The Pursuit of Happiness....

Happy New Year!

my internet has been down.  taking advantage real quick while it's working.  TTYL!!!!

Merry Christmas from the C's

credits: shabby princess and memory mixer. Don't forget to take the tour on the last post!  I am figuring out digital....finally.  But not really...I'll tell you later!

The Finale!

I finally hung some stuff on my walls.  I pulled everything from the attic, which feels good...not to spend money!  I will share the results of my boys room later...It deserves a post of it's own.  They have an uber cool room! Well that concludes the back half of the barn.  I didn't show my office, because I didn't put any christmas decor in there....I know...I know...I resisted!  Since I am going in reverse. Here is the hall leading back to the laundry and bedrooms.

Here is a better picture.  Did you see the brick ceiling?  I have to get larger brackets.  Those were some I had laying around and I put them up to see if I liked the look.  I love using outdoor lanterns on the inside.  I plan to use outdoor gas lanterns in my kitchen in the new house.  See my new black doors!  Yea!  only 3 more to go!  Love my basket shelving.  This was just dead space that I utilized and I don't know what I would do without it.  They hold toys and my overflowing magazine collection.  The 2 doors are to the bathrooms.  Look at my kids naughty chair!  Love my little creation here.  See the stacked presents.  This took a lot longer than what it looks.  I worked on this little display for a few hours!  My santa hangs from cute pompom garland.   And now we enter the kitchen. There are twinkling lights above all of the cabinets, so much prettier in person.  One thing that I always do is install outlets on top of my cabinets that are controlled by a wall switch.  So easy and no cords!   Next is my entry table.  This changed many times this year.  I wanted to display pictures, but I just couldn't find the right combination.  It's ok.   Next are my floating shelves.  And the lighted characters are by the tree.   Since I have already shown my tree...here are the details.  Look at those little presents! Some of you may want to skip the next photo.  I don't really like dead animals on my walls, but it is my hubby's passion, and he allows me to have mine.  I couldn't resist giving them a little christmas cheer!            This is my mother's favorite display this year.  I love it as well.  I replaced the other snow with this festive garland from hobby lobby...with white lights underneath.  my new love.  I robbed all of Hobby lobby's displays this year to get get as many strands as possible.  I want to use it as the snow for my village next year.  So fluffy and fun!   My girlfriends wanted to steal my wreath and my big reindeer...they thought I wouldn't miss it...(snicker!)  I had 12 friends over for a little party and their jaws litterally dropped upon entering.  They just kept walking around in awe.    Ok, so I admit, I may be a little christmas crazy.  If you must know...My christmas takes up 200 square feet stacked between 4 and 5 feet tall in my attic.  I did sell some this year, but there is still alot up in the attic!   And last...see this little $8.88 pillow from Wal Mart...well it was a little plain for me, so Cut under the cording and tied christmas ribbons and attached a few jingle bells.  LOVE IT!!!!!  Well we have made it around the entire house, with the village being the last stop, but I had already posted that one.  Can't wait to show my kiddo's room later on!  Show me some love with a comment.  I have been a little down today.  Not to mention, this post has litterally taken all day long.  My internet kept kicking me off!  Merry Christmas!

Will I ever finish this tour?

This is my main bath.  the walls are olive green with california gold slate accents, which are green tones.  This is a christmas redo.  I first used my snowman stuff and i cringed everytime I came in here.  Then it dawned on me....helloooo...use your gorgeous elegant stuff up in the attic that is shamefully packed away. i loved the results...What was I thinking to begin with!

Look at those gorgoeus glitter presents that were going to spend christmas in the attic!  I have always hated the space above my toilet, and I have had these crosses forever, but I did not think I had a space for them.   see what a little changeroo does!

And my cute little monkey that had no place.  I used to suspend him from the air, but I didn't have a good place.  thanks to my hubby....my doors are finally painted black!  This was just extra space at the end of the tub, so I turned it into storage to hold extra toiletries.  There are 4 baskets and a space for my kids step stool.

I just added some glitsy balls and a fruit garland to my everyday arrangement for a little sparkle.  The soap dispenser is embellished with an ornament and instead of a tiny picture, I used a scrapbook sticker that says naughty or nice... santa's list.  Also, I finally hung this picture frame that has been in my storage area.  Finally took care of some dead space that has bugged me for a while.  Sorry its taking so long...but i came down with a virus that makes you dizzy and I have used every good feeling minute to work on projects.  More later!

