Honey and The Moon

DIY Silhouette Art

2011-06-20T09:00:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted. Sorry about that! The past few weeks have been filled with birthdays, friend's bachelorette parties, and friend's weddings. I can't write for long as I have another wedding this weekend (that I'm in), and I've volunteered my help and support, but I do have a little dining room project to update you on.

I knew that I wanted to make something unique and original for our dining room, but something inexpensive as well. I made up my mind pretty quickly that I wanted to incorporate some silhouette art on our dining room walls.

We recently painted our walls "Nautical Navy" by Valspar. The color was a drastic change, but hubby and I both love it. We knew we wanted our new picture frames to really pop and I think we definitely got the impact that we were going for.

Okay, here are the deets...

Supplies:

Pictures to use for silhouettes
Plain white paper
Black paper
Oval picture frames
Rustoleum spray primer
Rustoleum Ultra Cover spray paint (we chose sun yellow in the gloss finish)

First, you will want to take a picture of each person (or pet) from the side, print the picture, and you will cut the silhouette out from the rest of the background of the picture. Be sure to be as precise as possible, getting all of the little details of the silhouette. I didn't take a picture of this step but it's pretty self-explanatory.

Second, you'll place the cut out silhouette on your piece of black paper.

You will then trace around the picture silhouette...

Next, you will cut the silhouette out!

Repeat this step for all of the silhouettes.

Next, you'll want to trace the paper from the frame around the white sheet of paper you will be using to create your art. It'll look a little something like this...

Then you'll cut out your new oval shape...

And to complete the silhouette art, you'll paste the silhouettes to the plan white paper.

The frames were originally black but I gave them several light coats of the Rustoleum primer and then several coats of the spray paint. This is actually the first time that I used Rustoleum paint, as I'm normally a Krylon gal myself. I chose to go with Rustoleum because I loved their yellow color, but I really loved the Rustoleum brand and I think I might've found my new favorite spray paint.

Anyways, enough babbling, here is the finished product!

Cody, the hubby

Molly, our Great Dane

Moose, our Boston Terrier

And the full view again...

I'm loving it! It was affordable, fun, and easy.

Do you have any silhouette art in your home? x

A BIG Announcement

2011-06-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

I cannot believe that I haven't shared this news with you sooner, the days are seriously going by so quickly! It was just twenty-seven days ago that I posted about how grim the teaching job market is looking (you can read that post here), but today I can announce that just sixteen days after I wrote that post a school district about 20 minutes from my home offered me a position teaching 7th grade English-Language Arts. So crazy, right?

I don't talk about my faith often on this blog, and you are more than welcome to skip this portion and scroll down to the cute pictures if you wish, but I do not feel as if I can write about my job offer without mentioning my true feelings about it. In a time where our economy seems to be crumbling, I believe that it truly was an act of God for me to find a teaching job. It breaks my heart that there are so many committed teachers out there who still haven't found a place to work, but it makes me smile to know that the Lord has given me a place to teach. My husband and I believe that God gave me this job because he has a specific purpose for me in this middle school, and I cannot wait to see what he has planned for me.

Now that I've found a job I'm, of course, super excited about decorating my classroom. In fact, I have an entire board on Pinterest dedicated to classroom ideas...here are some of my favorite classroom things.

"Star Student of The Week" Chair. This will be so easy with a cheap buy from Craigslist.

So fun, right? I cannot wait to get started! x

Psst -- This opinion coming from a teacher...all of these things would be fantastic teacher appreciation gifts!

Stencil Me!

2011-06-06T10:25:00.000-05:00

Sorry that my posts and my commenting on your posts have been so sporadic lately. It's been a busy few days here with family's high school graduations and wedding showers. Tomorrow I have a big announcement that also might do a little more explaining of where I've been lately. So, stay tuned and have a fantastic Monday!

I'm leaving you with one of my favorite things that I found recently on Pinterest...

Source: from-london-with-love.com via Carly on Pinterest

Stencils are so hot right now, so why not use an oversized stencil on your floor? I think this would be just perfect in a beautiful sunroom!

My Favorite Pop!

2011-06-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

I used to like to play it safe with neutrals and "classic" pieces, but more and more lately I've found myself loving bold pieces and bright pops of color. A favorite "pop" that I've been seeing around lately is lime green.Tell me that you don't love these rooms as much as I do!

Images via apartment therapy, decor8, a la mode, and decorpad.

Do tell...do you love it too? x

Painting Woes

2011-06-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

Quite some time ago I showed you a garbage find of mine. The piece wasn't perfect but I had big plans for it. Here's the little cart I found on the curb in our neighborhood...

But my most favorite feature were these rusty (but still so cool) metal casters...

My plan was to keep this cart in our bedroom and give it a coat of paint. The plans are still the same, but I'm having a little difficulty in deciding how to go about painting it. Let me explain, I've decided that there are two types of people out there when it comes to painting furniture:

The first type of people are those who go about painting furniture the "hard" way...meaning they've sanded (and sanded and sanded), primed, and painted in order to makeover the piece of furniture. Michaela of Michaela Noelle recently made over a piece of furniture this way, and it turned out fabulously...

And then there are the other type of people who take the easier way out. I mean no offense by this statement because I am totally one of those people. If there's an easier way to get it done, I will most definitely do it that way. The easier way out would mean that you eliminate the most dreadful, tedious step...sanding. Instead of sanding, you simply make sure that the piece of furniture is extremely clean before you begin priming. Mandi from Vintage Revivals recently redid a piece of furniture this way and it turned out beautifully as well...

I'm just torn. I know that sanding will be a lot of work but I know that it's foolproof and always works. However, there are many people out there who taken gone the "easy way out" and haven't had an issue with any of their furniture. So what do you think...

Should I just get to sanding OR have you taken the easy way out and been majorly successful??

Please leave me a comment and let me know! x

Home Tour: The Kitchen

2011-05-31T09:00:00.005-05:00

Two weeks ago I gave you a tour of our living room…Today, we will be touring our kitchen. Once again it’s not perfect, but it’s functional. There is so much that I want to do to our kitchen, but kitchen re-do’s are often so expensive.

The kitchen has a small dining area in it and it looks straight into the dining room. For some reason I didn't take pictures of the little dining area, so I'll have to post those soon. The table that is in the kitchen dining area was purchased by my honey at Goodwill before we got married. The living room, dining room, and kitchen are very open and flow together.

Here are photos of how the kitchen looks now:

Isn’t that note from some of my kiddos at school just precious?I think this nook above the sink would be perfect for a shelf that could hold cookbooks, etc. I think this long space could be perfect for two barstools.

In the pictures I think it’s hard to tell what color the walls really are because the lighting varies so much in the pictures and in the room. The walls are a pretty dark gold-tan color…this same color is in the living room and the main hallway of the house.

Any big changes in the kitchen are pretty far off, because of the expense of kitchen renovations. Here are some changes that I’d like to someday make in the kitchen…some of them could happen semi soon while others are very, very far off:

Paint the walls. I think the color is way too dark and too close to the color of the cabinets.
Paint the cabinets. I’m aware that this is a pretty affordable change, but can I just admit that I’m not sure I’m up to that big of a project yet?
Paint the kitchen table OR get rid of the table all together and add bar stools to the counter and some type of storage to the open space.
Change the light fixture.
Install hardware to cabinet doors and drawers.
Install a shelf above the kitchen sink.
Replace appliances for newer and more modern pieces.
Put down ceramic tile.
Install a backsplash. There are so many great options out there!
Replace the current countertops…green countertops, really? When was that ever a good idea?

So, that's the kitchen and the second room on our home tour.
Any cheap or quick tips you might have to update our kitchen? x

Happy Memorial Day

2011-05-30T12:54:00.000-05:00

Happy Memorial Day to all of my beautiful readers! I hope you're all enjoying a day off like I am. While today is a great day to spend time with friends and have a little cookout (or maybe work on some projects!), I think we must also take the day to remember those who intentionally put their lives in danger for our freedom, many who lost their lives in the fight for us all.

I cannot help but think about one particular soldier...my great grandaddy Lloyd. I had the privilege of knowing three of my great grandparents; two grandmothers and my grandaddy who I mentioned above.

My grandaddy was drafted to fight in WWII. Unfortunately, he was drafted quite unfairly. He was the sole provider for his mother and her only living child, and this alone should've kept him from being drafted (it is this rule that the movie Saving Private Ryan is based off of). He was also on the older end of the drafting age limit and the father of four children. My grandma told me that he always believed that the drafting board of his county was jealous of his farming success and for this reason they sent him.

I only have one picture of my great grandaddy on my computer, but it is one of my favorites of him and my great grandma Pauline.This picture was taken many years after the war at their home (and my favorite place) in Telephone, TX.

Why are they laughing? Just check out the dog in the background...ha!

My grandaddy went on to receive two Purple Heart medal's during his time serving in WWII. He came home safely, raised his children, saw his grand kids and several of his great grand kids born. He unfortunately succumbed to Alzheimer's and pneumonia when I was younger.

I am eternally grateful to my great grandpa and every other soldier who has put their own life in danger for my freedom and safety. Take a moment to remember those who gave it all up for us.

