Kids Decor

I completely jumped on the band wagon of faux taxidermy.  Recently G & I began working on a friend's space and I found the best of the best in way of faux animals.  I know which I would choose…..

I just love the geometric shapes and lines.  BTW I found these on FAB.COM.  If your looking outside of the lines I would head to FAB. 

Which would you choose???

Besos,

Mel

Mid Century Finds

While in the Catskills, I love to frequent my favorite thrift/antique stores. Last week while a friend was in town we hit up a very cluttered shop and to my surprise found a little mid century treasure, and in a pair no less…..

I picked them up at 50 dollars each, which is a steal. They are in great shape and just need a little love. I am already dreaming up some fun ideas…..

via pinterest

via pinterest

via pinterest

We will see what fabulous fabric I have around the casa!

Besos,

M

STEP IT UP: FLOORS & WALLS

When ever I leave home, I can't help but obsess over areas in my home I would love to improve. Two of those areas happen to be the walls leading up to the second floor and our bedroom floors. The floor are in good shape, the staining of them is a little blah for my taste. 

So, well away the mouse will play…..

ALL IMAGES VIA PINTEREST

Obviously, I am always working towards a bargain, so stenciling myself would most likely be the most cost effective. There are so many great ideas out, help me out! What do you guys love and has anyone out there stenciled floors?

Besos,

Mel

Mystery Party: Part One

Hello!!!  We have made it to the other side of Sophia's Chocolate Mystery Party. We had so much fun. A little confession, I don't always love going to kids parties, so when I was dreaming up Sophia's birthday party I began to think of a setting both moms and kids would love. With that in mind, I drew inspiration from the film, Chocolate.  I dream of attending a dinner party in the garden with chocolate as our main course. 

So, I knew the setting had to be killer and a quick draw for everyone.  Let me tell you, I had so much fun dreaming up the party and all the small details. A few of my favorite details to any birthday is excess.  I say go over the top in balloons, candles, and get the details just right. 

Pre-School in NYC

Hello! 

Do you remember what you wore on the first day of pre-school? H started school last week at Jack and Jill's pre-school. It is a very sweet neighborhood school attached to our church. So, just like S we prepared and H picked his first day of school outfit.   H selected charcoal overalls from Olive Juice.  Overalls are definitely making a come back, you heard it here first. Henry's striped shirt is from Target and Umi boots we purchased at Nordstroms.  The boots are so perfect for a preschooler, no laces required! 

On the menu for the first day of school were pancakes; Henry's favorite.  My mom always says, "full bellies, happy hearts."

 

First Grade in NYC

What to wear on the first day of school is a BIG question. S and I had so much fun looking at different sites and looks for the first day. I will have to say I am a bit old fashioned when it comes to dressing Sophia. In the beginning of our search, I was disappointed to see so many outfits that are mini-teen looks. No thank you-- S is just 5 and heading into the first grade. So, what to do if your looking for something cute, age appropriate, and fun?! 

Lucky for us Olive Juice exists. We were able to find such cute items; overalls, skirts, blouses, and fun tights. I also took a peek at Janie and Jack and was able to find a few items on sale. They have just the right look we are going for. I bought all the other basic items at Old Navy, which is the best deal in town. Now, when I am approaching back to school shopping, I say less is more. I usually will buy one or two special items then supplement the rest with Old Navy. This way you save and feel like you have found something extra special. 

Country Finds

When you are clergy, that usually means you live on a budget.  So, when I was facing decorating a large space on a minister's budget, I knew I had to think outiside the box.  Each summer the Rev. and I head upstate for our family vacation. While we were away I took advantage of thrift shopping, yard sales, and estate sales. I am so pleased with all our wonderful finds.  Most of the pieces I found where less then 20.00 dollars and many less then 10.00. There is much satisfaction found in the treasure hunt. All of my finds required a bit of a clean up and new paint job.  I love revitalizing old pieces

 Here are just a few finds...

A little more indigo.....

Earlier this week I shared our sofa makeover, and now I want to share our warmly welcomed sofa. Some may think it is strange to take picking out furniture so seriously, but if you have ever had the pleasure of buying a new sofa, you know what it takes to find just the right one. Over the course of June I cyber stalked Restoration Hardware, West Elm, Urban Outfitters, and ABC Carpet all in the hopes of finding a sofa within a reasonable price range. FYI, the Rev. and I have been married 12 years, and this is the first time we purchased a sofa, so it was a pretty big deal. 

After searching and emailing back and forth with Liza and I finally selected a sofa from West Elm. We luckily hit the summer sale and found our sofa at 50% off with free shipping, I was truly grateful to find such a deal. I ordered the sofa immediately and then waited two months. Last week our sofa arrived. With all the indigos I knew our indigo piece required a little bling to make it shine. I stopped in to the Chelsea Flea and picked up a fabulous side lamp at 30.00- total score!!!

P.S.  Most of our side tables were given to our family and I simply repainted them white. Also, the amazing Louie chairs are gifts from Jonathan and Anne Hansen including a beautiful side table/demilune table. 

Mil Besos,

M

Happy Corner

When you have several spaces to complete at once, it is easy to become overwhelmed. Before we left for the country a few weeks ago, I was hitting the wall with ideas for our kitchen. The flooring would benefit from a paint job, newly painted cabinets (check!), and we have a corner in the kitchen with limited lighting. 

Before leaving town, Jeremy Coleman and I walked through the space. He suggested knocking out a wall or adding a bar to the space. Sadly, I had already selected a pedestal table and blue mod chairs and didn't feel like I could scrap it all and start over. I was feeling a little defeated and lost for ideas. So, before I left I cleaned the kitchen and I hoped upon return I would be full of ideas. 

Happily I found two items I knew were a MUST-- the hutch was marked at 13.00 and the barn window was marked at 15.00. You cannot beat, that and I knew these two pieces would pull our look together without having to make and major changes. 

Rare Breeds

The Rev. and I have escaped to the mountains and we are enjoying the fresh air. One reason I love spending time in the mountains is because we are constantly running into breeds of wild flowers I have never encountered. Last night I put together a few arrangements for supper and was pleased with what I found.

Rooftop Settings

First of all, last week my sweet Henry accidentally spilled water on my computer.  I took a deep breath knowing it was just an accident and made a trip to the Genius Bar in Albany.  After the "genius" saw my machine and concluded there was significant water, I opted to use the rice method to dry my machine for a week, then plugged her in again. Thank the Lord, my air returned to life after plugging her in and so I am so grateful to be blogging!!!  Have you ever spilled liquids on your Mac? Which tricks worked for you? 

P.S. I am now more careful about backing up my family photos. 

Following our Creative Arts Camp we hosted a Thank-You rooftop party.  I didn't have much time to plan, so I threw a simple menu together with a little decor.   The summer is the best time to celebrate with flowers, because they are so inexpensive and bring so much pop to any occasion.  I wanted to elevate our rooftop party with a mix in colors for our table settings. My new go-to for color and variation in table settings on the fly is wrapping paper.  I picked up a few fun coral sheets from Paper Presentation. 

Our simple menu included fresh fruit, corn and salad from our Farmer's Market.  We grilled chicken and steak.  The meal turned out lovely, including our weather.  I just love throwing together a simple meal with a little glam on the side. 

Happy Weekending!!!

Mel

Country Settings

My family and I have been in the country for the last few weeks. We had a very relaxing time together and I LOVED throwing together country bouquets.  It is so easy to elevate your dinning experience wherever you find yourself.

Besos,

M