Friday, February 28, 2014

Party Preparation

Our entire week has been FULL of party preparation, my kind of week. We had a wee celebration for Henry's birthday day and now we are in full swing preparing for tomorrow's BIG fiesta. You only turn 4 once and you only get one elephant party. Here are a few sneak peeks of what is ahead of us manana. 

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Birthday Wishes

Today is Liza's birthday. When I think of Liza and our friendship, I think of beauty and grace. We will be friends for ten years this Fall, and I have appreciated every minute. From our time in seminary together in Pittsburgh, visits to Europe, and now back together in the states we have enjoyed life together. Lots of love to you Liza on this very special day. 


Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Contrast Piping


Ever since I first saw a picture of it a while back I have been obsessed with this chair from CB2.  That color combination!  The lines! Tragically they discontinued this particular color, but it is still available in some darker, more neutral options.  Sigh.  This chair got me thinking about using contrast piping, or welting, in my next upholstery project, and suddenly I'm seeing inspiration everywhere.



Welting in a dramatically different color from the upholstery highlights the outlines of the piece, so you want to be sure you choose your chair or sofa (or ottoman) carefully for this look.  If you don't like the shape of the furniture now, you definitely won't like it outlined in such a dramatic way.

I really like the simplicity of this glider, the stark contrast of the black and white and its petite, simple lines.  



This sofa from Dorya Interiors makes white upholstery pop with midnight blue accents.


This pretty chair with light gray piping and a clean white slipcover offer more of a subtle contrast.


Clean, handsome navy with white piping.


Jenny from LGN had her Baker sofa reupholstered in a gorgeous green velvet with contrast welting.  What a fun, bold choice!


For an overall neutral look with a surprise pop of color I love this gray with neon yellow piping, which make such a fresh combination.


So fresh: crisp lime green and white.


Graphic black welting toughens up pretty blush.



xo

Liza




Monday, February 24, 2014

Birthday Party Ideas

You know me, I LOVE  a birthday party. I have been planning Henry's birthday this last month. I always say, work ahead and get the detailing done well before your event. Well planned events make for a stress-free fiesta. 


Last month I checked out Meri-Meri's website and found the perfect table settings for Henry's Elephant party. I was so pleased when I asked H what he wanted his birthday theme to be and he said Elephants. When you're a Mama it is not easy to see your kids grow up to fast, and I found his choice so sweet and childlike. So, when I came across Meri-Meri, I knew I had found just the right settings that would take us to a party that will be whimsical. 


Here is a sneak peek..........

When I was planning on Henry's party, I thought to select his birthday invitations first. Then I could go from there and make my other decor choices. I hit a site I have never used before, Zazzle. They have a great selection and at a great price point. I love sending out invitations for family, friends, and classmates, so I always order quite a few. 

FRONT SIDE

BACK SIDE













I can't wait to share our elephant costume tutorial next week!!! 

Mil Besos & Happy Party Planning!

Mel


Friday, February 21, 2014

Friday Flooring

I just wanted to give you all a sneak peek into my new kitchen flooring and walls.  Last week Ginger stopped by and within a few hours my kitchen was looking a little different, in a  GREAT way. I can't wait to share more next week. Until then, enjoy the sneak peek. 

BEFORE


Thursday, February 20, 2014

Bedroom Glam

Over the years I have found that our own bedroom is one of the last places I seem to get around to when it comes to decorating.  Even though we spend plenty of time in there, and I love the idea of our room being a peaceful, thoughtfully appointed space, it always seems to trail behind so many other pressing projects.


In this house we have slowly but surely begun to make some progress toward our bedroom being more than just functional (I had to remind myself: dorm room chic is not a real thing).  Remember when it looked like this?  Not exactly depressing, but also definitely not the kind of room that makes you happy to be in it.


As we have settled into the rest of the house, I started working on a few major improvements in our bedroom, including sewing a custom bedskirt and tweaking a basic IKEA dresser to make it something special.  Lately I have been on the lookout for a mirror for over my tall dresser, ideally something gilded and a little feminine.  Since it will be the first thing you see from the hallway I wanted a mirror that makes a bit of a statement-- I wanted to love it.

After a few weeks of occasional browsing at my favorite nearby consignment and second hand shops hadn't turned up anything promising, I decided to drive a bit farther out of town to one of the larger antique malls with tons of booths and a wide range of quality and prices.  I love rummaging through places like this and the thrill of finding a gem in the middle of a warehouse full of... let's just say non-gems:)  That's when I came across this mirror, which was happily on sale down from its formerly reasonable price.  Once a quick measurement confirmed that it would just barely fit the space I needed (this guy is big), I paid my $50(!) and rushed home to see how it would look in the room.


Around the same time I happened to pass a Tuesday Morning and decided to stop in.  Our guest room happily has seen a lot of visitors recently, and we needed another set of sheets for the laundry rotation--and gosh, did Tuesday Morning deliver!  I will always love Home Goods, but the deals I found on gorgeous, high thread count sheet sets that day at TM blew Home Goods away.  Just a little side tip for you there, if you're in the market!

Of course I made sure to check out the clearance section while I was in there, and I came across these simple white and gold window panels.  I liked the look, but what really caught my eye was the fact that they're not polyester like so many silky curtains out there, but 100% real silk!  And miraculously there were four panels left in the clearance pile (exactly what I needed!), marked down to-- I'm not kidding here-- $12 each.  Yes, please.


Between the gold mirror and new silk curtains, in one week our bedroom got a serious boost in glamour, and now I love being in there.  And the $100 budget makes me pretty happy, too.







xo

Liza

Monday, February 17, 2014

Nursery Decor

Last week our dear friend Sarah asked Liza and me to weigh in on her decor choices.  The Condon family is expecting a new baby girl in the next few months. Below are the curtains from ModCloth Sarah is considering buying. 


When I took a closer look at Baby C's bedding, I decided to take a look at a few other options. 


Here are a couple more fun curtain choices from Urban Outfitters that will match perfectly, and both choices are within the 40.00 dollar range. 



Here are a few FAVORITES from Land of Nod.







I love these knobs at Urban Outfitters......



And here are a few wall hangings and room decor I LOVE for little C's room.













Happy Monday!


Mel
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