Home is a Refuge

2011-05-27T09:00:00.006-05:00

So I’m a little bit behind on watching Nate (my DVR got really full during the last few weeks of school), and I recently just watched the Oprah episode. I must admit that Oprah isn’t my favorite but I happened to really like her in this episode, and I loved to see the beautiful outdoors that are a part of her home.

But what I loved even more than her home was this framed quote that Nate gave to her. The quote is by Dr. Maya Angelou and it reads:

Isn’t that beautiful? I’m thinking I’ll frame this quote and put it somewhere in my home, I absolutely love it.

Hubby and I are headed to Houston for my niece’s baptism. We’re looking forward to good Mexican food, relaxation time, and moments with sweet Cooper (our niece) and the rest of our family. What are you doing this weekend? x

Our Garden Progess

2011-05-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

It has now been two and a half weeks since we started our little garden (you can see the first post about it here...unfortunately, blogger deleted my other post about the garden). About half of our plants were planted from seed and the other half started as already grown plants, but we were happy to see that our little seeds quickly caught up. Here's a view of what our garden is looking like today...

Corn. These plants started as seeds.

Green bean plants. These babies started as seeds as well.

Lettuce. These started as seeds and are growing slowly but surely.

Onion sprouts.

Potato sprouts. Since onions and potatoes are root vegetables, that have grown very slowly.

And here are a few comparative pictures to show how much some of our other plants have grown in the past few weeks...

Tomato plant growth.

Honeydew growth.

Overall garden growth..isn't so pretty now that it's green?

It's so much fun to walk outside each day and see what has changed. I swear that things really do just change over night. I seriously think that anyone can do this type of gardening.

If you're interested, you can contact me at carlyhoneyandthemoon at gmail dot com. I'd love to guide you to the book and other sources that we used to create our garden!

Design ADD

2011-05-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

I’m what you might call a hypochondriac. WebMD is my best friend and my hubby constantly has to remind me that just because I have a random bruise on my leg it doesn’t mean that I have thrombophlebitis (yes, that’s a real condition). However, there is one condition that I know I have, and that condition is Design ADD.

You might remember me mentioning that we’re redoing our dining room and while I’m so excited about that, I cannot help but move onto my living room before I’ve even touched the dining room. I’ve found that I do my best work whenever I am completely focused on one area, but it’s so hard when all of these ideas are swimming around in my mind.

So to make sure that I stay on track I once again created a mood board on OlioBoard. Here is what the mood board is looking like:

Here are the details:

Wall Color -- I chose "Nautical Navy" by Valspar. I used my Valspar $5 off coupon. (More on this soon)
Silhouette Art -- This is obviously a DIY project. I'm planning on doing a silhouette of me, Cody, and our two pups Molly and Moose.
Yellow Frames -- The frames are for the silhouette art, but the frames will be oval shaped. I've already found a great deal on frames from Walmart and I'm just waiting for them to arrive. Although the frames are black I am planning on giving them a nice coat of spray paint in a bright color...must likely yellow.
Dining Table and Parsons Chairs -- These are items we already own.
Pendant Lamp -- We currently have your standard brass chandelier in our dining room..blech! I'm looking for something funky, sleek, and simple.
White Curtains -- I want to go simple with just plain white curtains, I really think that they will help lighten up the room.
Subway Art -- There is one long wall in our dining room, this is where the silhouette art will go. The other wall has a large window. And the last wall is very short and currently completely blank. I plan to either make some subway art or actually paint words onto the wall. These are the words that I'm thinking about using:

So now I just need to stay focused and get this dining room finished. My hubby and the puppies are out of the house, I've got my painting clothes on, and the DIY network is on the television in the background...it's time to get to work!

Psst -- My joke about 'Design ADD' is just that...a joke. I've made comments like this before and apparently offended others. It is a joke and it is never meant to offend. I am aware that ADD is a true problem.

Living Room Inspiration

2011-05-24T09:00:00.010-05:00

Last week I gave you guys a tour of our living room. I mentioned that I envisioned bright blues and yellows in the room, but little did I know that I had recently been given the perfect inspiration piece.

My aunt and uncle are part of a pretty successful band here in the DFW area and when I saw the poster for this concert series that they were participating in, I knew I had to have one. Although I couldn’t make the show, my aunt and uncle picked up a poster for me and I’m happy to say that it looks even better framed.

I’m aware that the poster might be a little funky for some people’s taste, but I think it’s so beautiful and so interesting. I love the colors, and it is these colors that I am drawing inspiration from and plan to use in the entire room.

Here are some close ups of the print so that you can see the colors a little more clearly…

The yellows and blues are so happy and I think they’ll be so fun in our living room. I’m thinking I’ll place this frame in the blank space of the entryway that you saw here in my living room tour.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering…my aunt and uncle’s band is listed on this poster (which makes the poster even more special)…

Our living room transformation will most likely be slow, as our dining room transformation is what is on the forefront of my mind; but, it’s nice to have inspiration and an idea of where we’re (slowly) going!

Have a great Tuesday! x

Our Two Year Anniversary

2011-05-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

Today is my two year wedding anniversary to the most amazing man in the world. I cannot believe how quickly these past two years have gone by. I am so happy to have found the most loving and patient man and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with him.

We spent this weekend at a fabulous resort hotel in Grapevine called the Gaylord. Cody works there part time as an EMT so we were able to get an amazing deal at a place that is really way out of our price range. Here are a few pics from our wonderful weekend:

The view from our balcony

On the balcony

The Riverwalk Cantina...this is where we ate dinner that night.

Hubby and I are going to run some errands, get a room prepped for painting (more on that soon), eat lunch at a yummy steakhouse, and then cheer on our Dallas Mavericks over at a friends' house tonight.

I hope you all have a fantastic Monday! Oh...and just for laughs...

Glad we're still here! ;) x

Laundry Room Lovelies

2011-05-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

I think the laundry room is an often forgotten space in the home. I know our laundry room needs a lot of work, and it's obvious that I'm loving laundry room inspiration when you check out my Pinterest boards. Here are two of my favorite laundry room images...

Source: aglimpseofthegirlnextdoor.blogspot.com via Carly on Pinterest

A table over the washer and dryer...love! Of course you'd have to have a front load washer and dryer, but the table would be the perfect space for folding and even a little ironing. And on top of that beautiful table I would love to place these...

Source: little-inspirations.blogspot.com via Carly on Pinterest

Glass jars of detergent...so much prettier than cardboard boxes, right??

I guess I have more projects to add to our list. My poor hubby, the list just never ends!

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend. x

Ikat Organization

2011-05-19T09:00:00.013-05:00

I was at HomeGoods the other night and was so happy when I saw these beauties sitting on a couple of shelves:

And with the smallest costing only $7.99 a pop, I just couldn’t pass them up! I bought two boxes, a small and medium sized one, in the blue seen in the first picture. The smallest box cost $7.99 and the medium sized box was prices at $12.99.

The two boxes are in our living room and are just a small step toward the vision I have for our living room. The boxes are being used for storage to hide necessary but not so pretty things.

Have you spotted these beauties at your HomeGoods? x

Home Tour: The Living Room

2011-05-18T08:45:00.006-05:00

You might remember that one of my goals for Honey and the Moon this summer was to post a complete house tour by the end of August. (Go here to read the rest of my visions and goals for Honey and the Moon) There were many rooms that I just wasn't ready to show and I figured I could really take this summer to do some work, but several of you convinced me to show our house where it is now so that everyone could see the growth.

I have to admit your suggestions were best, so starting today I will begin showing you different rooms in our house. I will show you how the room currently looks and then tell you what I hope to eventually have the room look like.

The first room that I will be showing you is our living room. It's definitely not the worst room in the house. The room is fully furnished and pretty complete looking BUT it's no longer my style. The room doesn't get much natural light because of the black out curtains we have over our windows. The sun is really bright and SUPER HOT in the summer, so we bought these curtains...but I hate the loss of natural light.

Here is the living room as it looks now:

This is what you see when you walk in.

The wall that is opposite from the couch. That shelf used to house our textbooks, now it houses...nothing.

The fireplace. I am so stuck on the mantle design.

The front door/entryway.

This little container is a temporary holder for all of the dog toys.

These two containers sit on my side table. I don't mind the remote holder, but I must find something else to hold my other junk.

Now, that wasn't as embarrassing as I thought it'd be. Like I said before, the living room isn't in bad shape, it just isn't my style. Here are the things that I would like to change:

Get rid of the red. (I'm thinking bright blues and yellows) That means new curtains and throw pillows. That also means I'll have to paint over the red accent wall behind our TV.
Buy a new rug. This one has become extremely worn because of the puppies. I'm thinking something more durable like jute or another natural fiber.
Paint the fireplace white.
Make some DIY art for the entryway wall and the large wall behind the couch.
Tackle that mantle! and possibly paint the mirror over the fireplace.
Revamp the hanging lamp over the couch. It will probably stay there, (it was a gift from my MIL) BUT, I'm thinking it could use a coat of white paint?
Find better storage for dog toys, throw blankets, and my side table junk.

So there it is, in all of it's glory.

We have some work to do, but nothing too difficult!

