Love: Blue Rooms

 Ugh. You guys. Sorry it's been so long.
I've been doing a lot of home stuff. Like paintings and stripping tables (it's not what it sounds like. you are a sick person.) and buying vintage desks to paint and re-re-upholsering (that's two different fabric changes) chairs and experimenting with gold leafing. We'll get to all of that once I can upload pictures and follow through. I promise to do better.

Until then, I'd like to talk about something I love. The color blue. For rooms. As a renter, I can't do this. And it's killing me.


Do you guys remember that song Blue by Leann Rimes? This was popular back when times were simpler. Remember? Children drank soda pop and malts from striped straws, people strolled in verdant parks unconcerned with becoming inspiration for the next Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and dear sweet Leann Rimes was years away from being the silicone-filled, husband-stealing, home-wrecking skank she is today.

Ah, the halcyon days.

Anyway, blue is a much better color for rooms than for a song.

Let's take a look.

This darker blue is just HEAVEN isn't it. And the white molding? And everything else in this room? One day, friends. One day.

Could this be any crisper? (no)

A wallpaper option.

Blue cabinetry.

Less dramatic, but still nice. Like for a teenager? Like if you were a stepmom/dad and wanted to be "cool"/ wanted them to like you.

A bit more understated 

Love the floor, rug, and wall color. Hate the china on the walls. It looks like a lot of plates fell off during an earthquake or something. What is that about. 

I mean, it's the White House. How great is this? 

A much better use of patterned china.

Wasn't that nice? Looking through these rooms that none of us have? But could? One day? 

If you are inspired right now, Martha Stewart has a "Decorating by Color" section of her website that can be found here for suggestions about incorporating blue in various ways. Most are good. Some, like those awful gingham fabric stools, are questionable.

Easy DIY: Ugly Candlestick Painting

 

 

Here is a super quick and easy do it yourself-er. It came to me as I wandered the aisles of a local thrift store.

You'll need:
- metal candlesticks. I like varying heights. I like odd numbers. 5 is too many. Unless you want a matching pair or something. Whatever. I'm not your boss.
- Spray primer
- Spray paint
- Outside place

What happened is that I was in the thrift store, considering the pros and cons of buying charming mismatched china tea cups, saucers, and salad plates. Whimsical? Dumb? I wasn't sure.

But then, but THEN, I wandered into the tchotchkes aisle.

Serving trays, Precious Moments knock-off figurines (as if the originals weren't terrible enough), things made of glass and plastic, and candlesticks.

I thought "Huh. I like this, but I don't have the kind of home where I can just go around putting brass candlesticks everywhere." Then, "I will paint them."

I picked up a bunch, then narrowed the selection down to 3 by arranging them together and seeing what looked best, like SO:

I washed them, and took them outside.

I primed them using spray primer. Paint primer would have left a lot of brush marks that really aren't going to work with this project. I guess you COULD, but you'd have to wait for the primer to dry, then sand the crap out of it. Then do it again. Not for me.

I made sure every angle was covered and that the stream of primer was even.

There must be a better way to do this, but I don't know what that is. So this is what happened to my hands.

Look! They're blue! (and on the newly stained side table! See that project here.) 

Final arrangement, avec candles.

Real Home: Decision Time

 Hey, remember this photo?
This is the nook. Remember the nook? 

 

And it is sooo beige right now. So vanilla. Which isn't terrible. But it isn't great. 

I'd like to get a few things here. 

1. Bench 

2. Comfy Chair

I don't actually need both. Maybe one or the other. Or maybe both. Whatever. It's fine. Stop yelling.

Here are my limitations:

1. I have to lift and move it by myself 

2. It has to fit into the Pathfinder

3. I'm poor. 

4. Seriously. I'm so poor, you guys.

So, here is what I did. I went to TJ Maxx. I took pictures of things. Things that I liked. And things that were terrible. The former, so I could think each item through. The latter, so we could make fun of them together. 

 Here are two armchair options. 

Gray armchair, Cream armchair, and Ottoman.

 

 So Gray Armchair is up first. 

Pros:

It's gray. 

It's a darker color, so it won't show dirt or stains as much in the future. 

In my next house/apartment, it could go with anything, even if I change my mind on brighter colors. 

It matches the living room rug PERFECTLY. (cream, gray, sage green, robin's egg blue) 

Cons:

It's gray. 

It doesn't go with the rug I have in the nook right now. 

 Your turn, Cream Armchair. 

Pros:

 It's a lovely cream color

Goes well with the rug I have in the nook now. 

I can bring in any other color by adding to it 

It would match the red leopard bench. (we'll talk about that later)

Cons:

It's cream, and will show dirt, stains, etc.(especially with how often I move)

It's cream

It does with that cute ottoman...LOOK AT THE OTTOMAN.

 Here's a little thing. A little chair with a little something.

The thing though: I have a slipper chair already. With a modern leaf-type pattern. 

