Monogrammed Initial Wall Hanging

We updated our daughters' room from little girl pink to big girl brown/aqua and lime.  My daugher was eleven at the time and not girly in the least.  She picked her own fabric and I made coordinating pillows and bedskirt to match her purchased brown comforter set.  I wanted something cute with her initial to hang over her bed.  Everything I looked at was around $60.  So, I made it myself. 

I love animal prints so I opted for brown giraffe drapery weight fabric.  I bought half a yard for about $6.50.  I had it monogrammed for another $6.00 with a single initial.  Then I stretched it around a canvas that I already had at home and got out my handy staple gun. 

It looks awful from the back, huh? 

I actually intended to attach a ribbon on the back and hang it, but.....I forgot.  I need to get on that.  Oh well!  It's still not bad for $12.50.

I'm linking up to Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous.  Find it here.  Click the link and join the party!

Also entering this project here

CRAIGSLIST ENVY

Do you frequent Craiglist?  Garage/Yard sales?  Estate sales?  Flea Markets?  I have a confession to make.  I am so stinkin' jealous of you people who find cute stuff on the cheap.  UGH!  Look at the deals I've seen on other people's blogs that I have been stalking  visiting. 

GORGEOUS!  LOVE IT!  Traci found this at Goodwill.  Cost with redo?  $70.  WOW!  Find Traci's blog here. 

Darlene at Our Creative Life found this for $200 on Craigslist.  BEAUTIFUL! 

Kim at Endless Possibilities found this on Craigslist for $25.  She hasn't revealed the redo yet, but I'm sure it's GORGEOUS!

I, on the other hand, have been searching Craigslist and every local flea market or antique store (must check Goodwill) for a armoire/free standing pantry type piece for my dining room.  I did find one at the antique store for......$1,800!  Oh my Gracious!  $1,800.  I mean, it was a very cool, primitive piece with peeling paint, etc., but $1,800.  I don't think so! 

I'm checking Craigslist daily and hoping for a miracle! 

Too Much Of a Good Thing Is.....Irritating!

You know that cute little baby giggle ringtone that everyone has heard?  Or the email attachment that has gone around, with the cute baby giggling that is supposed to make your day better?  Oh how I used to love that sound.  I guess I still do, in small doses.

My 5 year old son, who happens to have autism, is home sick with strep.  Poor baby.  He's covered in a rash and just doesn't feel well.  I have to say, he is my favorite sick kid in the whole world.  He doesn't complain (okay, so he doesn't really talk much either, but...).  He is my most affectionate child.  He loves to hug and get kisses.  He loves to cuddle up on the couch when he doesn't feel well.  He'll just sit in my lap on the couch for as long as I will let him.  He's so sweet. 

BUT once he starts feeling better, OH MY GRACIOUS!  I love this kid more than anything on this earth, but he is so DADGUM LOUD!  That sweet little giggle on the ringtone, imagine hearing that for four hours straight.  UGH!  My ears are ringing!  I do consider myself lucky that he has the giggles and squeals of delight rather than the screeching/screaming/tantrum throwing variety of autism.  But, boy am I glad he's feeling better.  Sweet, precious, LOUD, adorable, LOUD, funny boy.  He's the light of my life and the degeneration of my hearing.  Thank you Lord for all my blessings.

THE PROBLEM WITH A RED KITCHEN IS...

I've already decided that I'm going to paint my kitchen red.  I just wish I could decide WHICH red!?  As I have mentioned before, I have been "living with" several big red splotches on my wall for over a year.  I don't like ANY of them!  They all look too...pinkish.  UGH! 

Anyway, check out this picture. 

I LOVE this kitchen!  Gorgeous!  I saw this picture over on a little blog.  You may have heard of it.  It's called The Inspired Room.  I stalk visit Melissa's blog every day.  She always supplies me with my daily dose of inspiration (hence, the name of her blog)  The picture itself is from Country Living.  LOVE IT! 

Red is supposed to be the color of love, passion, etc.  Red is also said to have an energizing effect (I could definitely use some energizing) and is supposed to stimulate the appetite.  HOLD UP!  That is EXACTLY what I need, because as of now, I am only 20 pounds overweight.  I mean, gracious, let's go ahead and paint the inside of the fridge red too.  Maybe I could gain another five or six pounds.  Okay.  Sorry.  Anyway, red is a good color choice, right?  Actually, I think every room in my house has some form of red in it, just not in paint form.  I never realized I was so attached to my red. 

Anybody have a good shade of red to suggest?

Decisions and Budgets - ICK!

Decisions!  Decisions!  UGH!  I have been looking online at fabrics for the living room curtains for MONTHS!  ****What is the difference between curtains and drapes, by the way?  I don't know!!!****  Anyway, I finally ordered fabric samples from Warehouse Fabrics, Inc. as they had the best price I found per yard and they were only $2.50 per sample, including shipping.  Some places wanted $5-$6 plus shipping.  I didn't see that happening.  Anyway, the samples came today. 

What do ya think?  I love that it has both black and brown in it.

I am thinking of making a valance for my one window in the living room. 

Something similar to this using the finials and showing both fabrics.

I gotta go work on the budget for the living room/kitchen projects.  My hubby is standing over me hounding me about prices.  UGH! 

Let me know what ya think!

Obsessed With Decorating Blogs!

Okay, so I have a confession to make.  I am a cyber stalker.  Yep.  It's true!  I have been stalking other people's decorating blogs because my kitchen and living room redo is my new obsession.  I have to get ideas somewhere, right? 

Have you been to Suzy Harris's blog?  She makes the cutest signs!  Of course, I would have to have her make it with MY last name.

You can find her blog here.  Isn't that cute? 

Also, have you visited The Lettered Cottage.  Love her bracket/corbel thingees!!  See below.

Cute huh? 

Check out the cute feet thingees (I'm sure that's what they're called!) on Darlene's cabinets. 

Find Darlene's blog here.   She makes the BEST rugs.  GORGEOUS!!! 

Check this kitchen out. 

Oh my GRACIOUS!!!  Check out her island top.  Isn't it cool?  LOVE IT!  Find her blog.  It's called Funky Junk Interiors. 

There are so many more great blogs to stalk visit.  So much inspiration and so little $$.  Oh well.  It's good to have a dream!  Thanks for the inspirations ladies!!

Valentine's Day Fever!

As usual, I am WAAAAY behind!  I am NOT  a good multi-tasker.  I have to take one event at a time or everything goes haywire!  UGH!  So, right now I am obsessed with picking out fabric, paint, canisters, etc. for my kitchen and trying not to think about the fact that my birthday is next week.  I hadn't even realized that it was almost Valentine's Day.  I have 23 days left, but.....that's not a whole lot of time. 

Amanda at Serenity Now posted some thrifty Valentine's finds.  You can find Amanda's blog here. 

Angie at The Happy Homebody has the CUTEST tree in her kitchen that she decorates for the season.  It is so stinkin' CUTE!  See it here.  I could just move in to Angie's kitchen.  I LOVE IT! 

Well, since I didn't get around to making E anything for Valentine's day this year (she usually gets a new outfit for every holiday), I'll just share her Valentine's Day outfit from last year. 

I LOVE the fabric.  It has little vintage Valentine's printed on it.  It's cute and luckily, it still fits!  YEA!

Hope everyone has a great night!