A christmas tour continued...

My oh my, oh where does the time go?  If you were a fly on the wall, you would probably be dizzy by now.   I have been on a whirlwind.  I keep redoing my christmas.  I think I have had at least 10 projects going at once.  And with my ADD, means that I work on all them.  My hubby thinks I'm crazy, but he was gone hunting through the most of it, which means I haven't been committed yet!  I've been having fun!  Welcome to my guest bath....

Here is a little project...I have had this mirror up in the attic forever, never being able to find a good spot for it, because of its size.  I also have never really felt this sconce was finished no mater what I put on it.  Finally it dawned on me to hang them together....Love it.  A perfect match.  I love this sconce....It's about 4 foot in length and I have another one in my attic, just in case I ever need a pair!

I don't think I ever mentioned how I love to hang stuff from the ceiling.  Super simple and it makes a statement.  Also great in a kid's room.  I have also hung a picture over a fireplace from the ceiling, because of the rock being too irregular...Ahhhha!  This is a little closet in the bathroom that holds...tools!  We had to utilize every inch of this place.

Love these little snowflakes.

One of my favorites...had to move this little girl from the kitchen....she was getting lost in there.  now she is a focal, and she was made for this bathroom!

Just a little detail.  I embellished the soap dispenser.  This cost all of .25 cents!  I did my other one with a picture ornament.  Well this concludes this room's tour.  Can you believe this bath is in a barn!  Defintely the most elegant room in the house.  Shame to think it will be a garage bath one day.

A Christmas Tour

Welcome!  You would probably think this is the entry to my "barn", but I am kind of doing this tour backwards.  For my fatithful readers, you may know that I have been redoing some of my christmas stuff, and I am finally happy with the results.  I have such a love for all christmas decor and I seem to always have different themes going on.  I love a rustic & woodsy look, I love elegant & formal, I love whimsical& bright...I love it all.  That also describes my everyday love and passion for normal decor.  I think that it is good that I love so many styles, and I get to play up different themes with different clients.  In my house....I just do it all...(snicker)....and somehow I do get away with it.  In my home you will find rustic, old world, elegant, modern, vintage, and just plain fun decor!  Sooooo. the above picture is at the end of the hallway.  The barn is set up in an open concept without a "dedicated" entry.  This area includes the kitchen, living, and dining.  There is one hallway that leads back to the bedrooms, office, laundry, and one central closet.  Have I ever mentioned that I love this set up!  The closet is connected to the laundry!  Convenient!  Anyways,  back to the picture....to the left is my laundry where you will find another open concept. I have a 5 foot folding counter and underneath are 3- 5 runner container store baskets that hold all the folding items...such as pajamas, tshirts, socks, underwear, ect.  I decided to use my woodsy decor back here. This shelf sits on the wall next to my washer .

This is on my folding counter.

And this is on the other side.  I added the frame this year and I love the way the birdhouse looks.  I was almost ready to toss it.  I also added a cute hanging santa next to the back door and some woodsy garland around the top.  this concludes the woodsy section of my home.  Comming soon:  Our bedrooms and bathrooms.  I am so excited about one of my baths!  Leave me a comment and tell me your style!

Done

Yea!!!  I am officially done working for the year!  I can finally work for myself.  However, I have 5 clients waiting to start up again after the new year!  Oh crud....I just remembered I have to faux finish a bathroom....I forgot about that.  Anyways, I have had fun christmas decorating for clients.  I guess I was still so in the mood, I came home and started changing things up around my home.  I looked around at my house the other day and I realized that I had put every accessory that I own away and replaced with some kind of christmas decor.  Geez....I guess you can say festive...right?  I burn out on my accessories, so it's good to have a little break.  I usually end up changing things up and adding a few new pieces after the christmas comes down.  Here is a little peek at a client's christmas decor that I did....  She finally got her sofa table behind her couch that I have been bugging her about for at least a year.  She would call me and tell me something that she needed and I would say..."I think you need that sofa table more!"  It's the first thing you see when you walk in.  Happy weekend!

