My style is “Suburban”

So I’ve noticed something lately when watching my favorite design shows. There is one word that seems to strike fear in the heart of many a “real” decorator… Their mouth puckers up like they just drank lemon juice. They look like they just swallowed a bug. They look as if they may just spit out the word…cause it’s just so completely hideous. That word that makes them quiver…   SUBURBAN

A fall mantel

Hello there! Well, the bins of fall decor have finally been pulled up the stairs, and I’m a little shocked at how much beady/leafy/pine coney stuff I’ve accumulated over the years. I mean, I lurve me some beady stuff, but it’s a little much. :) I set to work on the family room mantel today and started out putting it together like years past, but quickly realized I quite liked the way I had

Rewind: Warm fall glow

Can you believe I am just now really starting to decorate for fall? Most of you probably think I’m right on time, but this is about a month late for me. ;) My recent aversion to stuff has made me cringe at the thought of pulling the bins upstairs. But this weekend I finally got the bug, and it’s coming out slowly but surely. It’ll just be a tad simpler this year. Last year I showed you how

Bloggers in New York!

Well, enough of my bloggy friends have posted their pictures now, so I can finally steal their pics and share my post about our whirlwind NYC trip as well! ;) I was there for less than 48 hours, but crammed a crazy amount into that time. The evening I arrived, I joined the group of bloggers at the Rue Magazine launch party – it was held at Atelier in the New York Design Center, and I must

Master bedroom redo: Part one

I know I promised a post about the NYC trip today, but I’m waiting on everyone else to post about it so I can copy all their pictures. ;) That’s how I roll. So…you may or may not remember my post a couple of months ago about our bed, and why it made me cry I never made it. I told you then I was on a search for new bedding…and I found it, over time. I big fat LOVE IT. And oh yeah – IT FITS

Giveaway winner!

Well HELLO! I’m back home sweet home!

What a fantastic, whirlwind of a trip it was! So much so, I reeeeeally need to get some sleep. I'm pooped.

I at least wanted to announce the winner of the A Side of Peaches giveaway from last weekend! I know I kinda stink at the whole announcing of the winner thing. ;)

Congrats to Noralee at Keeping up with the Jones’ – you are the (randomly selected)

DIY Ballard Design Acanthus Plaque

While I’m off in NYC, my friend (in blogland and in real life) Beckie is guest posting for me. She’s sharing one of my very favorite projects of hers – enjoy!! Hello Thrifty readers!  I am Beckie, from Infarrantly Creative.  I am a red-headed, left-handed, frugal-living, roadkill-rescuing, furniture revamping, creative-minded, spray-painting, fun-loving Midwest girl living in the land of

Weekend fun: Famous folk

Hey there! I hope you’re having a fantastic weekend! I’m getting ready for another trip to NYC next week (pinch me!). I mentioned last week that, thanks so my friend Rhoda at Southern Hospitality, I am off to a taping of the Nate Berkus show, along with a whole slew of decorating/design bloggers. I can’t WAIT! So, I’m in the midst of laundry and trying to find SOMETHING to wear that is worthy

Show me off: Fab transformations!

Well hello there! This week is positively flying by -- crazy! I can’t believe it’s almost the weekend already. It’s time to show off a few more of you lovelies out there in blogland! I’ve received so many emails highlighting some incredible projects, and this post is all about taking the not-so-glamorous befores to fabulous afters! First off, Myra at My Blessed Life found a gorgeous

A dollar store fall wreath

Hellooo there! I’m finally pulling out the fall decor this week! This is SO late for me -- usually I’m itching to get it out in August! This year I wanted to make sure I was completely done going through the basement before I started lugging the (cough. numerous.) bins up. One of the projects I wanted to tackle this year was a DIY fall wreath. I was inspired by this one last year: But

How to paint cabinets

First of all, I must thank you for your sweet comments on my kitchen island redo. :) We love it so very much! I promised a how-to on the painting of the cabinets, so here we go… As I mentioned, it took me almost two and half years to attack this project. Now I know why.  :) Nahhh…it wasn’t that bad. No really, it was. You folks who have painted ALL of your kitchen cabinets have a special

Giveaway weekend!

  Hello all! It’s the start to another weekend, and that means another great giveaway here at TDC!A Side of Peaches (isn’t that name adorable?) is a deal-a-day site that offers a fantastic selection of goodies! You really don’t know what you’re gonna get when you check in each day. (And I love that!)The items are discounted up to 80 percent (wowza!), but the thing is, you have to grab them while

Remember

Almost exactly nine years ago, my husband took me to New York City for my first visit. I had a feeling about the city – even though I had never been there. I just knew I would fall in love with it. And I fell…hard. I always say I must have been a New Yorker in a past life. :) It felt like home to me, from the very first trip. That last week in August nine years ago, we took the ferry out

A beautiful kitchen island (finally!)

Welcome to what I like to call THE LONGEST PROJECT IN THE HISTORY OF MAN. OK, a little dramatic, but really. It took forever. Serious. Serious. It started two and a half years ago when I took our builder basic kitchen island: And added some molding and paint: The sides of the island were made from that crapastic laminate stuff that you need to paint with primer. Which I

Before and After Party: Choo choo!

Hello there! I hope you had a fantastic Labor Day weekend! I got SO MUCH DONE – I labored way too much and rested too little.  ;) I cannot wait to show you what I worked on – squeallllll!! (I’ll show you tomorrow!) So anyhoo, I’m pretty proud of this project because I built it with my own two hands…I can decorate and saw and craft and organize and drill like no one’s business, but I rarely

August month in review!

Well hello there! First of all, I need to announce the winner of the Stella and Dot giveaway (I have been bad at this lately!) – the (randomly drawn) lucky winner is Kelsy from We Weren’t Crazy! Congrats Kelsy! Please email me and I’ll get you in touch with Jennifer. Okie dokie, onto the review of August and the fun stuff that went on around TDC! At the beginning of the month, I showed you the

STUFF.

You know how when someone writes in all caps, you feel like they’re yelling at you? Well, I wrote this post title in all caps so I can look back on it and yell…at myself.  ;) First things first – I must start by telling you something very, very important… I LIKE STUFF. (No, I’m not yelling at you, I just like stuff.) I like stuff around the house, I like buying stuff. Stuff makes me happy.