Do YOU have any suggestions for our living room? x

Fabulous, Fantastic, and FREE Printables

2011-05-17T11:38:00.000-05:00

I love that blog land is full of fantastic graphic designers who are willing to post some of their creations for free. And when they're willing to give, I'm willing to save and print.

Here are a few prints that I framed for our office recently.

None of the frames had the proper hooks for hanging, so for the smaller two I simply attached these little hooks that came in a picture hanging kit that I own.

And for the bigger print/frame I just attached a small ribbon for hanging. I kind of like how the bigger frame looks different than the smaller ones.

If you're interested in these fantastic free printables (and many others), head over to these blogs:

"I Can Do Hard Things" Print -- kiki creates
Ampersand and Quatrefoil -- Sprik Space

So, While I Was Gone...Blogger Crashed?

2011-05-16T12:12:00.000-05:00

I'm back! Apparently while I was gone graduating, blogger crashed, everyone freaked out, and I lost A TON of my scheduled posts (and some previously posted posts and comments)...so it looks like I'm gonna have to go back and rewrite those.

(found this image online lol)

This whole deal is making me wonder if I should start looking into other websites to write my posts and import them for there. I'll also be backing up my blog today too, I'd cry if I lost everything.

Anyways, I'll be back tomorrow with a normal post. Look forward to the first room of my house tour this week! Love to all. x

Caught My Eye - Week of 5/9

2011-05-13T15:10:00.001-05:00

Did you know that while you're reading this post, I'm GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE?! Thank goodness for that scheduled post option. After my graduation today we will be going to lunch with family, and then heading to Wichita Falls, TX for Cody's graduation on Saturday!

It's a big weekend for us both. I've been going to school for 4 straight years, and Cody finished his bachelors while working full time as a firefighter/paramedic...needless to say, we're ready to relax and celebrate!

Source: ourworkshop-shop.co.uk via seesaw on Pinterest

I'll be back on Monday to share graduation pictures, but until then check out these fantastic posts from some fantastic bloggers.

Here's what caught my eye this week:

This yummy vegan berry smoothie. I've been drinking one for breakfast every morning...super healthy and filling. (see the complete recipe here)
Mandi's amazing dresser makeover! (see the post here)
Another post by Mandi about how to find "top secret" Krylon spray paint colors. Such great information!! (read that valuable information here)

"I Like Mornings..." DIY Wall Art

2011-05-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Source: meohmymama.blogspot.com via Carly on Pinterest

When I first saw this wall art on the blog me oh my! I just knew I had to try it, and I was so happy when Nicole decided to post a full how-to on it. The project really is super easy.

Here is my take on this fabulously easy DIY wall art.

What You'll Need:

A scrap of wood. This can be as big or as small as you want. I found a pre-cut, already sanded piece of plywood at Lowes for $5.00
A small piece of wood to hang your art.
Wood stain in your chosen color. (I used 'Ebony' by Minwax)
Foam paint brush (I found that foam leave less streaks)
Old rag
White acrylic paint
A small tip paint brush (the stiffer the tip, the better)
Latex gloves (these are optional, but I highly suggest them)
Anything to cover your working surface

First, apply stain into wood with paint brush.

Let is sit for a couple of minutes.

Rub the stain with rag, this will help rub off any excess stain. Wipe off stain following the wood grain.

This is how my piece of wood looked after being stained (I ended up doing another coat later).

Let dry. I let mine sit for 24 hours.

For some reason I didn't take pictures of the painting process, but it's pretty simple. Choose a phrase, song lyric, or verse you love and paint it! I used tape to make sure that my lines were straight. If the full line won't fit on each row, just write as much will and then move down.

I decided to slightly alter a phrase that I found on Pinterest, and since this piece will be going over the bed the phrase was perfect.

Just a few things I learned from this little project:

Be careful about your stain choice. I wanted something dark so I chose the darkest color stain I could find. While I'm happy with the color, it is more black than I thought. You could always go with a slightly lights color and do multiple coats.
Hindsight is 20-20 and I wish I had chosen a brush with a smaller width, I think it would've made the letters look a little more delicate.
It wouldn't hurt to lightly write out your phrase with pencil before painting.

I haven't hung the piece yet because I still need to find the perfect piece of scrap wood for hanging, but I cannot wait to see it up and over the bed!

I'll be sure to post pictures when the art is hung up! x

My Vision

2011-05-10T10:00:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I posted your responses to my blog survey, and promised that I would return to share my own personal vision for Honey and the Moon.

I'm going to warn you that this post will be wordy and lacking images, but I think that it is important to let you know my hopes and dreams for this little ole' blog of mine. If you don't have the time to read a wordy post right, I understand; just come back later so you can check it out.

(via)

As many of you know, I am an education major (ps: I graduate this Friday!). My degree is in middle school English-Language Arts. Many of you also know that the economy here in the U.S. is in shambles. Major cuts are being made in the country, and one of the areas where they are cutting is education. In the Dallas-Ft. Worth area specifically, many school districts are cutting teaching jobs and going on hiring freezes. Thus, finding a job in the education field is proving to be very difficult.

Although this situation may seem quite negative, my husband and I have chosen to look at it with a positive perspective. Luckily Cody has been able to secure a fantastic part time job and he has agreed that it would be good for me to take some time to really try and grow my blog. In his words, "If it's something that you really love doing, why not take the time to really focus on it?". Isn't it so great to have supportive people around you?

I've also had several family members and friends be just as supportive. Many people have mentioned different ways that they'd like to help me, including some who have asked for my help in making over their house this summer.

Several days after we decided that I'd take this time to focus on my blog I found this quote on Pinterest and it spoke so much truth to me:

(via)

So that is what this summer is devoted to...making this blog the best that it can be. I have lots of ideas on how to do that and so many of those ideas have come from your suggestions. So here they are!

Post at least 4 times a week. Statistics show that the most popular days for reading blogs are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday so these days will be of high focus. (My mind changed on the "best days" thanks to this blog post by Katy Widrick. Thanks, Mila for the recommendation!)
More DIY projects. They're my favorite thing to read about, so I get that my own blog needs more. After each DIY how-to I will be posting a short snippet on what I learned from this project (This idea came from one of your suggestions on my survey).
More giveaways! Funds are tight around here so it's pretty hard to host any giveaway out of my own money, but that's where my next goal/idea comes into play...
Look into sponsors. I'm not sure if my blog draws enough readers to enlist sponsors, this is something I will have to research, but I am interested.
Home tour. I know it needs to be done. Enough said. My goal is to have a complete home tour posted on the blog before August is over...that means I need to get to work on many areas of our home!

(via)

So, I'm off to work. There are no longer any plausible excuses..."I'm just so busy with school work," "I don't have enough time to blog," etc. etc. etc. The time is now and I'm so ready and willing to take advantage of it!

What do you think? Any advice? Are you as pumped as I am?! x

Willing To Get My Hands Dirty

2011-05-09T10:00:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago I asked all of you to take a survey telling me what you love about Honey and the Moon and how you'd like to improve it. I was so excited about the number of you that took the survey and I am so appreciative that you took the time to do it. I simply wanted to share the results of what you guys said, and tomorrow I will share my plans and goals for Honey and the Moon in the coming months.

(via)

Things You Love:

My writing style. This one kind of surprised me, but it meant a lot to me because I've always loved to write. It made me smile to hear that you think my blog reads as "warm and friendly."
DIY Projects.
Budget conscious decor choices. We're on a one income budget over here!
Reading posts about current decor trends.
Watching my projects grow from start to finish and seeing the steps taken to get to the final outcome.

What You'd Like To See More Of:

More DIY projects.
More than just one thing revealed at a time..."I would rather wait and see more of the room finished."(Isn't it funny how one person loved seeing all of the steps and another wanted to see more of the big picture? We're all so different, and that's okay!)
How-to's, and a summary of what I learned after each project.
A house tour!

Once again, thank you so much for offering your time, thoughts, and opinions! I feel like all of the "improvements" are totally reasonable and things that I agree could use some work. {Psst -- The survey is still open, (click here to take it) if you haven't taken it yet}

Tomorrow I will be posting my vision and goals for the future of Honey and the Moon. I hope you'll join me again tomorrow to see where I plan on taking this little blog of mine.

(via)

Caught My Eye - Week of 5/2

2011-05-06T10:00:00.001-05:00

Every week I see so many amazing things here in blogland. I read fantastic blogs from fantastic bloggers and I want to share with you what I'm reading, seeing, and loving. Thus, this post begins my new weekly post - "Caught My Eye"

Every Friday I'll post a short comment on several of my favorite things in blogland from that week, as well as a direct link to that post so that you can go visit the blogger and show a little love.

Here's what caught my eye this week:

This yummy sounding Oriental Green Beans recipe from me oh my! Since hubby and I decided that we're going "vegetarian", I'm looking for all of the yummy veggie recipes that I can get. (see the recipe here)
Hilary from My So-Called Home's find. A matador painting? It's so unique and beautiful. I am so jealous. (see the painting here)
Ashley's blog post on how to find your blog's niche. Such a great post. The girl has obviously found her niche. (read the post here)
Kirsten's gorgeous home office! (see the beautiful pictures here)

Happy weekend, y'all! x

I Solemnly Swear to Fix Up Our Dining Room

2011-05-05T10:00:00.001-05:00

Unfortunately, I didn't make it into the first round of Vintage Revivals room makeover giveaway, but 15 other great people did, and I cannot wait to what Mandi does with their rooms. Make sure that you keep up with all of the voting and progress over at Mandi's blog.