Cozy

Here is a few pics of my home.  My last christmas install is tomorrow at an attorney's office.  So ready to be done, but this week is still busy.  I am hoping after this week that I will have a little down time.  I am wanting to finish up some projects around this house that have been lingering.  They all involve paint, and that's why I always procrastinate. 

I did my tree this past weekend.  All 12 feet of it.  I was not sure how it would turn out because I really did not think that I would have enough ornaments.  But it looks pretty full...huh!  In our other house this tree was in our "lodge" family room, and it was done in all lodge decor.  I used to put berlap ribbon and plaid ribbon with a ton of lodge ornaments and a bunch of other large stuff.  It was a cool tree, but I left all the lodge stuff packed up because this would not fit my current "festive" theme.  Anyways, I wanted a whole bunch of huge balls on it, but I could not find any with a decent price.  I had 5 from the previous years.  I fell in love with some from Pier one, but they were $13 each.  no thanks!....But I went out and got the stuff to make them and  I have made one so far and it is adorable.  I have 3 more to go!  I was able to make them for a little less than half the price.  I'll post a picture later!  Also, to take up room on the tree....I found set of 2 little boxes at dollar tree, and I bought a few of those and I wrapped them in zebra print paper and added festive ribbons and nestled them into the tree.  LOVE IT!  So cute and so cheap!  More pictures later!

A favorite client

Years ago, when I was just starting my design business, I received  a phone call from an ad that I had placed in a local magazine.  The lady was looking for a design on a dime...I kid you not.  Little did she know, she called the right person!  She told me that she would be moving into a new home and really needed some help.  After discussing her wants and needs, we hung up and I wondered if she would call back.  A few months later, she called.  She was my first "real" client.  One of whom I had never met at least.  ( I had worked for friends and family for years).  I remember the excitement, and also the panic.  She was of a different ethnic background  from me, and I hoped that I would be able to please her in every way.  I met with her and discussed her likes, colors choices, and budget.   She gave me a palatte of orange, brown, and purple.   I again panicked for a mere second and went off in search of my focal item that would get me started.  The budget was tight, but I was determined to get her a lot of bang for the buck.  We discussed that she may have to do her house in stages.  While she did not get any purple in her house, she was more than excited with the results... a palatte of terra cotta, gold, brown, and olive.  I remember her coming home from work and she was speechless, of course, another panic, and then she ran up and hugged me!!!  Whewww!  Hazel has been one of my absolute favorite clients.  She has called many times throughout the years and tells me when she is ready to tackle another room or two, or she's ready for curtains, or she needs some new lights.  Whatever it may be, she lets me do whatever I want.  Through her color ideas, I discovered my love for terra cotta, spice, rust, ect..... a color in which I may have steered clear of.  So in a since... I learned from her.  Ok, get on with this post....Hazel has me do her christmas decorating every year.  She chose red and silver to be her theme...of course, I scratched my head on that one, because I thought a palatte with some gold would blend better with her home.  To my surprise, it turned out gorgeous...so much that I even switched over to the red and silver.  Something so festive about it!  Of course every year she adds on to her christmas collection.  This year she added her dining table.  I loved the results.

  The first year that I decorated for her I hung these large ornament from the stairway above.  It's the first thing you see when you walk in and it has always been a favorite.  I have a thing for suspended ornaments.  You can't see the fishing line in real life. Last year she added her mantels and her kitchen island.  This picture just doesn't do this justice.  It's so festive and fun.  The oversized glasses are from Michael's in which one I filled with ornaments, and the other with jingle bells.  So cute.  I love taking a cheapo $3 wreath and adding fun picks, ornaments, garland, flowers, and using it as a base to the centerpiece.  So easy to store or change up from time to time without having to be locked into a foam, glued centerpiece that dates so quickly.  I called Hazel yesterday when I was decorating her house and told her that we have added so much over the years, I was forgetting where everything went.  I told her that she would be so clueless without me...ha ha.  She said she knows she would and that's why she will be having me do it from here on out.  That's what makes this business special!

A few of my favorite things...

Well, if you are on bloglines, you need to click on over and check out my new holiday look!  I'm pretty much done with all my holiday decorating.  Feels good, now I can enjoy the downtime.  Happy decorating!