A New-ish Look

Having Willa's party at home gave me the extra push I needed to complete a bunch of lingering projects I abandoned around the time Willa mobilized. Once we had accumulated more baby gear than I was comfortable living with, and Willa's mess-making skills surpassed my tidying abilities, I hit my limit. I tore through the house, editing with haste, removing clutter and decoration without consideration. And since my budget hasn't allowed for any extra spending to replace the things I tossed, I've been living with bare walls and compromised personality. There are worse things, I know, but my uninspiring surroundings left me feeling bored and anxiety-ridden. Yeah, I'm super-sensitive to that sort of thing. I require order. And pretty things. And to Sean's chagrin, a periodical re-do.

With pressure mounting from the impending party, I enlisted some help. Billie Jean removed Willa from the premises for an entire day, and my mom came over to crack the whip, as she puts it. The whip is actually a metaphorical one, and she does a whole lot more than supervise. She got busy right away; I, on the other hand, was just so overwhelmed at the prospect of a child-free, productive day of cleaning, organizing, and decorating, I was paralyzed. At one point, my mom had to grab me by the shoulders, shake me, and say, "DO SOMETHING!" So I did, and once I started seeing my own progress, I got into it and we worked well past our bedtimes, hanging art, moving furniture, changing out pieces here and there, and dusting all those places that I so easily forget about.

Of course, I made a few small, necessary purchases to complete the look. I picked up the two pillar candles for my mantle from my favorite new local shop, Enid. And we replaced our smelly old jute rug with this new one from Ikea. I had some art framed, and got one new piece - the Gazelle print - from Enid as well. My favorite part, though, is this steal: The $5 a piece Hospice-thrifted metal tables. I have to give credit to my awesomely handy brother, Chris, for making me their new poplar tops. And to Sean, for doing my intended dirty work - grinding down the green paint and coating them with sealer. Ten dollars for two beautiful tables can't really be beat. But I wouldn't dare underestimate the value of a husbandly honey-do and a big-brother favor. (Thanks, guys.)

The Teaser...Before the Big Reveal

I am loving our new addition and fresh paint job. After all those years of lackluster white on white, our home's exterior has finally gotten a personality boost. When we bought the house in 2002, we did a complete renovation. But by the time we got around to spiffing up the outside, my creativity had just about run out. I couldn't decide on a color scheme and was tired of buying sample quart after sample quart of the wrong ones. When the painters put up a coat of white primer, I decided that (safe) white would be "good enough." It might not have been right, but white can never really be wrong. However, after living with my drab selection and zero curb appeal for the past 5+ years, it was time to make a change, a color choice, one that would make a statement. The colors we chose do just that. They are inviting and cheerful, subtly modern, and (my favorite part) they perfectly teeter on the edge of Historic Review Board denial. The project is not quite complete, but I will post photos of its entirety soon. In the meantime, I have been sprucing up everywhere I can, endlessly cleaning and organizing, rearranging artwork, changing out pillowcases, donating, simplifying, purging clutter...In this new phase of infant domination, LESS (of everything else) is definitely MORE.

Calling in the Expert

Maybe the recent shift from shop-girl to stay-at-home-mom has given me an excess of pent-up creative energy. Or it could be that the construction in the backyard has re-birthed an enthusiasm toward our home. Likely it's the time I have been spending on various design blogs that is responsible for my feelings of domestic inadequacy and my urgent need for an interior overhaul. Problem is, it is very difficult to accomplish even the little projects, while tending to an active 8-month old. But yesterday, I just went for it and started multiple projects. Most of my walls (where photographs and miscellaneous art once hung) are now bare. With the current state of the economy and the expense of our garage addition, I need not spend frivolously on new decor. So I am attempting to move things around and revamp the place with what I already have. Here is a photo of a wall of bold, graphic plates in an interesting arrangement. I am going to try to achieve this look in my kitchen:

I am not new to the art of plate-hanging. In fact, my mom practically invented it. She is coming over today to see Willa, and I have a fool-proof plan will suck her right in. I will lay out all of my plates, leaving no room to play, work, or breathe. And I will cleverly direct her attention to my pathetically naked wall. She will be putty in my hands! Watch for the results tomorrow...

Look What I Found

While driving around town yesterday, scouting garage doors for the our new garage/carport/storage shed addition, I was pleasantly surprised when I came across this gem of a new home at the end of an uncharted cul-de-sac. Most new construction around here fails to impress me. It seems like everybody is building the same typical hill-country rustic limestone replica. Nothing against the style, it's just not me. And I'm only saying that it's refreshing to see someone build outside of the norm, like this wood frame jewel with board and batten siding and warm cedar shingles. Sean and I plan to build a new home in the next couple of years, as our brood expands. And this one inspires me. But notice, I have no garage door photos to post...How much fun would that be?