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The Tween Bedroom Makeover

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Just when we had my daughter’s bedroom all organized, the bedroom furniture in place, and the new quilt made, we were given Great Grandma’s bedroom set.  It’s good problem because the bedroom set is beautiful and my daughter loves having a bigger bed. 
Today we moved the picture wall to the opposite side of the room.  Last week I bought a new comforter for the bed. I didn’t even let me daughter go shopping with me.  I knew it had to match her quilt and look good with her bedding because I wasn’t even going to consider repainting.  The gray in the comforter is the same gray that is in the quilt.  It’s the softest comforter you could ever imagine, so she wasn’t too sad that I didn’t let her pick her own bedding.
While decorating her room, it’s hard for me to keep in mind that she’s still eleven years old.  Even though the picture frames and bulletin board don’t really look the best with a beautiful bedroom set like this one, they still get to stay.  

Will you just look at this beautiful sleigh bed?

The bookshelves above this dresser will need to move eventually, to make room for the mirror that goes along with the set.  Plus, she can’t actually reach the books.  The poster of the puppy dog, thumb-tacked to the wall, gets to stay too… against my better judgement.

Here’s the second dresser in the set.  It’s so pretty. All of the special treasures on top of the dresser got to stay too.  Everyone needs a magic 8 ball, a lava lamp, and a piggy bank colored with Sharpie markers.

The quilt doesn’t actually fit on the bed anymore, but it makes a nice throw.

Oh, and I’d like you to meet Paul.  He is the largest stuffed animal I’ve ever seen in my life and he lives at my house.  Paul gets to stay too.

Happy redecorating!

Nap-Time Creations
Dolen Diaries

October

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Well, hello October!  Can someone tell me where September went?  As much as I love Summer, I really-really-really love Fall.  September and October are kind of a toss up on which is my favorite.  September is my birthday month and back to school time, but October is when I really break out the Fall decor, it’s my wedding anniversary (20 years on October 6th), and I LOVE being the hot apple cider lady for the trick or treaters. 
I’ve been adding a few Fall touches here and there to the house.  I usually bring them out all at once, but it’s been feeling a bit rushed this year and the little-by-little approach was all I could handle.
The front porch was the first area to be decked out.  Every year I say that I’m going to do something different, and every year the same decorations go up.  But I do still think they’re pretty.
The pumpkins were the deal of the season!  If you have ever shopped for pumpkins, you know that the big pumpkins are pretty pricey.  We were at a funeral, in a small town in Eastern Washington, and noticed that the church was selling pumpkins as a fund raiser for $4 each.  I didn’t have any cash on me, but my mother in law came to the rescue and the kids bought 5 pumpkins!  (That just reminded me that I need to pay back the money I borrowed!)

The Fall quilts have made their way out.  When I graduated with my Master’s Degree in 2000, my friend Christy (a teacher I used to work with) gave me some beautiful Fall fabrics.  I love, love, love these fabrics.  I didn’t know what to do with them so I took them to the fabric shop that she bought them from and asked the quilt shop owner for suggestions.  In about 10 seconds flat she had lined up my fabric and written out a quick and easy pattern for me to follow.  To this day, this is one of my go-to quilt patterns when I need a quick and simple quilt to give as a gift.

Oh, mini pumpkins, how I love you!  I’m a bit addicted to those little guys but they just brighten up any tablescape.

And any burlap pumpkin can join the party too.

I love all of the jars will with leaves, wheat, and pumpkins on the dining room table.

And finally, we have a little quilty happiness.  Camille Roskelley always has a basket filled with rolled quilts in her house.  Since I want to be just like her, I shall roll my quilts in a basket too.  

Happy October Friends!  Thanks for stopping by!