Now just because I didn't win the makeover doesn't mean that my dining room doesn't still need some major help, because it most definitely does. I promised myself whether I won or lost the giveaway that the dining room would have some work done on it this summer. I have some plans in the works for it, and I just cannot wait to show you.

Until I have everything fully worked out, here's a look at some of my inspiration images.

Can you find the common element in all of these rooms? x

Images via younghouselove, lonymag, my design dump, and room in a box.

Going "Vegetarian"

2011-05-04T09:30:00.002-05:00

So hubby and I have made a big change in our lives. We're going "vegetarian." I put it in quotes because we aren't considering ourselves hardcore veggies...yet, but we're making an honest attempt at cutting a lot of meat out of our life. The decision is health based and not anti-meat eating/belief based, just in case you were wondering.

Anyways, I can't take any responsibility for all of this project. My hubby did all of the hard work (the building, the mixing of soil, etc.) and research that helped us build our own little garden, I just helped put the plants and seeds in. Code is very proud of his work, and was even a little excited (even if he wouldn't admit it) that I'd be showing it on the blog, so here it is!

An overall view of the garden

A few close ups of the plants (and their labels).

(Ignore the lanyard and ID that I'm still wearing. I always forget to take it off after school.)

We've got lots of ideas on how to make the entire area around the garden more beautiful, and I'm looking all over for different ideas and inspiration. As always, I'll be sure to keep you in the know with any improvements or changes!

Wish us luck with the veggie diet...

cause Lord knows that I love me some steak.

Easy {and cheap} Paneled Wall

2011-05-03T09:30:00.004-05:00

I don't know how I missed this tutorial before, but it's just amazing and I love how cheap the project really is. I'm already trying to decide what room I would like to do this project in, and I'm thinking our dining room would be just perfect. I'll keep you updated on that, but until then let's look at some pictures of how great this project can look.

This is a picture from the original project done by Jenny from Evolution of Style. This paneled wall/headboard was done in her daughter's bedroom.

And here is another version from Emily's blog A Well Dressed Home. One of Emily's clients did this project with her husband and they only spent $75!

I cannot wait to attempt this project this summer!

Psst -- Don't forget to vote for me in Vintage Revival's room makeover giveaway! Head to this post, scroll toward the bottom of the page, and "vote" {all you have to do is click the star underneath the picture} for linky NUMBER 44! Voting ends tonight at midnight. Thanks! x

Shamless Begging Starts HERE

2011-05-01T09:15:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I wrote a post where I showed you some embarrassing areas of my home...it was for a good reason though. I'll embarrass myself any day, if it means a chance at a fantastic giveaway. {If you're still unsure of what I'm talking about, head over here and read this post.}

To refresh your memory, here are the two rooms that I need help with!

Anyways, now it's YOUR chance to help me out in the biggest way possible! All you have to do is head over to this post on Mandi's blog and vote for my room(s) to be redone. I am linky post number 44!! The link title of my post reads - "Help A Sista Out - Carly from Honey and the Moon. Under each thumbnail you will see a star; all you have to do is click this star and you have voted for me.

The top 10 will be comprised of the 5 people with the most votes and another 5 people chosen by random.org. I'm hoping that I won't have to rely on my luck with random.org, so please go over to Mandi's blog and vote for me {here}!

VOTING IS OPEN UNTIL TUESDAY, MAY 3RD.

Voting will close at midnight on Tuesday.

The top 10 will be announced on Wednesday, May 4th.

Thank you for all of your constant love and support, now get over there and VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! x

Union Jack is the New Black

2011-04-28T09:00:00.003-05:00

We all know that the royal wedding is basically here. It's all over the news, in the papers, and all over blog land too. Several of my favorite bloggers have written and asked if anyone else is as excited about the wedding as them...I have to admit, I'm not all that pumped. I mean I care and I want to see pictures and all, but my DVR isn't set to record the wedding or anything.

That's okay if your DVR is set though, no judgement here. We all have our own silly little obsessions. But, since England is all the rage I thought we might like at some union jack inspired decor. {And no, I can't take credit for that catchy title. I saw it online somewhere.} Enjoy!

Oh, and just one for laughs...

Happy Royal Wedding! x

Images via cottage in the wood, apartment therapy, etsy, weheartit, snapfish, and flickr.

Pin It!

2011-04-27T09:15:00.001-05:00

Just a few spaces that have caught my eye lately, and all of them were found via Pinterest.

Follow me at: pinterest.com/honeyandthemoon.

Help A Sista Out

2011-04-23T21:11:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite reads is the blog Vintage Revivals. Mandi is hilarious and has extreme DIY skills. Mandi is also hosting probably the greatest giveaway that I've ever seen.

So what do you get though this giveaway? A complete room makeover...and not one of those "here are a couple of buckets of paint" makeover. Mandi will actually come to your home and help you makeover your entire room. She has some amazing sponsors who have offered to fund the project and her travel...awesome, right?

There are many things in my home that I am proud of, but just like everyone else, there are some rooms that I just cannot stand. In fact, the pictures I am about to show you really embarrass me. Oh well, this is real, so here it goes.

I couldn't decide which room I'd rather Mandi makeover, so I thought I'd show two different rooms that I'm just stuck on. They have both pretty much looked the same since I moved into my hubby's ex-bachelor pad almost two years ago.

Up first is the dining room...

As you can see, we have a pretty standard dining room. It's not a huge space, there's really only room for the table. The room's a blank canvas and I think it has major potential.

The walls are yellow, a yellow that I really hate. The lighting in the room is obviously a standard piece that came with the house, and I really can't stand it. The dining table was a Christmas gift from my in-laws (we found it for a good price at a Rooms To Go outlet) and the traditional parsons chairs are from Walmart. The "Believe" piece was a gift from my MIL and it's just hanging there, really. There's also a large window in the room, along with the back door that leads out to our backyard.

And the next room is our guest bedroom...

Sad, huh? We actually have some different bedding for the bed, but have yet to put it on. Molly girl (our Great Dane) seems to think this is her bedroom, and that's just a problem in itself. The furniture is my bedroom furniture from when I was a teenager, and all of the items on the shelf...well, they're just random things that I had no other place for.

There are a few small Japanese details in the room. These are genuine Japanese pieces that my Dad brought back for me from Japan. They went with the bedding that I used to own in high school and when I moved out, the pieces moved with me. Oh and Molly's GIANT dog crate leaning against the wall, it's just plain classy right?

So, there ya go. I'm thoroughly embarrassed. I'm gonna copy Mandi's number one rule in this post...Don't judge me and my mess.

I think we can all agree that these rooms need a major makeover, and while I'd love Mandi's help in it all, I've made a promise to myself that I'll do some fixing up to these rooms either way. But here's to hoping that some help will come my way!

I'll be sure to let you all know when voting for the contest begins... x

Dreams for Honey and the Moon

2011-04-20T09:30:00.001-05:00

Have I ever told you how much I value your opinion? Seriously. I am one of the most indecisive people you will ever meet (please don't ask me to choose where we'll go out to eat, I'll never be able to decide), and hearing from you is so, so helpful.

I have big plans for my blog in the next few months. I have my own goals and ideas on how to improve Honey and the Moon but I'd love to hear from you, because your opinions truly matter.

I'm asking that you please take just a few minutes out of your day to take this survey. (Click here) There are only nine questions for you to answer, but getting your answers will help me out exponentially.

Once the survey has been taken by several people I will come back and share the results, as well as my plans for the blog in the future. Thanks again!

Danish Blue

2011-04-19T09:30:00.002-05:00

I'm sure that many of you have heard about the giveaway promotion that Valspar currently has going on. If not, you simply go to Valspar's website {valsparpaint.com}, choose a color, and they'll send you a sample along with a $5 off coupon for your next gallon of Valspar paint. If you are planning on taking advantage of the giveaway, you'll want to hit the website early in the day because each day they only have a certain number of free samples.

Anyways, I, of course, took advantage of Valspar's giveaway...

And I chose a color called "Danish Blue."

{The paint chip}

I decided on this color simply because I'm contemplating using a dark blue/navy in an upcoming room redesign, so I thought I might as well take advantage of a free sample.

Along with your paint sample Valspar sends you a few paint chips of complimentary paint colors. One of the colors included in my package was called "Lunar Glow." The paint chip is kind of a bluish-greenish-grey and I thought it could possibly work nicely with the shower curtain in our guest bathroom.

I'm planning on ordering my free sample of "Lunar Glow" soon and having it shipped to my parents house, that way I can avoid the whole one sample per household rule. Yes, this "rule breaking" is my kind of rebellion.

Did you order any paint samples from Valspar?

