Recap

Hey there! So yeah, I have a blog. Guess I should really post more than every 5 months, right? Pretty sure I read that somewhere. I do have a reason for not posting more...I suck at remembering to take Before shots! And then it just feels to weird to only post the Afters. The first place I go on the blogs I read is the before and after section, so you'd think I'd be better about this. Going forward, I promise to have Before shots.

I decided to catch up by showing some of what I've done over the past several months. Mostly I have been busy falling in love with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Oh my, have you tried this stuff yet? I read about it on Miss Mustard Seed and as soon as I got to the part about not needing to sand or prime I was ready to try it. I have been slowly amassing a collection of colors, painting things here and there. The first thing I did was a dresser for my daughter, which I have NO shots of! (Gina, send me some!)  Holy mackerel, ASCP is so easy to use and so gorgeous! I can't get enough now, and feel like I finally have a "real" hobby at the ripe old age of 41.

Anyway, I am going to blather on and on if I don't just start posting some pics.  I walked around the house this morning and snapped pics of some of the little things I've done to the house since March. (You'll note that I still haven't figured out how to use my camera to the best of its/my ability, but I'm going to see my sister-in-law in a couple of weeks and she is an amazing photographer...hope she won't mind giving me a crash course!)

First off, my GROCERIES sign. I first saw one of these on Sarah's Summer House and loved it! Then of course they started popping up everywhere, including in the Pottery Barn catalog for a silly price. When we first moved into our house, the family room was paneled in old barn board, including the closet door.  We have taken all of that out (see, I really need to get this blog up to date!). My husband cut the door down and saved a few pieces for me. I bought the letters from Michael's, painted them with ASCP, waxed them, and mounted with Gorilla Glue...which I later discovered expands as it dries...d'oh! My husband cut all the oozed glue off and we were good to go. This was my first project with dark wax over the paint...I was going for an authentic, aged look but I think I missed it. I love the sign, but I think I will end up going back over the paint now that I know what I am doing a little more.

Next, an Ikea spice rack turned book shelf. I saw this on someone's blog but cannot remember exactly where. These come in unfinished wood (pine, I think), and I painted with ASCP in Antibes Green, distressed, and finished with clear wax. I have three of these hung in our family room and I love them.  Books are big around here, and I want to celebrate that in every room. I think Anna Quindlen said that a room is not decorated without books. Totes agree! That idea, and another quote like it, is the inspiration behind my blog name, actually.

Saw these "cruelty-free" specimen shadow boxes and knew right away I had to make them. My photos stink and you can't really tell, but these are mounted on three different scrapbook papers. I may have to re-do them in more contrasting papers so you can actually see the difference! Now that I look at Kiki's again, I may need to re-do them completely. So pretty! I ordered my butterflies from the source she lists and got great service.

This the the upstairs hallway outside the kids' rooms. I love decorating with their artwork and just went the economical route with a lot of those clear box frames, and whatever white frames I had around. I also painted the built in bookcase a really pretty deep green/blue. I love it, and I feel so happy every time I walk up there. The kids get a kick out of their art being on the walls, too. I have stuff hung by my nieces and nephews too, which is super cool.

Remember my black hole of a fireplace? I have been working on finding ways to warm it up, and ordered some vintage shutters to place at the sides. My peace lily looks super gross in this shot and I don't know why...I'm looking at it right now and it's gorgeous! (Elise, I need help!) I have to get someone in here to clean the brick in there, which I think will help a lot. I saw this fireplace with the birch log slices and wanted to do it so badly, but it would cost over $400 for the all the logs we would need...don't see that happening any time soon. But, I do love our fireplace and the stone wall. I seriously cannot wait until the holidays so I can hang stockings on that gorgeous mantle. I have some plans involving an old picket fence that we took down to make it feel more seasonal...watch for that!

Ok, enough for now! I have to get some pictures of furniture I've painted. I did some Pier 1 tables (after convincing my husband it was ok to paint brand new furniture) and I have been going nuts on Craig's List. I got a spool bed for my daughter's room that right now is my favorite thing in the world...all painted up in ASCP Greek Blue. Painting it was the biggest project I have taken on yet, and it was a beast with all the spools. But I love it and it was such a great feeling of accomplishment. I go into my daughter's room a ridiculous number of times a day to stare at it.  :  )

I hope I didn't lose all of you with that loooong break I took. I really love doing this and have to get back on the horse!

I WILL see you soon!