The Big Scary Wall

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Everybody has a wall like this one.  My sister calls it The Big Scary Wall.  It’s that one wall in your house that is just a blank canvas, but it’s SO big that you don’t even know where to begin.
I’ve had grand plans for this space since we moved in, 10 years ago.  My plans have involved an entry table with lamps and a picture (hubby said no), barn wood shelves (don’t even know where to begin with this idea), a gallery wall with photos (my house is already filled with photos of my kids), and even building shelves into the wall (again… don’t know where to begin with that one).  It’s been 10 years and I have done nothing with this space.
This is the big wall you see when you walk into my house and take a right, toward the kitchen.  It is also directly across from the dining room.  Here is the lovely view you see as you are sitting in my dining room.  Pretty blah, huh?

Well, I have finally decided that it’s time to do something about the big scary wall.  I bought 3 small-ish items, which won’t even make a dent in this space.  But, the best news is that I have an IDEA of what I want to do!  It’s taken 10 whole years but I now know how I want this space to look!
  I can’t wait.  
Here are 2 of the items I purchased for the big scary wall.  The rest of the things will come from thrift stores, possibly an antique store or two if I don’t find what I’m looking for at the thrift stores, and my pantry cupboards.
I can hardly wait!  Do I have you wondering what I’m going to do and why I’m so excited?  Oh, I certainly hope so!

Sewing With Salt Air Fabrics

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Yesterday, I wrote about not being quite ready to let go of the Winter quilts and pillows.  Maybe it was because it was a cold and rainy day, and I just wanted to cuddle up under a quilt with a good book.  On the next sunny day, I think I’ll be ready to bring these out.  

I do love the bright and cheerful colors.  For all of these projects I used Moda’s Salt Air line.  They are such happy fabrics!
I will admit, there was a time in my life when I couldn’t imagine buying fabric at a quilt shop.  The big fabric store chains were just fine for me and made a pretty quilt.  Then, I discovered Moda Fabrics.  Sigh.  They’re so pretty.  I just love the way there is an entire line of fabric with 40 prints that are meant to go together.  It’s just so cohesive and makes my wanna-be-artistic-style easier to achieve.

I used the fabric for more than just quilts and pillows.  There were lots of summertime kid projects with Salt Air too.

Now, maybe if we could get a little sunshine around here, I could get in the mood to decorate for Spring!
Happy Spring sewing and decorating!

A Not-So Springy Quilt

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I know it’s time to put my winter quilts away and bring out the Springy quilts, but this one doesn’t seem too Winter-ish.

It’s Spring cleaning time and I’m thinking about rotating my seasonal decor.  Quilts are my favorite things to change out.  I usually leave a big basket filled with almost all of my quilts in my family room, in case of a chilly night on the deck when we have company over.  In addition, I have one or two draped over the back of a chair or hanging off the side of the couch.  I rotate those, seasonally, along with my floor pillow covers.  This is one of my Winter quilts.  There’s really no reason that I call it a Winter quilt.  The colors are pretty neutral and the fabrics are not season-specific.  For some reason, it just says Winter to me.

This quilt was my first jellyroll project.  I fell in love with the colors of this jellyroll, the minute I saw it.  I had no idea what I would make, but I just loved this fabric.

When I ran across this book, I knew my problems were solved.  I bought the book and picked out a pattern.  The pattern I chose was not something I would normally pick.  It was very random, and I tend to like a more predictable pattern.

What do you think?  Is this a Winter quilt, or can it stay out a bit longer?
 

  It’s cozy, just the right colors, and looks great in my family room.  Maybe just a few more months.

Happy Spring decorating… unless you’re not quite ready yet.

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My Favorite Blogs

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When I’m needing a little home-life inspiration, I generally run for my favorite blogs. I’m feeling like I’m at a stand still with my home projects right now.  It’s too cold to finish changing out doors and windows.  I got a bit tired of stripping, sanding, and staining doors and trim, and I haven’t really been in the mood for redecorating or rearranging furniture.  I ran across this post about my favorite blogs, which reminded me to go check them out again, which then reminded me how much I have to get done around this place, and now I’m on a mission to spruce a few things up around here.  And if you give me a cookie, I’m going to ask for a glass of milk to go with it.  (My teacher friends and parents of small children will know exactly which book I’m talking about here.)

