "Made in the USA" stamp.  Excited to bring new life to something of good quality.  But as you can see the black paint would have been incredibly hard to sand off with all of those crevices.  So I decided to use black spray paint, and give the bottom, side, and legs a new coat of paint leaving the wood on top ready for stain.

I chose to use some of our leftover Verathane Woodstain in the color Kona.  Most of our living room furniture has a finish in a similar shade.  And here's my wood staining tip: save your socks with holes in them.  These make great one time use staining cloths.  Simply follow Mr. Miyagi's insturctions, "Wipe On, Wipe Off."  And in my opinion circular motions work the best.  

This particular stain takes about an hour to dry.  I also recommend sealing any stained wood.  This will help prevent water rings or juice box squares. ;)

And here is the finished product:

Have fun with your next DIY project!
KL