Green and Peacock Blue

living room green and peacock blue by simplysuzanna on Polyvore.com

Suffolk Settee | Crate&Barrel, $999
Z Gallerie - Sumba Ikat Chair, $499
Newberry Pedestal Side Table | Pottery Barn, $399
Reflections Bookshelf - Bookshelves - Home Office Furniture -..., $399
Hanging Collage Mirror - Wall Mirrors - Wall Decor - Home Decor |..., $259
Indoor/Outdoor Concentric Diamond Rug 6 COLORS - Shades of Light, $134
DwellStudio | PEACOCK AZURE PILLOW - Pillows - Home, $58
Shop Ficus Bella Fig in 1.45 Quart Ceramic Tabletop Planter at..., $34
Z Gallerie - Dachshund Bookends, $30
Antiqued Glass Teal Candleholders Set of Four | Crate&Barrel, $12
ikea BYHOLMA, $9.99
Metallic Fruit | Accents | Room Accents | Products | Urban Barn, $8
ikea LANTSTÄLLE, $3.99
Book Boxes - Turquoise Three-Stack | Wisteria, $49
Book Boxes - Green Three-Stack | Wisteria, $49
DOUBLE HANDLE STORAGE BASKET, 45 GBP
Antiqued mercury glass sparrow | My Sparrow, $12

House 8810

I found this website a couple of weeks ago, but didn't have a minute to blog about it.  Today one of the blogs I follow is hosting a giveaway for House8810!  So I have further motivation to share this fun retailer with you.

I have always loved vintage table linens, and this website has a ton to choose from as well as lots of other goodies.  check them out here: http://house8810.com

Go to Barefeet on the Dashboard to enter the giveaway!

Creative Jewelry Storage

 This is ingenious!  Check it out on Design*Sponge.

Thanksgiving dinner ideas

Some of my family members are coming down to Nashville for Thanksgiving weekend this year (yay!), and I've been thinking about what we should eat.  There will only be 4 of us, so we don't need a ton of food.  However, there are a few things that we must have...

Like cranberry jello salad, turkey (of course!), pumpkin pie, stuffing (hey, we may not put it in the bird, but that's what we call it in my family!) and some sort of green beans. 

I'm also thinking about making a chocolaty desert (for dad...), maybe corn casserole, and a salad.  

I want to test out another popover recipe while they are here.  I've also been saving a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe and I'll probably make those too.


What are you eating for Thanksgiving?

Small Item Storage

via BHG.com

via BHG.com

I've always wanted to be a "drop by and say hi" kind of friend...

Some days I look around my apartment and think, "If someone were to stop by to say hi today, I would be really embarrassed by the mess in here..."  Realistically, the chances of someone stopping by without calling first is pretty slim.  Unless my Grandparents are driving through town, I'm probably not going to have anyone just "drop by."  I don't know where I get this image in my mind (maybe sitcoms?) but I've always wanted to be the kind of person my friends knew they could "drop in on."  I want to be the kind of friend you know will love to see you and offer hospitality no matter what time of day.  That kind of casual closeness and acceptance is something I crave.

Maybe I'll have that someday, but right now it doesn't really work that way.  I wouldn't just drop in to see any of my friends.  I would worry that they would be in the middle of something, or that I wouldn't be welcome because they aren't ready for company.  Our lives are so busy that it seems like most people have something planned for every night of the week.

I want to be the kind of friend who can offer support, company, and hospitality whenever my friends need it.  I want to have a home that is welcoming and a comfortable place to be. I want to be able to answer a knock at my door with a smile and ready to say, "Come on in!"  (not thinking about how I need to make a quick de-cluttering sweep.)  How do I make my home that place?  What do you think?  Is it possible to be that kind of friend? 

If you ever want to stop by and say hi, please do!

