Home-y Things

It is something about getting away from your home that makes you appreciate being back in it.  I find that when I leave, I come back with a new perspective, a clearer perspective.  I may realize that things are cleaner, dirtier, more or less cluttered, better, or worse, than I thought when I left them.  Anyhow, I came back from our vacation with a renewed sense of what needs to be, and what I would like our house to be.  While we don't have all the funding to make things exactly how I would like, what we do have is my creative brain and willingness to make the best of things we already have laying around the house.  I've spent this last couple weeks working on small projects here and there.  Here are some of them:

I tried out rustoleum for this oak table to turn it black.  Much improved! I applied a finishing coat of polyurethane to give it some shine. Now it matches the one you can't see on the other side of the couch.

Here it is in our living room.  I think adding some more furniture gives the house a cozier, home-like feel.

These were oak.  Blah oak! Now they are an espresso brown, to match our other darker furniture. 

Here they are in the bigger picture.

Again, blah oak.  I just don't love the look of oak.  Now....

This will go in the girls room and matches the one already in there. This one is for Reagan's books!

Downstairs bathroom improvements include the addition of this shelf, and an inspirational quote and art piece I found at....drum roll, please.....ROSS for $3.50.  It spoke to me, so I bought it:-)  Other things spoke to me as well, but they were more than $3.50, so they remain at Ross. I like the shelves in the bathroom, because I can decorate them according to season, or just keep some nice neutral accents on them.

Like the lovely art above the toilet? August made it at a fancy art studio a couple years ago, and it has been in our bathroom all along, but I freshened the look with a new frame and location within the bathroom. I think I'm going to purchase one more shelf to place directly above the toilet.  What do you think?

"Every journey begins with a single step" The candles you see around are from my candle lady.  I love her candles, and she loves my hats.  Great trades!

You can't tell in this photo, but the mat at the base of the sink is red, and I want to kick the red out of this bathroom.  As soon as I can figure out a replacement color, and find a steal on bath mat and matching hand towel, I will make my move.  Any ideas as to a good color for this bathroom?

This is a work in progress.  My craft area. OH, what a mess it was.  This is much better! I'm going to add a shelf along the wall next to the window to put things on as well.  I've discovered that sometimes going vertical is the only way to make a small space work!

I've also found my small fortune.  You are staring at it!  I wonder how much I've invested on yarn and ribbon and things, my goodness!  I need to get crackin' on some hats for sure!! And even though you think you are looking at all my yarn, the cupboard in the corner in filled with yarn as well.  I ran out of storage containers. 

I came across the first cupcake hat I ever made.  I decided to frame it and stick it on the wall.  It makes a great piece of art for my craft area, don't you think?!

My sister made this for me one year for Christmas, and I found the perfect place for it in the laundry room.  I love it!

Laundry room. The shelf used to be in Reagan's room.

Ryan's room turned guest room/empty room. I know these colors don't all match, but I did the best with what I had, and I'm pleased with the results.  I love to come in this room and lay on the bed and look out at the mountains.  Today, I decided that the Winnie-The-Pooh etchings would be the perfect decor for the wall in here. So sweet and simple.

These are great.  I love Pooh:-)

All new pillows, so soft and comfy.  Don't you want to come and visit me and stay in my guest room?!

I also had these shelves laying around.  They add so much to helping personalize our home. I made the bear on the lower shelf in college.  Who knew we'd end up living among bears just like this? The candle above is spicy pumpkin scented...mmmmmm!

A stuffed animal holder I added to August's room, also had laying around.  His room needs some work..talk about a toy bomb going off. Yikes!