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Showing posts with label decorating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decorating. Show all posts

8.13.2011

21st birthday fun

My baby sister Joy (sorry Joy) turned 21 yesterday! I can't believe it because I changed her diapers and remember so clearly the day I found out Mom was pregnant in the Winter of 8th grade. On my first day of high school my Mom and Joy were still in the hospital as Joy had gotten a fairly bad infection right after her birth and had to stay for a few extra days, so I went to Riverwood High School by myself and signed up for my classes. In college when Joy came to visit she toddled down the hall of my freshman dorm and everyone fed her candy until she was in a sugar coma.



Last night my parents and 5 of Joy's close friends came over for dinner and drinks. I wanted to do a little bit of festive decorating, but per usual, nothing overkill. I always take off one piece of jewelry before I leave the house for the same reason!

I made a large pom pom for the living room and one for the dining table...thanks to Martha Stewart I have made these a thousand times in all different shapes and sizes. They are great for topping gifts as well.









I think they all had fun and Joy felt well celebrated! The only snafu was that somehow the glass container part of our blender went missing 30 minutes before the party. After turning the house upside down and finding the base, blade and top, there was no luck with the pitcher. It is truly a mystery as there isn't much you can do with a glass pitcher that has no top or bottom. Needless to say the recipe I was going to use for frozen margaritas ended up being on the rocks....and I accidentally doubled the Triple Sec and thought it wouldn't be a big deal....whoops! All the girls were tipsy after 30 minutes. I poured them all large glasses of water before they headed out with a DD, of course. This morning I woke up and found this in the refrigerator.
Adult.  Chocolate.  Milk.


Happy Birthday Joy. You're so much fun and I love you. Maybe I will write a post later about all of the things I wish I had known at 21 that I know now. That would be very older sisterly of me.









5.14.2011

camera dump

I was inspired by the back wall of a DIY bookshelf over at Growing Home, and decided that the final wall of the church office needed a dressed up bulletin board. This is what I've been looking at for a couple of months and can't take it much longer.


 I really enjoy starting projects, but I don't like finishing them. Once it's 95% done, I'm ready to move on. The office started out something like this below. All men working there, you get the idea.


I honestly did find a half eaten Twinkie still in the wrapper inside a filing cabinet drawer. It was hidden in the back behind some empty folders. There's now a waiting area for people who stop by and the lighting is softer (lost the photos which were on my phone, so I'll have to add some later). I'm still hoping to do something fun with the bulletin board though. I also thought about changing out the flower picture in the kitchen with a piece of more cheerful fabric in a modern pattern. The kitchen is all white and so the flowers don't do much for it in terms of "pop".


The kitchen is NEWLY all white I should say. We had an Almond colored refrigerator from 1970 for two years, that made a sound like the house was going to blow, for about 1 minute every week. It froze everything on the bottom two shelves which ruined all the produce, so we just upgraded to a truly white version, possibly 1990, compliments of Craig's List. $250 total including delivery, removal of the old, hook up of the new and a 90 day warranty. We're excited.

Mother's Day was especially fun this year, knowing that MAD (Mom and Dad) would be leaving for England right after to see my brother and sister-in-law who are living there. We are very low key with holidays and they always include a meal, a photo of us in front of the same fireplace or tree, and plenty of laughter. My middle brother is usually running late and calling to say "he's 10 minutes away". Translated: He just woke up from a nap and forgot it was *insert important holiday*.


Typical relaxing afternoon together. I would say the shoes were kicked off, but that is possibly my late brother  who forgot to wear shoes at all (late as in still alive, just not punctual). Jake, the dog my parents have now inherited from my youngest brother, is interested in the camera; whereas Charlie is more emo and pondering his looming haircut.


And with good reason. His self esteem takes a beating for about a month. Now I love my dog, but I'm just not that keen on treating him like a human. There's a dog daycare in the area called "Pets Are People Too"...really, people?


By the way, I realize that none of these photos are very good. However, I have decided that I'd rather capture the memories than not post them, and it's also practical help towards creating a blog about reality. We don't always look good, and that's just life. Since purchasing my first SLR camera last summer, I have been excited about getting into one of Kate Byar's photography classes, but every time I go to her site to register for one, they're all booked. She's an amazing photographer and I'm so happy to see that she has found work that she loves and is passionate about. Very inspiring. 

What's even crazier is that she recently did a photo shoot for one of my college friends with her sweet baby Nicolas. I didn't even know she had hired Kate until I received a precious baby announcement in the mail with "Kate Byars Photography" printed on back. They're great pictures not only of the baby but also of the amazing nursery! Well done and congratulations Julie and Nic!

3.12.2011

interior design: test your skills

My friend Kellie (who lives in Asia--where decorating is an entirely different animal) sent me two photos and some questions about a new mirror that she received for Christmas. Which way to hang it? At what height? Any other thoughts related to this design dilemma? I answered but let's test your skills and then I'll tell you what I said.



12.15.2010

design project across the ocean?

I always love helping people make their spaces more appealing, especially when they are missionaries in a large foreign country with billions of people living in concrete block high rise communities where everything can tend to look the same and feel very cold. My friend emailed me some pictures of her living room and asked for some suggestions, so I'm really excited to get to work cybergesting some pieces to finish up her space. First and foremost, I give you,  her cute children.


Here are two shots of the living room and the view to the open dining area.



The three main things I'm going to be thinking about are a rug, curtains and a coffee table. I might throw in a few other little things to "fluff" along the way. I'll be back!

7.20.2010

Dining Room love

My Dining Room is boring. White walls, dark table and chairs and one narrow white piece that doesn't stand out at all. I think it's time to rethink it. Here are a few Dining Rooms that I really like.




These two are very different. One is classic and the other very industrial-modern. My client who just purchased her first home today, but is currently living in a really cool loft space, said that when she tried to change her address, they wouldn't because the post office said that she did not live in a "legitimate" home. There are businesses mixed into the community but isn't that what makes lofts so cool? I think this would be my Dining Room if I lived in one. Where has the post office been the last decade? This is my tribute to the end of her time there. Congratulations on your first home!