So, here it is.  The post that started my spiral into cleaning, organizing, and decorating again. Happy reading!
*************

Choosing a favorite blog is like choosing a favorite children’s book author.  Each time I take out a new book, in my classroom, I tell my kids that this is truly my favorite author.  Usually, I’m met with several eye rolls and kids saying, “You always tell us that this is your favorite author!”  It’s true.  I have lots of favorites.  I cannot pick just one. 

Well, I feel the same way about blogs.  Each time I come across a new-to-me blog with gorgeous photos, a style that I strive for, or inspirational projects, I decide that this must be my new favorite blog.  Although, I must confess, I never really let go of my old favorites.  So, today, I’d like to share my favorite home decor… right now.  I guess I’m adding them to my list of favorites. 

First up, is my most recent addition to the favorites list.  Golden Boys and Me is a blog I connected to in many ways.  The author, Courtney, is a teacher (once a teacher, always a teacher in my opinion) who now stays home with her family.  I love her style and photography.  There is a warm and coziness to her home decor, but it’s light and bright at the same time.  I tend to struggle with the combination of the two in my own home, so I admire her decorating style.

I think I need to scour Goodwill for a tray like the one below and create a display like this on my ottoman in the living room. Or maybe I’ll just wait until Christmas and see what she comes up with then.

http://www.goldenboysandme.com/

I spotted this photo last week on the Pottery Barn blog.
 Love, love, love!

Let me tell you, friends, I have a blank wall above my bed and a white bedspread with very little color in the room.  My bedroom is screaming for this look!  I know the Pottery Barn quilt was part of the inspiration for this look, and I don’t actually own this particular Pottery Barn quilt, but I may have mentioned a time or two that I’m a quilter.  I see a jewel toned, scrappy, star quilt in my future!  When I post a similar looking bedroom photo on my blog in the coming months, you’ll know where the inspiration came from!

http://www.goldenboysandme.com/

Now, we move onto Finding Home.  Seriously, I think Laura could be my BFF. She just seems like a fun person who I would love to hang out with.  Again, I love her style because it’s warm and cozy, but still light and bright.  I love the way she uses natural materials in her displays.  
At my house, I have a great wooden box sitting on my dining room table, a bundle of wheat, and a few other fall items.  You may be wondering why I’ve never shared a picture of my fall table display.  Well, it doesn’t exactly look as pretty as this one.  Mine is kind of a “Pinterest Fail” look.  I’m not even going to keep trying with the fall display.  I’m just going to move right onto Christmas.  What are we putting on our Christmas tables, Laura?  I’ll try whatever you do!

http://findinghomeonline.com/

Her living room is gorgeous!  I love her home because it’s custom, but it didn’t start out that way.  They moved into a builder-grade home and have gradually made it their own.  They’ve made it special and unique.  The first time I found this blog, was through Pinterest.  I spotted the picture below and pinned it, because I’d love to have built-ins like this in my own living room.
http://findinghomeonline.com/

So, there you have it!  These are my favorite Home Decor blogs right now.  I eagerly await their posts each day (or every few days) because I know there is inspiration right around the corner!  If you have a favorite blog, please leave a comment about it in this post, even if it’s your own!  I’d love to hear about it and why it inspires you. I’ll be sharing my favorite sewing and photography blogs later in the week.

Happy decorating!
(Photos were used with permission from the blog authors.)

The New Family Room Couch

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Well, we finally did it.  We bought the piece of furniture that we said we’d go back for 3 years ago. 