What color did you order? x

Pillow Talk {Part 2}

2011-04-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

Last week I posted and asked you for your opinion on some different pillow covers. All of the options were found on Etsy, and I fully intended on ordering from there but little did I know,that that night I would find some pillows that I really loved at HomeGoods.

I got a great deal with both pillow costing only $25.00, so I decided to bring them home and test them out, knowing that I could easily return them. Thankfully, it doesn't look like I'll have to make a trip back to HomeGoods...well, you know, I'll return soon but it won't be to return these pillows.

{Still planning on moving that filing cabinet}

A shot that shows all 3 fabrics that are used in the room

Oh, and a quick shot of my little photo assistant...

Whatcha think? x

All images via Honey and the Moon

Guest Fashion Post: Katy from Think Pretty Thoughts

2011-04-15T09:00:00.002-05:00

Hey y'all! A big welcome to Katy, because it's her first time guest posting here at Honey and the Moon, and I think you'll just love her. We're doing a little blog swap today, so be sure and check out my fashion inspired decor post over at her blog, Think Pretty Thoughts. My post should be posted either late tonight or tomorrow.

Hi, everybody! My name’s Katy. A friend of Carly’s, as well as blogging friends, too! I write for Think Pretty Thoughts, a lifestyle blog dedicated to pretty stuff. I love it. (The pretty stuff, that is!) I also talk about my love affair with health and fitness, which is a huge part of my life. (I’m one of “those” girls). So, if you love daily outfit blogs, fitness and healthy living tips, all with a side of ridiculously lame jokes...well then, I’m going to need you to come by my blog and be my friend. Seriously.

I love reading Carly’s blog to see pretty design pictures and get more decorating ideas for our one-bedroom mansion. You know, fashion and design are like best friends. Attached at the hip, always matching, that whole thing. Except they don’t fight over boys. Anyway, season after season they compliment each other and evolve into even more gorgeousness. Right now, stripes are it. They are kinda sorta everywhere. And I-really-love-it.

Here are some looks I can’t get over. I need these outfits in my life!

(photo credit: jcrew.com, atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com, annemcramer.com)

And here’s how I’ve worn stripes lately!

(striped dress: forever 21. striped shirts: gap.)

Don’t forget to incorporate stripes in your wardrobe this summer. Add some chunky jewelry to a striped tee and jeans for a casual-cool look, or put a wide belt over a striped maxi and blazer and you’ll be summer-chic for work!

Big thanks to Katy for stopping by! Be sure to check out her blog.

Have a beautiful weekend! x

Ikea Hack Part 2

2011-04-13T09:00:00.002-05:00

Hubby and I put together the IKEA Expedit shelf {that we'll be using as a window seat} about a week ago, but I just now got around to taking some pictures. I'm telling you the days and weeks of April are just flying by! Now, on to pictures of the shelf/window seat...

The shelves are really deep and were perfect for bins.

I'm definitely planning on moving the filing cabinet away from the seat, it's just a little too crowded on that end. The filing cabinet along with a few other things that are currently in the room will be moved into the office closet after it's cleaned out.

We're making progress, and I am so stinkin' close to showing you the finished product! x

All images via Honey and the Moon.

Pillow Talk

2011-04-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

I am almost done with our office redo! I cannot wait to show you all of the pieces together. So many of you have had an active part in helping me make decisions, and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.

So here I am, asking for your help one more time. Come on...I just told you how much I love ya...help a lady out! Anyways, below are a few pictures of different cushion covers that I am considering for our office.

Remember, this is what our curtains {the major fabric in the room} look like...

And here are the different cushion options...

Leave me a comment with your vote {or any other suggestions} ! x

Images via this little home and diy pillows.

Monday...again?

2011-04-11T09:00:00.002-05:00

Sorry that I haven't been around the past few days! April has been a very busy month for us so far, and it doesn't look like any of the upcoming months will slow down. But that's okay, life is well lived when you're busy having fun with family and friends. Can you believe it's Monday again??

I appreciate all of the excited words about my new garbage find. The piece is sitting in our room, waiting for me to work some magic with it, but I'm determined to pretty much finish our office redo before moving on to another project.

I'll be back tomorrow with a post, until then enjoy these beautiful rooms that I found on we heart it.

How cool is this little desk? Perfect for a kids room.

Happy Monday, y'all! x

All images via we heart it.

Dumpster Diving

2011-04-05T09:00:00.005-05:00

Do you ever go through pieces of furniture that others have put out on the curb?

I hope you do, because my husband sure thought that I was crazy when I asked him to walk down the street and help me move a piece of furniture out of someone's trash. But, my find was so worth it.

I'm telling you, don't ever let embarrassment or a nasty garbage bag get in your way of a good find.

Meet my new(est) project!

I know she doesn't look like much, but I've got big plans for her!

The shelf is extremely sturdy and well built..not even the slightest bit rickety.

My favorite part of the shelf is the metal casters. They need a little bit of cleaning, but that's okay.

I'm currently planning on using the shelf in our master bedroom. We have some open space and I think this shelf would look perfect with some pretty little things placed on it, as well as an extra blanket or two for the occasional chilly nights in Texas.

I'm thinking a coat of white paint will be just perfect, but I can't lie and say that it isn't tempting to go for a bright punch of color.

What do you think? x

Images via Honey and the Moon

Inspiration and Memo Board

2011-04-04T09:15:00.001-05:00

This weekend I finally got around to finishing the project that used the other fabric I've been talking about (here and here). In case you don't remember, here's what the fabric looked like...

And using that fabric I made an inspiration/memo board for our office redo.

The process was easy, but tedious. There are so many good tutorials out there about this kind of project (I generally followed these three: name 5 things, honey we're home, bryn alexandra), so I won't bore you with all of my instructions. Instead, I'll let you know what supplies I used , give you one small pointer, and then we'll get to the good stuff...the pictures.

Supplies:

Bulletin board (around $10 at Walmart)
Fabric (mine is from fabric.com)
Scissors
Spray adhesive (around $5 at Walmart)
Staple gun & staples
Thumb tacks (300ish)
Iron

One Tip:

If you're impatient or OCD (like me) it may be in your best interest to buy nail head trim to give the bulletin board the embellishments. In the long run, I'm glad I went with the thumb tacks because it saved a lot of money (I was able to buy a box of 400 thumb tacks for $2 at Staples), but the process was very tedious and frustrating at times. And even with all of the thumb tacks that I removed and put back on the board, they still aren't perfectly straight...arg.

The bulletin board hanging in the office...

{Now do you see why I asked you (seen here) if the two fabric worked together?}

I'm so happy with the result! It adds such a great pop of color in the room, and I am happy to say that the two fabrics do work well side-by-side.

What did you work on this weekend? x

Psst -- I'll be sure to show you the rest of that wall later this week. We've made another addition to the room that I'm excited to show you.

This Could Make Any Bad Day Better

2011-03-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

The other day I had a rough day at school. 7th graders can get to you sometimes, but after treating myself to a white mocha from Starbucks and a trip to Target, I was beginning to feel a little better. However, the day got even better when I came home to two IKEA boxes on the front porch.

I'd ordered the IKEA Expedit shelf and a desk chair for our office redo. My original plan was to buy the IKEA Jules Swivel chair, but when I found that they were out of stock I wasn't willing to wait. I read some reviews and decided that the Snille chair would also be a great choice.

I've only put together the chair so far, the shelf will have to wait till this weekend.

You're seeing my chair in front of my new curtains because my desk looks like this...

{Don't judge me and my currently unorganized desk}

The chair was pretty easy to put together. I had to have a little bit of help from the hubby holding the pieces together while assembling, but other than that it is definitely a one person job. So far it seems to be super sturdy and comfortable, can't wait to get it all situated with my desk.

Have you received any fun deliveries lately? x

Images via Honey and the Moon

Love...Open Kitchen Shelving

2011-03-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you're tired of reading about my office makeover, so I thought I'd share some pictures of something that I would love to have in my kitchen...open shelving!

These shelves look organized but natural, just perfect.

Love the shelf with the cookbooks above the sink

The eclectic look of this kitchen is great too.

Gorgeous, isn't it? x

Images viz houzz, apartment therapy, decor pad, margot austin, southern living, and good house keeping.

Something We All Love...Curtains!

2011-03-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

The other day I showed you a couple of different fabrics, and today I am back to show you what I've done with one of those fabrics. Meet my office curtains!

Can I just tell you how much I love these curtains? I found them at Target the other night, $20 for two panels. I'd been considering several different curtains, some of which were a little hefty in price. I cannot tell you how relieved I was to find something affordable, but something that I also love.

We hung the curtains to where they sit about an inch above the ground, with puppies and all their hair, I didn't want to constantly be cleaning the bottoms of them.

You might have noticed this little blemish above the window {and if you didn't I'm just pointing it out now}...

We had some issues removing the old curtain rod that was there. Obviously some holes were left and some paint was chipped, so it looks like I'll be doing some patching and painting this week.

I am so happy with how this cheap Target find has turned out. Soon I'll be sure to share what I'm doing with that other green fabric...x

Should Storage Boxes Really Be This Complicated?

2011-03-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

As you know, a couple of weeks ago my hubby and I put up some wall shelves {that only cost $85, I might add} in our office. The shelves aren't completely full yet, I think little things like this take time...but, I'm slowly working my way there.