Colorful Mirror Project

I have a mirror in a frame like this: found here

It used to look something like this:

found here

I bought it at a garage sale for $4 and painted it black. It's made of molded plastic. It originally hung over my vintage mantle when I was doing a black and white damask theme in my bedroom. Now I have a new plan for it. I'm going to paint it a bright cheerful color and hang it in my living room. Here are some pictures that inspired me:

1. Dottie Angel
2. Caitlin Wilson's home tour on MadebyGirl
3. Etsy seller apartmentjeanie
4. Apartment Therapy

What do you think? I'm leaning towards yellow or bright blue or maybe grass green.

Inspiration

I really like browsing through Better Homes and Gardens' decorating slide shows. There are so many pictures that I have saved for inspiration. Here are some of my recent favorites, with my notes, for your viewing pleasure! :)

Apartment Decoration Inspiration

In about 7 weeks I will be moving into my new apartment! My family is coming down to help me move, and I can't wait. It will be soo good to see them, and I am so excited to get going on decorating and arranging things. But for now, I have been collecting inspiration. There are so many things I have thought of doing. Here are some pictures that I've been saving:

I'm thinking about putting a small table in my sun-room for eating. I like this one, and it has a drop leaf, making it even smaller! The sun-room is 9" x 5" roughly. I found this one at Overstock.com. From the reviews, I don't think it would be a good purchase, but it's the look I think I want.


This chair is from Target. com. I like the color and clean lines. I'm planning on buying a sofa and an upholstered chair for my living room.


This living room isn't completely my style, but I love the white coffee table! Maybe I can find one like it at the flea market or a garage sale... (picture from BHG.com)


I've been admiring sea grass and other natural fiber furniture for a long time. Now that I'm buying furniture for myself, I can't resist working it into my decorating scheme. This is a banana leaf woven set from Target.com

Another Chair and ottoman set that I liked from Target.com

Ever since Pottery Barn came out with a small space table like this I have wanted one. This table is from Overstock.com and has a drop leaf. I'm not sure if it would be too big for where I want to put it, but I like it a lot. See, isn't it gorgeous in the Pottery Barn Catalog?



For my living room, I'm sticking with plain neutral furniture colors (probably a brown or tan sofa and chair, and a white coffee table), and I'm still undecided about the color scheme. I saw a fuchsia pillow at Marshall's the other day, and I loved the idea of pink, brown and green. I think this Amy Butler fabric is so pretty too. (Daisy Chain, Deco Rose, Brown)


But I also like the idea of a soothing palette of brown, cream, aqua and green... We'll see I guess. I still have to buy furniture, so I have time to decide on the rest of the details. I can't wait!

I need help!

I'm looking for a shower curtain. I've been to Target, TJ Maxx, Bed Bath and Beyond, Wal-mart, Stein mart, and Ross. I've looked online at Target, Pottery Barn, Bed Bath and Beyond, Amazon and a zillion other places.

Here's my problem: I haven't seen very many that I like. I initially set out looking for a fabric shower curtain with a fun pattern with some colors I could use to choose the rugs. Most of the patterns are too geometric, 80's ish, or just ugly.

Do you know of a good place to buy shower curtains? At economical prices? My price range is $0 to $30.

So far, here are a few I like that would blow my budget:

From India Rose: $110 I would choose the Avocado or the Magenta

Another one from India Rose: $95 I love the ruffles! Target has a similar style, but there are only two or three rows of ruffles. It's not as cute.

I'm also searching for some rugs and a bathmat that are fun and unique. I'm thinking either in chocolate brown or bright blue or green.

India Rose has a bathmat with white polka dots that is so cheerful. It comes in two colors:

lichen green

or

Aqua

Nothin' but a 'thing'

I have a new 'thing.' I feel at peace when the kitchen sink is clean. Weird I know. The strange thing: it feels oddly therapeutic to do the dishes. Lately the last thing I do before I go to bed is clean the kitchen. I feel ready to sleep after the counter tops are clear, the dishes are done and the kitchen smells nice. It's so nice to get up in the morning and see a clean shiny sink with at least one empty side for filling up the kettle and for rinsing out my coffee press after I am done making coffee.

What happened? I used to hate the dishes. This is new for me, probably starting in the last couple of months. Maybe it's one of the ways I've learned to cope with the stresses of life?

What about you? Do you have "things" like this?