It’s probably been more than 3 years, now, but a few years back we decided it was time for an update in our family room.  The room had been painted yellow and housed over-sized, 10 year old, denim couches that had been slip-covered and had seen better days.  It was time for an update and we found the perfect (small-ish) couch at La-Z-Boy.  We ordered a custom color because I loved the fabric and I was actually surprised that the custom color was the same price at the floor sample.  It has really been the perfect couch, but we didn’t buy the matching loveseat.  The loveseat was the same price as the sofa, so we just went with one piece to save a bit on cost.  We used a couple of chairs, that I had originally purchased for another room, in place of a couch and just pushed them together so it looked like a loveseat.  About a month ago, we decided it was time to go back and buy the loveseat.  My fear was that it would no longer be available.  Much to our luck, they still had it!
When we sat on the loveseat, we realized how small it was.  Because the couch was smaller than normal, that meant the loveseat was even smaller.  It was really more of an oversized chair.  Since they were almost the same price, we opted for buying an identical couch.  Now we have two matching couches in the family room, with plenty of seating for lots of friends.  It’s a little tighter, right when you walk in, than I had hoped, but no one seems to notice.

As a matter of fact, no one REALLY seemed to notice.  We had family and friends who are as close as family, over for the Seahawks game a few weeks ago and they didn’t even notice my new furntiture.  I pointed it out and they said, “Wow, it blends right in and looks like it belongs.  I didn’t even notice.”  I guess that’s a good thing when a piece of furniture just fits right in like that!

I finally feel like this room is furnished the way I want.  We have plenty of seating and I love these couches.  They are deep enough to curl up on but no so deep that you can’t get out of them.  They are also a bit smaller than a typical couch, which is great for a smaller family room.  Now, I need to do something about the tattered ottoman covers.  The corduroy fabric has seen better days and is even starting to rip.  Hey… I finished all of my projects in the LIVING ROOM, but I never said I was done with the FAMILY ROOM.  There’s always something that needs to be done.

Happy decorating!

Filling Your Home With Personal Treasures

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I was looking through old posts the other day, looking for a picture.  I found an old post about antiques around my house.  It reminded me so much of my grandma and I thought I’d do a repost of a few of the highlights.  
I don’t mind if things around my house look a bit tattered or scratched.  I think those little imperfections show that things are used and loved.  I tend to be a collector.  (My husband would embellish that and call me a hoarder.)  But, there are so many special treasures that I love to display in my home that bring back memories or remind me of people.

 

This sewing machine was in a corner of my parents’ garage for years, before it found a home in my craft room. My step dad said it was either is mom’s or grandma’s.  I love the case as much as I love the machine and display it with several old wooden spools of thread that my mom had.

 

There is nothing more meaningful than holding your great-grandmother’s Bible. There are even handwritten notes inside from church services and Bible studies. It’s tattered and I’m always a bit worried that something will happen to it, now that it’s sitting on a table in the living room where the boys play their video games.

When we were going through my grandma’s old suitcases, many years ago, we opened one and found her wedding dress and my grandpa’s WWII army uniform. Many years before, she told us she had thrown them away because they were tattered. It was amazing to find them in perfect condition inside a suitcase in her garage.

The flower garden quilt is from my husband’s side of the family. His grandma sent it home with me after a visit to her house. It is very tattered, but I just have the good part of the quilt poking out of the basket. The star quilt was made my great grandmother. I had to bribe my sister to let me have it.

This one was made my great grandmother and my great, great grandmother as a wedding gift for my grandparents. The patterned fabric was made from old shirts and dresses. They didn’t have a lot of money and they used the scraps they had available. What a treasure!  I hung this in my hallway and think about a great grandmother and great, great grandmother who I never met, every time I walk down the hall.

I fill my home with these treasures because each piece has a story. It reminds me about home and family, and isn’t that what life should be all about?

What story does your home tell?

A New Shelf

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A few months ago my son tossed a kitchen towel toward the couch and inadvertently broke a table in the family room.  For the record, the table was on its last leg anyway… literally.  I bought the little table for $8.00 at Goodwill and used it as an outdoor table.  When the weather turned rainy, I brought it into the house but didn’t really know where to put it.  My daughter liked the way the table top spun and played with it a bit too much, leading to cracking.  I propped it in the corner and tried to make it pretty, while telling the kids to not put anything on the table because I had it balanced just right.

Onto the story about how a kitchen towel broke the table:

We had laundry waiting to be folded on the couch, including a few kitchen towels.  My son tossed a towel over to the couch and it hit the little lamp on the coffee table.  When the lamp moved, the table became off balanced causing it to fall, which then pulled the cords for the other lamps nearby and knocked those lamps off our taller shelves too.