Awhile back my MIL gave me some cute black and white storage boxes along with some other little trinkets, including the 'S' {for our last name} you see below. However, these storage boxes didn't match the ones I had previously owned. They're not quite as tall, and not the same color/pattern either. The boxes I already owned are just plain white and were a great Walmart find. So here's the question...

{A} Do I mix the different box designs, sitting the different boxes side-by-side on the shelves?

{B} Do you think I should keep the boxes separated and on different shelves?

{C} Or, do I move the black and white boxes to another place in our house? That'd be okay too, I could always find another place for the extra pretty storage.

Those are the options and you know me, I want your advice. While I'm at it, I just want to say a big thank you so much for always leaving your thoughts and opinions. I can always count on you guys to give me good, sound advice and it means so much to me that you take time out of your day to help me out.

Let me know lovelies; A, B, or C? x

Fabric Match-Up

2011-03-23T19:21:00.000-05:00

I need your opinions {again}...

What do you think of these two fabrics together?

Not in the same pillow or anything, but in the same room, in pretty close vicinity.

I'm kinda thinking that they work together...

Let me know what you think!

A Beautiful Home & A Fun Read

2011-03-22T09:00:00.004-05:00

This beautiful home has been all over the blogosphere, so I'm sure many of you have seen it. Even still, because this home is just so gorgeous, I think it deserves even more attention.

Check out the home of Nicole from me oh my!

I love this chevron print above the fireplace. I think I'm going to make my own for our home.

Love the shelves..looks like the IKEA Expedit shelving unit to me.

This kitchen is to.die.for. Seriously, I love every single thing about it!

Be sure to head over and check out me oh my!

Nicole's blog is absolutely beautiful and such a fun read. x

Pretty Purchases

2011-03-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Awhile ago I posted my question about what color I should order my IKEA Expedit shelf in. If you don't remember, I plan on using this shelf as a window seat in my office. I found the original "IKEA Hack" on Apartment Therapy...

I didn't know if a white shelf would look right with my mostly black furniture, but after asking for your opinion {isn't that what is so great about the blogging world?}, I realized that the white shelf would be a nice bright pop of color. I'll tie the black color in with some fun cushions.

I also recently found out that IKEA now delivers some pieces, so these two babies are on their way to my home and my office...

{The IKEA Expedit Shelf}

{The IKEA Jules Swivel Chair}

I think they'll add the perfect pops of white to the room! x

For Japan With Love

2011-03-17T21:24:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow things will be silent here at Honey and the Moon.

I am still on Spring Break vacation, but I wanted to show my love and support for those that are hurting in Japan.

Tomorrow I will spend my day being thankful for the roof over my head and my loved ones that surround me.

My thoughts and prayers go out to those in Japan.

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Spring Break is Here! {and so is my button}

2011-03-13T10:00:00.002-05:00

Hi there!

I hope you're all having a great weekend. Spring Break is here and I am so glad to have a break. I'll be gone for the entire week at my family's lake house, and just wanted to stop by and let you know.

My to do list for this week:

1) Soak up some sun

2) Do a lot of reading

3) Go on a couple of runs with my hubby

4) Snuggle with my puppies

5) Help my parents with some house renovations

6) Do several puzzles with my Momma

7) Eat my Dad's famous BBQ chicken

While I'm gone, feel free to grab and add my button. Here's what it looks like...

It's on the right sidebar {underneath my lovely followers}, along with the code that you need to add it. I made it just the other night, and I'm pretty proud of it. Let me know if you added my button to your sidebar, and when I get back, I'll add yours to mine!

When I get back I'll be showing you a little DIY project and more office progress...woohoo! I hope you all have a fantastic week. Love ya, beautiful! x

Quick Question

2011-03-09T10:00:00.000-06:00

Quick Question...

As many of you may have noticed, the furniture in my office is black.

{The bookshelf on the other wall is black as well}

And when I saw this great Ikea hack a couple of weeks ago, I knew that I had to purchase an Expedit shelf of my own to use as a window seat/storage unit. I've always wanted a window seat in my home, and this room is the perfect opportunity.

Anyways...back to my question. I had originally thought that I'd buy my Expedit shelf in white, but now that the rest of my furniture is black, I'm thinking that I should stick with the black-brown color option from Ikea.

Do you agree...stick with the black shelf/bench?

I think the white might just look a little out of place...

Thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks y'all! x

Fun Fabric

2011-03-08T09:00:00.001-06:00

I bought this lovely fabric from fabric.com this past weekend.

It was only $8.98 a yard {and I didn't need much}, so I was pretty happy with the price.

{via fabric.com}

Now, leave your guess in a comment & answer this question...

"What do ya think I'm using it for?"

My Weekend Project

2011-03-07T10:00:00.007-06:00

As you all know, I've slowly been working on my office redo. {if you don't remember, you can read about it here, here, here, and here.} Thankfully, with the tax return coming in, we're starting to pick up the speed. This Saturday I was determined to get some shelving put in above the new desk.

I didn't want to pay an expensive price for a simple shelving unit that I knew we could accomplish ourselves...so, we headed to Home Depot, ran into my parents there, chatted, ate a hot dog from the cart outside {you know they're good}, and finally came home with all of the pieces we needed.

An hour and a half later, our shelves were up and I couldn't happier.

The shelves obviously aren't full yet, but I love how much space I have.

These little supply jars are one of my favorite details. I love the pops of color.

Total Project Cost? Only $85!

My next few steps are to find a desk chair, hang some curtains, head to IKEA for an Expedit shelf to use as a window seat, and then add all of the fun little finishing touches. I am so happy with how things are looking so far, it's definitely beginning to feel like an office.

What projects were you workin' on this weekend? x

Tax Return

2011-03-03T10:00:00.000-06:00

Tax returns. Isn't it nice to get that bit of money back into your pocket. I know that I love it!

Anyways, hubby surprised me by letting me know that he'd let me put a good portion of the tax return towards our office re-do, as well as other parts of our home. Talk about a good man, huh?

Here are the plans for the office. The things that are outlined in black, are items that are already in the room. They're currently in the place as shown, but that doesn't mean that they can't move. Things that are outlined in green are items that I am planning to buy {obviously no details yet}, and where I think that they would work in the room.

{This room plan isn't exactly to scale, I'm not that good.}

1) I think a bold black and white chevron print would work well in this room. A lot of magazines, websites, and so called "decor experts" are saying that the chevron trend will soon be out, but I'm okay with that. I like the simplicity of chevron and to me, it will always be in style.

2) The two lines that you see "above" the desk, are supposed to symbolize some wall shelving that I hope to put in. The room isn't super big, so wall shelving is ideal.

3) I'm looking for something comfy, but hopefully a print with some greens in it as well.

4) For my inspiration wall, I just plan to buy a new bulletin board and do some work on that. I'm thinking a coat of paint on the board frame and some pretty fabric to cover up the cork board.

5) I have my eye on a few small tables. I think this would be another great place to bring in the color green, especially if I can find a cheap table to re-do. I'll also set a pretty lamp and books on this little table.

What do you think? Am I missing anything that this room just needs? x

My Desk is HERE!

2011-03-01T10:00:00.000-06:00

My "desk" from Walmart is finally here. You might remember that I decided to purchase a small dining table to use for the desk in my office. I thought that I dining room table would best suit my desire for a wide, clean space. You can read more about which tables I thought might work, and which one I ultimately ended up choosing, here and here.

Now, on to the desk...

My walls look a little purple-y here, but they are not. My walls are actually grey, although the color definitely has some purple undertones. I blame the poor lighting in the room for the misrepresentation of the color. The natural light is normally gone by the time I get home, and the natural light isn't even up when I leave in the morning.

I'm really happy with my new desk. The table was extremely easy to put together, and so far the it's very sturdy. The wood seems to be of good quality, as well...and for only $79.00!

Stay tuned for tomorrow, when I reveal my future office plan! x

Randoms

2011-02-28T09:00:00.001-06:00

I participated in this fun little writing game that's going around the blogsphere. There's a list of questions to answer, and everyone responds to them in writing so that we can see our blogging friends handwriting.

Questions:

1) Your name and blog name

2) Your blog's URL

3) Write: The fox jumps over the lazy dog

4) Favorite quote or verse

5) Favorite songs

6) Favorite artist/band

7) Anything else you want to say?

8) Tag three other people to play along, too

My Answers:

Sorry that I've been absent for the past few days. I just got back home from an out of town field trip with my 6th grade students. We went to NASA in Houston, and had lots of fun! Here are just a few photos of the things that we saw...

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! I'll be back soon. x

My Green Fu Dog

2011-02-23T10:00:00.005-06:00

On Saturday, I made a little trip to HomeGoods to spend a gift certificate that I received awhile back. The store was packed so I didn't get to look as much as I usually do. I did walk away with a few little goodies though, specifically this little Chinese fu dog statue.

He was hiding in the clearance section, and what a great price he was!

I thought that he would look perfect sitting on the bookshelf in my office, but I knew he'd need a coat of spray paint to stick out on my black bookshelf. Sticking with the grey/green/black color scheme that I chose for my office, I decided to paint my new little guy, green. I chose Krylon's Emerald Green.