This is robin's egg blue (which I do like these days)

The floral looks old. 

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

OK...so probably not this one.

 Alright. It's bench time. 

The Contenders:

Red Leopard with Nail-head Trim

Pros:

It has nail-head trim. I love that ish. 

It's leopard. And in another life I maybe was some sort of big game hunter. So I dig it. 

If I get it, I can finally introduce some RED into the room. 

It's a pattern (see: not beige) 

It would go with the Cream Armchair

Cons:

I mean...it's leopard. 

Nothing else in the room is red right now. 

It doesn't go with the living room rug (If I end up using that one for they gray chair)

It doesn't go with the gray chair and I like the gray chair.

 Leather Bench

hahaha. Just kidding. What am I - a bachelor in the 1980s? 

Although, I wonder if it comes with the empty plastic bag...

Here was the other bench option. 

Beige. Safe. Nail-head trim. Goes with stuff. Yawn.

 

Velour Purple Bench!

 Earlier, when we talked about the ridiculous things I took pictures of? This is my favorite. 

It is a velour purple bench.

Velour, friends. 

And there are two of them!

Here's this pillow. 

It's regular leopard. It's smaller than a normal pillow.

And this one has a pattern. It's embroidered, which is nice. 

Sorry. I got fatigued near the end there.

I have a lot to think about.

I'll probably go back tomorrow night or Friday, so if any of these things were sold, I guess that makes my life easier.

Crossing my fingers the purple benches are still available!

Love: America

This weekend we celebrate America's birthday!

The 4th was once one of my very favorite holidays. I say "was" because when I taught 2nd grade, I had to explain Independence Day to a classroom full of Native American students.

It went a little something like this:

Student: So what is the 4th of July?
Me: Great question! We celebrate the 4th of July because that is when we became independent of Britain.
Student: ...
Me: So, the Americans were living here, in America, before it was the United States of America...and, uh, well I guess so were the Native Americans....Yep, the Native Americans were living there, actually before the colonists got there. Anyway, the colonists didn't like the British telling them what to do. Wow. And, so....hmm...but, uh. Huh. Sooooooo, yes, the Native Americans were definitely here. But, uh, the British colonists moved here and uh, well....huh. Freedom?

Fin.

This was nothing compared to the Columbus Day Discussion or, my personal favorite, The Thanksgiving Story! Hooray!

Anyway, America. AMERICA. Bald Eagles! Fireworks! Walmart! Pushing uncomfortable truths about our country deep deep deep into our  collective psyches so we never need to speak or think of them again! Missiles! GDP! Swimming Pools!

I mean, who am I kidding? The Fourth of July is fantastic. It means, sun, water, sand, grilled meats, fireworks and family. I also think of fresh fruit for some reason. Also, my older brother, younger sister and I trying to drown each other?

OK, we're back. Let's talk about some good ol' Red, White, and Blue inspiration!

The patriotic displays seen this weekend can also be used throughout the house. It'll always looks like summer. 

Look at these whimsical paper things!

 Tablecloth.

I think I love everything about this room. So crisp. So clean. 

Primary colors without looking like a box of crayons.

This is perfectly Red, White, and Blue without looking like you were too lazy to take down

your Independence Day decorations. Cheers!

 

 Alright, you guys, let's ignore that this is a kid's room. 

The rug. Old Glory. The white sunburst mirror. Red couch. Bordered crisp linens (do I spy a monogram?)

 Everything about this is pretty terrible, except for the little America banner. How droll!

But, seriously, the other stuff?

I look at this and see a bunch of wooden geese with handkerchiefs around their little necks being sold

at a county fair. Thank you, no.

I don't know what the hell is going on with the backboard there. 

Also, I hate monkeys. 

BUT, what I do see is some crisp red, white, and blue action. Also, Boston University?

Everything I found below, I found on etsy. 

I searched in "Vintage" and just typed in "American Flag."

Framed Vintage Finds:

Old Flag print + Vintage War Poster

48 Stars. Perfect for rental walls you cannot paint. 

 

Coffee table. Side table. Table. 

 

Look at this great vintage book, and the pages therein!
I'm imagining choosing maybe the title page and 3 others and FRAMING them, guys. Framing them.

Together? Or maybe just choosing your favorite. And framing them separately.

Happy 4th!

Planners + Notebooks

Sometimes working room to room is a little overwhelming. Little things are a lot more manageable.

Using my outlook calendar for appointments is helpful for work, but not for the rest of life. For that, I have all of this (see below):


The Before:

Mini and small moleskine notebooks (each with a different purpose) and my new 18 months planner (from Gallery Leather - Maine. I am obsessed) + lots of post-it notes for organization.








The After:

I got card stock paper at Michaels and used the teal glitter and a red with raised dots.








The After:

For the little notebooks, I used Martha Stewart sticker labels, letters, and gems.