Now that you know the story of How a Kitchen Towel Broke My Table, I can show you my pretty new shelf in the corner of my family room.

I looked all over the place for a medium sized table that had additional storage.  I was really looking for things like industrial carts that had a rustic feel, but all of those were too expensive.  A couple nights ago, we were at TJMaxx, killing a little time before a movie, and I spotted this little shelf.  It was just what I was looking for.  I wanted something a little taller, so I’d get better lighting from my lamp in the corner.  I also wanted something wood-toned but not matchy-matchy pieces.

I really wanted a place to store more “stuff” in my family room.  This shelf has room for a basket and blanket at the bottom, books and pretty jars, a few picture albums, a picture, and my new lamp that I bought with my birthday money.

I’m liking my pretty new corner in the family room!  It looks like it belongs there.

Happy decorating!

My New Barn Door

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I have a door!  I HAVE A DOOR!  Do you hear angels singing?  I do! I’ve lived in this house for TEN YEARS WITH NO DOOR!  I don’t know who designed this house, but why would you not put a door on a bathroom?  It doesn’t even have a door to a separate toilet area – just NO door at all until NOW!  
Here’s the before shot.  You can imagine how this must light up the room, when someone gets up in the middle of the night or gets up early for work.  It was an extra wide opening, so we had to special order a door that would fit.
Because of the shape, you couldn’t really just add a door frame without cutting the wall and evening out those corners.  Even if you cut the corners and ordered a frame and door, it would still all need to be custom because of the size.  Custom = $$$.

I don’t care anymore.  I have a door!  
We went up to The Door Store in Marysville with our measurements and my PInterest board filled with barn doors.  They said, “Oh, sure.  We can totally do that for you.  The door will be about $1,500 and the track is about $500.”  Then I mentioned that I want the cheaper version.  They showed me the cheaper version but it still wasn’t in out budget, so I forced them to get a little creative.  They said they could do a special order door, that wouldn’t be a true barn door, but would at least have a couple of panels.  They found an unfinished door for me, so I could finish it myself and save a little more money.  The unfinished 4 panel door cost us $350, which was a much better price for this project.  It’s solid and heavy, which is what I wanted.  
I was a little disappointed in the finish on the door.  We have been stripping, staining, and varathaning all of the doors, cabinets, and trim in the house.  It’s been a long project and we are only about half way done.  When I was staining the doors (we bought a new door to the garage too) I ran out of Varathane.  I took a picture of what I wanted and sent my hubby to Lowe’s to pick up a new can.  Well, either I took a picture of the wrong can or he bought the wrong thing.  (I’ll go with me taking the wrong picture since he’s always nice enough to run out and pick up anything I need for my hairbrained projects.)  Well, the lighting in the garage isn’t very good and I didn’t even notice how shiny the doors were turning out until I had them hung up.  They are shiny.  Really shiny.  I must have had my hubby buy semi-gloss instead of satin.  Grrrrr.  It really, really, really bothers me when I look at them, but I have no desire to take the doors back down and go through the whole process of refinishing.  So, the doors will stay.
The hardware was another area we had to get creative to cut costs.  The barndoor hardware I really wanted was about $450.  A bathroom door in my master bedroom, that no one will ever see (except my blog reading friends) is not the place I want to spend $450.  So, I asked my Door Store friends if they had any other bright ideas.  They sent us over to the economical version of a track for a sliding door.  This one was only $80.  Perfect!  My first thought was just to spray paint it black and call it done, but then I thought that a burlap valance might be a nice way to hide the track.  My neighbor also suggested a barnwood cornice.  I do have a few pieces of barnwood in my garage, so that may be an option.  For now, I will just be happy to have a door!  I have a door, friends!!

Yep, angels singing.  

I think I’ll go down to my local Farm and Garden Feed Center to see if they have any barn door handles.  
It’s a happy day!