{Ignore my messy garage...please?}

A few coats of paint, and we look brand new. For some odd reason the paint has little "cracks" in some areas, but I kind of think those spots look kind of like scales. I'm not sure why the paint did that, but I'm not too worried about it.

I sure am spray paint happy lately. x

Ikea Hacks

2011-02-21T09:00:00.002-06:00

II love this idea seen at Apartment Therapy, and originally IKEA Hackers...the use of either an EXPEDIT or LACK bookshelf used as a bench.

Option 1: EXPEDIT Shelving Unit. $59.99

{via apartment therapy}

Option 2: LACK Shelving Unit. $79.99

{via apartment therapy}

From what I've read, you have to add legs to the LACK shelf for extra support...not really sure why, but everyone is saying that is a necessary, every picture shows them too. However, there is no word saying that you have to add legs to the EXPEDIT shelf, and I haven't found any pictures with attached legs.

I'm definitely considering this look for our office, and I think I'd go with the EXPEDIT shelf. It's cheaper, doesn't require legs, and I like the bigger openings for storage. This would be just perfect under the window in our office. Now just to wait for that bonus check from hubby's work...

Happy Monday! x

Painted Pots

2011-02-17T09:45:00.000-06:00

I received these small "pots" from someone {there are 3 of them, although only 1 is pictured} earlier this year. There's nothing wrong with them, I think they're pretty and could work in the right home. However, I'm trying to move away from the darker, earthy tones in my home and onto the cooler tones. I also wanted them to be a more neutral color, so that they could be moved from room to room.

{They're perfect for holding little miscellaneous items}

Nothing a little spray paint can't fix, right? I had an extra can of white spray paint at the house, so I decided that white would be a good change. I hope it isn't super awful to change or alter something that was given to you!

{I think the markers look perfect. I love the pops of color.}

I'm very happy with the change, but I'm definitely thinking that they could use a little something else on them. Maybe I'll keep my eye out for a small stencil design...

What do you think? Do they need a little something else or is this simple color change enough? x

It Has Been Ordered...

2011-02-16T10:00:00.000-06:00

{Image via walmart.com}

I've officially ordered this dining room table from Walmart, to use as a desk in our office. Most of you seemed to like this choice more, commenting that you thought that the lines were the most clean and simple. And I totally agreed, even better...this table was the cheaper option. I've received my conformation email and have been told that I should get my "desk" as early as this Friday, so hopefully you'll be seeing pictures next week!

I figure some of you are also wondering what I'm up to on that master bedroom redo that I was one working so diligently on {read about it here, here, and here}...

{My inspiration photo}

I'm currently looking for different, unique plates to hang over our bed. I think all of these plain, white plates are beautiful, but I'm hoping for something a little different and kinda funky. I'll be sure to keep you updated.

What are you up to in your home? I'd love to see some links.

Puppy Project

2011-02-14T09:30:00.000-06:00

This weekend I decided to put together a little area for the pups. I always get tired of their leashes being sat on the kitchen table, so I decided to do something about it.

I bought a few hooks at Big Lots for only $5 a piece, and found a shelf that we have yet to use in our home..I'm pretty sure it was a wedding gift actually. After about 10-15 minutes, I had a great little area to hang the dogs leashes and to sit a cute little picture frame.

I still need to find a picture of the pups that will fit in the frame; I'll probably also pop a vase or a few other little things up on the shelf. This wall was really empty, so it's great to finally add some visual interest to this small area in our kitchen.

For some reason, I didn't take any pictures that show the dogs bowls underneath the hooks and shelf. The hooks and shelf have to sit pretty high because our Molly girl is so tall, but they're still at perfect reaching height.

Project Cost:

Star Hooks - $10 {$5 a piece}

Black Shelf - Wedding Gift

Puppy Picture Frame - Christmas Gift

TOTAL: $10.00

Project like these are always the best; cheap, easy, and high impact.

Happy Monday, y'all! x

Happy Saturday!

2011-02-12T10:30:00.001-06:00

Isn't this porch just gorgeous? Love the mix of the yellow, the stripes, and the natural wood. Honestly, I'm just craving some warm weather...and a porch like this. The weather has been brutal {as in single digits brutal} here lately but things are looking up, we're hoping to see 70's soon!

Hope you are having a beautiful Saturday! x

Office Update

2011-02-11T09:30:00.001-06:00

Awhile back I blogged about our office redo. This project has been moving slowly for different reasons, but mainly because of the lack of funds and the lack of time. Hubby will be receiving a bonus this summer and we plan to use that to get a lot done, but until then I'll have to ~~suffer~~ do a little at a time.

When I blogged about the office last, I shared this little mood board that I created...

A few things have changed since then. One, I decided against painting the desk green. It's not that I changed my mind about the color, but I know how indecisive I am and how quickly my mind changes on things. Green is a big commitment; so, I decided to just stick with a plain black desk. It'll still fit in the room but can fit into other color schemes through out the years.

I also decided to get rid of the desk that we had {I mentioned it at the end of my last office post}. It was a "computer desk" meaning that it was way too small to do crafts and grade all of my papers on. Instead, I've decided to buy a small dining room table, and use it as a desk. Plenty of space and sleek simple lines. I'm currently looking at these two great deals from Walmart...

Choice 1:

Finish: Black {although, it looks a little Espresso-y here}

Dimensions in Inches {L x W x H}: 45 x 28 x 29

Price: $79.00

Choice 2:

Finish: Black

Dimensions in Inches {L x W x H}: 48 x 31.88 x 30

Price: $99.00

I've read the reviews on both products, and they both have received really good reviews. I feel like you get what you pay for in situations like this, but right now these prices are more realistic in our budget. Plus, most of what I've bought from Walmart in the past has been pretty durable and a good deal. I'm willing to take a chance again. And if all else fails, Walmart is great about returns.

Which table do you like more, Choice 1 or Choice 2?

Images via walmart.com

European Flooring

2011-02-09T09:45:00.002-06:00

`Herringbone and chevron flooring...two styles of European origin. Both gorgeous, incredibly unique, and there's also something so sophisticated about them. The styles look extremely similar and at times I have a hard time telling the difference between the two. Either way, I love them both.

Chevron Pattern

Herringbone Pattern

I absolutely love the herringbone tile in kitchens, definitely a dream in my future home!

What do you think? Are you a fan of either? x

Images via decor pad, city sage, suzanne kasler, and houzz.

Kitschy Can Be Cute

2011-02-08T21:20:00.000-06:00

Big thanks to Hilary from My-So Called Home for passing on The Stylish Blogger award to me!

I received this award from another blogger a few weeks ago, {you can see my post about that here} but I will always take a sweet compliment from a reader. I truly am so thankful for all of you! Be sure to check out Hilary's blog, she's just getting started but I'm loving what I see.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

After seeing art on several different blogs that involved the owners dogs, I was determined to find some pieces of my own that would resemble my pups. At times, I think a piece of funny and somewhat "kitschy" art can be just perfect for a space. I searched Etsy and found many great art pieces that involve dogs; but, the other day when walking around Home Goods, I found the perfect piece...

{Sorry about the awful picture quality, this was taken with my cell phone}

Yep. It's cheesy and goofy, but I think it will fit so perfectly in my office. I love that the print is mostly black and white, but has the pop of pink in the bubble gum bubble. Even better, the Boston Terrier in the picture looks just like our little Moose. Now I just need to find a complimentary piece that involves our Great Dane, sweet Molly girl.

It's okay to be honest...do you think I'm crazy for buying this piece? x

Book Page Banner

2011-02-07T09:00:00.000-06:00

As I'm nearing the end of my college days and getting closer to hopefully having my first teaching job, I often find myself thinking a lot about how I would like my classroom to look.

Anyways, I'm not sure when or where I first came across this idea, but I can't believe I'd never thought about it myself. Luckily, I recently found a great tutorial on how to do this simple project.

Images via twoandsix.

A flag banner...bunting...what do you call this? Oh well...it's made out of old book pages. So cool, isn't it? And it'll be just perfect in my room as I'm planning on teaching English. I can just picture multiples strung across my classroom. Sigh...can't wait.

Love to all. x

Cabin Fever

2011-02-04T15:24:00.002-06:00

Today is day four. As in the fourth day that I have been trapped inside my home. I know trapped sounds pretty dramatic, but I think cabin fever is really setting in. The past three days icy roads have kept me inside, and today we've had about 5 inches of snow in the Metroplex.

On the Bright Side

I haven't put on a pair of jeans since Monday.
I've slept in for the past four days.
I've watched many episodes of my favorite TV show, Law & Order: SVU.
I've cuddled lots with my puppies.

I learned that my dogs like popcorn...I feel like that's strange?

On the Not So Bright Side

I've had very minimal face-to-face human contact. I think I'm forgetting important social skills.

I haven't had my daily cup of coffee...all out of creamer.

My couch now has an indent from my bootay on it.

I have lots of things that I'd like to spray paint, but the temps are not "ideal" for spray painting.

Just a few pictures...

