Wish List: Dining Room Chandelier

When I mentioned my dining room a few days ago, several of you suggested painting the existing light fixture. Such a great idea, and I SO wish it were that easy. But, we have 20+ ft ceilings and, well, I'm not quite ready to cash in J's life insurance yet {only joking -- I hope I never have to!}. There's just so much potential for this space...

We've been shopping for new light fixtures since we moved in two years ago. I know, I know, but we're so completely indecisive it makes it hard to ever pick anything. Doesn't help when I know that we can't just buy it, throw it up there and return it if I don't like it. Having the added headache {and expense!} of hiring an electrician to install somehow makes it all the more final and permanent. Which equals daunting and scary.

But I've fallen in love. And I've been drooling over this chandelier from Potterybarn for awhile now...

But I just can't fork over $299 {+ tax & shipping} for it. {sigh} And then, I found this at Overstock.com...

And for $185! The price is getting better, folks. But is it worth it? Or should I keep looking?

Holy Flower, Batman!

Awhile back, I posted my Wish List of flower pins that I've been drooling over, including this beauty from Anthropologie.

So, I bought it, without paying any attention to its size dimensions. When I got the package, I was super excited. Then I saw it. It's GINORMOUS. Seriously, it swallows my palm, and it's way more ruffly than I expected.

There's no way I can use it with the hair pin, and it even looks clownish pinned to a cardi. I thought about returning it, but I just l-o-v-e the coral color. So, I ransacked my closet, thinking maybe I could pin it to a cute black top or summer dress. Then I spotted my sad heap of purses and bags ... do you see where I'm going with this? Yep, exactly, I pinned it to a bag. I wish I was a better photographer {I blame the lighting?}, but it looks soo cute on my woven turquoise bag ...

I even like it on this Lands End bag my mom gave me last year.

Guess it's a keeper!

Easy Glass Centerpieces

My dining room is driving me nuts.

About the only thing I enjoy is our table. J bought it off a friend years ago and then re-finished it. Up close it's an awesome chocolate color with honey and caramel accents. And the chairs? Are a Garden Ridge nightmare -- sometime I'll tell the story, but if you have any ideas how to dress them up, I'd love to hear it! The {boring} chandelier will hopefully be replaced in the near future too ...

In the meantime, though, I thought I could at least make a better centerpiece. The old one is from Crate & Barrel and I like it, just think it goes better on the coffee table. So, I went to Target and bought a tall glass column vase, two glass candle holders of different sizes, two candles and a box of vase filler.

I found some moss, blue wood chips from old potpourri, twigs and wine corks at home. Can you tell we like wine? ;)

I started with the moss, then layered in the other items, and I was done in 15 minutes ...

I ended up only using one candle -- it looked too symmetrical with two. Besides, I just love the bark ball :) ...

I like how the blue wood chips add just a dash of color, too. Super easy!

Linked to "Just Something I Whipped Up Monday" @ The Girl Creative

If All Else Fails, Just Return It

We have a small "mudroom" area that I'm not quite sure what to do with ...

We found the bench on sale at Hobby Lobby last year, and I LOVE it.

But, I don't think I've actually ever sat there for more than a few seconds -- it's just not an inviting spot. I thought if I could find a cushion, it would provide color inspiration for the rest of the space. So, I stopped by Pier 1 the other day and found these two {awesome} cushions.

Of course, I couldn't decide which I liked better -- so I bought them both. Soo soft, soo inviting ... yet soo ridiculously the wrong size. You'd think by now I'd learn to measure! Needless to say I was more than bummed. I absolutely am in lust with the colors, especially the velvety brown one.

I tried them out on a couple of window seats we have with no luck. I was tempted to keep them as dog beds because I adore the thick cushions so much, but grudgingly decided to take them back. I'm thinking I'll end up having to make a cushion myself.

I would love to hear your ideas about how to make one ... and with as little sewing as possible! :)

Cute & Simple DIY Bulletin Board

Well, this post is looong overdue. But, I think this project turned out too cute {and too easy!} not to share.

I'd been looking for a bulletin board of some sort to hang in the pantry for notes, grocery lists, etc. I just could never find one that wasn't too plain or wasn't waaay overpriced. I just wanted simple.

I was at IKEA before the holidays and found cork bulletin boards for $5. Too plain and boring, I thought. And then it hit me -- just paint it! {Don't laugh. I'm sure you more creative folks are 10 steps ahead of me with this!} When I got home, I went through the paint samples I had bought when I was deciding on wall colors for the house. I tell ya, I have quite the collection as I'm so indecisive. One of my favorites is Organic Garden from Home Depot -- so I used a foamy paintbrush and it went from this ...

To this ...

I love how the color turned out! I tried to make the edges look like aged wood with different shades of brown acrylic paint.

I still thought it looked a bit plain, so I started painting swirls using a small brush and white acrylic paint.

I love how the little swirls came out! But, the bigger ones look a bit ... odd ...

Ohwell. It came with small metal rings that I sprayed bronze, then screwed in to the top. A little brown ribbon and a bow, and this project was done!

I hung it on the inside of the pantry door with one of those bronze removable hooks. Seriously, the project took no time once I figured out what I wanted to do. So, I made one for my mom, too. For her board, I used a spray paint from Hobby Lobby {color: Oregano}. Honestly, hand painting was waaay easier and surprisingly faster as I had to do several coats with the spray paint. But I think hers turned out cute, too.

I finished it off with a bow like mine, and it's now hanging on her pantry door. So simple ... yet so darn handy!

{Linked to the DIY Showoff Project Parade -- check out the other awesome DIY links too!}

Wish List: Hunter Boots

This rainy, cool weather definitely put a slight damper on the weekend. If only I had a pair of these beautiful Hunter rain boots to splash around in ...

I'm just drooling over the glossy purple, but the other colors are cool too. Wouldn't they make grocery shopping in the rain 100x more fun?

ReStore Treasures

To those close to me, it's no secret that I L-O-V-E my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Why? Because you can find cool treasures like this 5ft wrought iron wall hanging for a mere 16 bucks.

And, all the money goes directly to support Habitat for Humanity's rebuild efforts. How cool is that?

There's No Place Like Home

We have a spare bedroom that has become quite the catch-all room. From the weight machine {aka, dust collector} to boxes of photos that I've been trying to organize for months, to clothes I can't find a place for to other odds & ends that I love but I'm not quite sure what to do with -- this room has become one where I just shut the door and forget about it for weeks.

Until this morning, when I went searching for a couple of books. As I started looking around, I realized how much I actually enjoy the things in there, and how many memories are attached to each object. Later, as I was dreaming about what color to paint our spare bathroom, I started looking at the tulip wall hanging I have up.

Sure, I bought it from Target six years ago, but it was hung in my first apartment, then in our first home after we got married, and now in our current house. I just love the clean, creamy color. And tulips? My favorite.

Sometimes I get soo caught up in the lovely things in stores and magazines, that I forget about some of my favorite things right here at home. Some that I've bought over the years, some that were gifts, others that were inherited from family.

So, I thought I would start sharing some of those things from time to time. As the old saying goes, "There's no place like home"!

Trapped in the Real World

Yes, I fell into the vast trap of the real world -- work work work and no play. Okay, maybe a little play, but nothing creative that I've had time to share :). Perhaps things will slow down here soon ...

I did want to share a {very} belated thanks to the wonderful Bridget for sending along my awesome give-away prize! It's super cute, and I still haven't decided where to hang it. The photo doesn't do the color justice -- it's such a beautiful shade of chocolate brown ...

Until next time -- Happy {almost} Friday!