Our backyard

Molly LOVES the snow

Moose...not so much. He had to hide in Mommy's jacket. {excuse the crazy hair, no makeup look}

Love to all. x

The Painted Hive

2011-02-04T09:00:00.002-06:00

Have you ever found a blog and just fallen in love with almost every inch of their home? I mean I love so many rooms, from so many different house, from so many different blogs...BUT this entire house, I just love.

Check out Kristine from The Painted Hive's gorgeous home!

Entryway

I love the old looking cases

Living Room

Dining Room

Love that the table is on wheels & all of the natural details in the room.

Master Bedroom

Love the framed map

The mix of the different dressers is just perfect

Tell me that her home isn't just perfect! x

Love...Barn Doors

2011-02-03T09:00:00.000-06:00

Sorry I haven't been around. I guess I could keep making excuses and saying how busy school is keeping me, but that really doesn't change much now does it?

The weather has taken a turn here in Texas. You might have heard a little bit about it on the news or you might be experiencing some crazy winter side effects yourself. Here in Texas we have about an inch of snow, but underneath that is about an inch or two of ice. The ice has kept us cooped up inside because the roads are just too dangerous. Tomorrow will be my third day of school canceled...I know all of my 6th grade students are just loving it. The ice doesn't seem to be going anywhere either, highs in the teens and with wind chill we're in the negatives. Brrrr.

Anyways, I've spent a lot of time watching movies and reading...and deciding that someday I absolutely need one of these in my home...

I must find a way to incorporate a barn door {functional or not} into my home. Love em!

What do you think? x

Images via hgtv, shelter pop, and shelly hart.

The Shine Project

2011-01-26T09:00:00.001-06:00

I first came across Ashley's blog when she left a sweet comment on one of my posts. I also found out through that comment that we're both teachers...I tell ya, all teachers are truly kindred souls; there really is some commonality bond there.

I always loved reading Ashley's posts, the girl has a funny sense of humor and she is too super cute...but recently one of her posts really inspired me.

Ashley posted that she had picked one word as the "theme" for her year. The word that she chose was SHINE. From this word Ashley started something called The Shine Project. The Shine Project is all about reaching for your goals {seriously, no excuses this time} and bringing light to those around you. You can read about The Shine Project in Ashley's own words here, but doesn't the whole thing just sound so beautiful?

Ashley has also begun creating her own necklaces as a reminder to SHINE daily. Each necklace is uniquely hand-made. I'm planning on putting my order in for my own necklace soon.

{Images via The Shine Project}

Be sure to check out Ashley's weekly Shine challenges, as well. I can't wait to participate in this weeks challenge, hopefully I will get the chance to blog about it.

If you have the time, head on over to Ashley's blog...I can promise you that it will lift your spirits. x

A Perfect Mix

2011-01-25T09:00:00.000-06:00

Image via lonny mag.

I just love this entry way from Lonny. I'm not sure what exactly captures my interest about it...there really is so much to this tiny little space. I love the look of the natural wood floors, the stripes on the walls, and the houndstooth print rug. The wall art is gorgeous, as well.

Is your entry way as gorgeous as this? x

Seeing Stripes

2011-01-24T09:00:00.000-06:00

I've been a little obsessed with stripes lately. I love wearing them, and I've been wanting to incorporate some stripes into my home. I'm definitely thinking that it'll be easiest to incorporate them in touches like pillows and curtains or drapes. Here are some striped images that I am just loving...

I would love to do laundry in this room. Well maybe I wouldn't love it, but isn't the room gorgeous?

Images via country living, decor pad, house to home, and coastal living.

Bad Blogger

2011-01-23T13:03:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry that I've been such a bad blogger lately.

I definitely don't have the same amount of work to do after school that I used to, but I am so tired after teaching those crazy kiddos every day. By the time I get home I'm ready to kick my shoes off, eat dinner, and just go to sleep. I think it's just going to take a little adjusting and getting used to this schedule, but that still is no excuse.

This will be me today...

{Except I doubt I'll be sitting on my desk.}

Hopefully getting lots of posts written today. That was my original goal for the weekends. I'm hoping to respond to some of those emails that you've written to me, too. I promise that I'll get better at this, just stick with me, okay?

Love to all x.

Image via weheartit.

A Diamond in the Rough

2011-01-19T09:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever found beautiful art in a place that you weren't expecting?

I did the other day, when a girl from the youth group I used to work with sent me this...

Her drawing of me on my wedding day

The original picture

Isn't that crazy? She is so incredibly talented! I think I actually prefer the drawing to the real picture. I was so flattered to find that I was the inspiration to a beautiful piece of art. I'm hoping to get a copy of the drawing.

In what place have you found art,
that you weren't expecting? x

Beautifying Our Bookshelves

2011-01-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

This week I am hoping to tackle the small task of doing some pretty things to the bookshelves in our house. We only have three bookshelves in our home (2 small, 1 big), so it shouldn't be too big of a job. Just a few images that I'm looking to for inspiration...

I'm definitely considering adding wallpaper to the back of the shelves.

Love the mix of books and other objects.

Of course, the popular rainbow bookshelf.

I really like the mix of the books sitting horizontally and vertically. I plan to do this on some of our shelves.

Do you guys think small details {like pieces on bookshelves} are important? I think they can totally make a room! x

Images from decor pad, country living, apartment therapy, lonny mag, and flickr.

CSN Giveaway Winner!

2011-01-15T08:00:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to Holli from Three Wishes, as she is the winner of the $25 gift card to CSN stores!

Holli was number 13 out of 19 {after excluding a "good luck" comment from an ineligible blogger}.

Holli, I will be emailing you tomorrow with your gift card code.

Thank you to all who entered, and a big thanks to all of you who read my blog!

You are all so often the sunshine in my day.

Love to all. x

Guest Blogging at House of Ficek

2011-01-14T08:00:00.004-06:00

Hello lovelies! Today, I'm guest posting at House of Ficek for Kendra.

Kendra has quickly become one of my blogging BFF's. She's also the creator of that fabulous DIY kid's kitchen that was featured on Turnaround Tuesday, that so many of you loved. She might be a transplanted southerner, but she truly has that sweet southern way about her. And not only is she sweet, she is extremely talented.

Head on over to House of Ficek, where I'm detailing the process of a little DIY project that I did last week. Yep, you finally get to see what I decided to do with the little red birds seen here.

Love to all. x

You're Such a Smartie!

2011-01-13T19:52:00.000-06:00

I don't think I ever actually said it, but you little smarties put two and two together. Last week, when I wrote this post about a new favorite color combination, gray and green, you guys just figured that these were the colors that we're doing our office in. And you were right! I guess I wasn't as slick as I thought I was, since just the day before I'd posted a little blurb about painting our office. Oh well.

Not a whole lot of progress has been made, besides the painting of the room being finished. Thank goodness. The color I used was Pigeon Gray by Kilz. The paint is a flat finish, because I read several places that satin or semi-gloss finish didn't always work great with grays, several people saying that it was "too shiny." I was a little bit worried about the flat finish at first, but since it is not going to be a high traffic area, I think we will be fine.

My camera is currently out of order. My camera battery has officially died and I haven't been able to make it to the local Best Buy for a replacement this week. I promise I will post pictures of my walls this weekend. Hold me to that, okay?

Until then I wanted to show you a little something so that you can kind of see the way that I am heading. Here is a mood board that I created on OlioBoard {which I heard about through Michaela}.

My "Haves," "Needs," and "Wants":

I ALREADY HAVE:

-Black filing cabinet

-Black bookshelf

-Desk

I STILL NEED:

-I have the desk but still need to choose a green paint to paint it with
-Gotta figure out how to give our filing cabinet a good coat of paint. Looks kinda rough.

I REALLY WANT:

-I'm hoping to create my own silhouette artwork

-Striped ottoman

-White curtains {although I'm open to other colors or designs}

-Green storage boxes

Stylish Storage

2011-01-12T09:00:00.001-06:00

Style and storage...two of my favorite things!

Image via Lonny Mag x

I am just loving the storage space underneath these window seats. I would just love to have a window seat like this in my office. I can just picture a gorgeous striped fabric for the seat with some bright, color popping pillows. Hmm...who knows, maybe I'll attempt something like this?

I know I haven't been around as much the past few days, but returning back to school will do that to you. I've been doing my best to respond to emails and comments, as well as comment on all of your blogs. I miss my daily chats with all of you very much.

Happy Hump Day {Wednesday} to ya! x

Psst--Don't forget about my giveaway! Head over here to read more about the rules and details.

Today I'm at Modern Jane

2011-01-10T20:05:00.000-06:00

Hey y'all! Today, I also did a guest posting at Modern Jane. I'm talking about the trends in decor that I foresee being popular this year, and why I'm excited about it; as well as, the trends that I am ready to say goodbye to in 2011.

I've been following Jane's blog for awhile now. She's a teacher, so we have that in common, but she also has an incredible eye for design. She's also keeping me accountable for my 2011 goal to learn how to sew...which is good, because I sure need it!

Head on over to Jane's gorgeous blog to see what I'm loving and what I'm ready to see go. While you're there, take a look around at some of the projects Jane has worked on..seriously, the girls got talent.

Love to all. x