Around Here...

Yep, I disappeared again. Not even going to apologize this time... because, it wouldn't be sincere. We are right in the midst of TCAP count-down and my mind has pretty much only been focused on one thing.

 

And, when it's not focused on TCAP, I'm pretty much laying horizontally in my bed mindlessly pinning beautiful rooms I'll never have, recipes I'll never make and puppies I'll never own on Pinterest. But, I tell ya, it's a great stress reliever!

 

Also a great stress reliever?

 

Decorating!

 

I've updated a few things around the house the last few weekends. Nothing major, but my mom keeps telling me to update my blog so I figure this is about as exciting as it gets around here...

 

I'll start with my bedroom.

 

The Target by my house closed last month. I know, I know. It's a modern day tragedy. But, as they were slowly emptying their shelves, they kept marking stuff down, down, down. So, I got a new white duvet for $34! And, I decided to buy some fun new pillows to add to my teal and red scheme.

 

 

I know it's all wrinkled. It's just... well, Finley pretty much lives up there.  I think the colors tie in nicely with the curtains in this room and some of the accessories.

 

 

I bought a few odds and ends for the rest of the house.

 

This awesome teal basket also came from Target! It's perfect for Finley's toys and it brings a pop of color to my den.

 

I finally bit the bullet and bought this vase from Anthropologie that I've been CRAVING for about a million years.

 

I got this cool, colorful plant thingy from Kirkland's. It was on the cheap and I love how it fills out this table that has seemed random for a long time. And, when I took this picture, I realized that I hadn't changed the quote on that chalkboard in a LONG time. It may or may not have been a Christmas quote. So, I took care of that and I hung a platter above it that my mom got me.

 

 

 

Oh, and on the wall above the pantry, I hung my Nashville sign. Don't even be thinking that it's new. Oh no. I got that around Christmas time. It's just been resting against the wall... waiting for me to rescue it.

 

 

 

And speaking of the pantry, I also did this:

 

 

Woo hoo!!

 

 I just kept randomly opening the door and staring at it when I was finished. That's not weird, is it? I'm not done either. There's lots of wall space in the pantry so I'm going to buy something to hang up in there for more storage. Stay tuned.

 

I got this really fun candleholder at The Fabric House and it fits perfectly in this little nook above my sink.

 

 

And, I bought this fun bench at TJ Maxx for a steal! I've been wanting something to put under this shelf to make it a little "mud roomish." I'm thinking about getting some baskets to put under it to store some of Finley's stuff and shoes.

 

 

Looking at this picture, that shelf looks really junky. It doesn't look junky to me in person, but pictures don't lie. That may be my next project....

 

I made a Pinterest-inspired burlap wreath for my front door two weekends ago. I love it, but I can't wait to add some plants out front to make it a little more welcoming.

 

 

 

Okay, last update. If you've read this blog for a while, you know my front room, which is technically supposed to be a dining room but I don't really "dine" so I turned it into a sitting room, has given me all kinds of trouble. The main problem is that I've been trying to decorate it with odds and ends and it needs some more substantial furniture. I realize this. But, honestly, who has the money to just go buy all new furniture? So, I just keep tweaking and moving it all around hoping I'll stumble across an arrangement that makes it feel like a room.

 

So, today, I moved the little loveseat over in front of the window. And, I wasn't really crazy about it until I got the idea to add the lamp (whihc has been in a closet forEVER)! I kind of like it now.

 

I felt like it was a little busy with the curtains and the pillows so I moved the pillows around.

 

 

And, then I liked it even more! Much calmer.

 

I moved the bright pillow over to the chair and I liked how it brought some much-needed color to the other side of the room.

 

 

(Please ignore the puppy crate. A certain someone has to sleep downstairs sometimes so she doesn't wake people up at 3 a.m. Allegedly.)

 

 

I obviously took all these pictures before I switched the pillows around.

 

 But, guys? I kind of like it!

 

What I don't like is this wall:

 

 

I LOVE the wooden architecture piece on the table. LOVE IT. But, it's massive. I don't know what else to do with it. And I think it'd be really weird to hang anything else on this wall, don't you? So, I'm stumped. Any suggestions?

 

Sorry that was so long, friends. It's what happens when you only blog once a month... which is quickly becoming my habit. And, until TCAP is over, I don't see the trend stopping. But Spring Break is next week and I'm off for TWO WEEKS! After a quick trip to LBL with the second graders and another quick trip to Paducah to see my cousin's new baby, I'll be home for a few days and I have some home projects planned. So, I'll do my best to update the blog.

 

Okay, Mom??

 

 

 

Busy as a Bee!

 

The last two weekends have been pretty busy around here. Nothing too important... just lots of running around and traveling.

 

Last weekend was the tail end of my Fall Break. I ended up staying at my parents for a few nights and then we went to my grandmother's for the weekend. It was a lot of fun to see everybody... but, I didn't take too many pictures.

 

 

But, let me tell ya... we did a lot of chilling and relaxing.

 

 

We also did a lot of porch swingin' - our favorite thing!

 

I spent some time redecorating that weekend, too.

 

 

I completely switched around the den... and I LOVE it!

 

 

I pulled this rug out of the closet, too. I had put it up when I first got Finley because I was afraid she'd pee on it and ruin it! But, as it turned out, she didn't really pee in the house... thankthelord. I just forgot that I had it!

 

Welcome back, old friend.

 

 

 

I bought this driftwood bowl and the moss balls at Trees N Trends. I'm obsessed with it. I've moved it around about nine times... but it's staying here for a while :)

 

 

While I was doing all of this, I realized I hadn't heard Finley in a while. That's because she had just crawled into her crate to watch. Have I mentioned she's the best behaved puppy in the world?

 

Because, she really is.

 

 

I worked on my room, too! I got those red lamps I was craving and I think they're perfect! I also obviously added the shelf above my bed.

 

 

I consolidated all the dog junk to one corner. (And, that bag actually belongs downstairs. I'm just too lazy to take it down there.)

 

 

I moved the desk out of the corner and turned it into a nightstand. I think the scale is much better than the dinky one I had there.

 

 

Here's the other night stand.

 

(I'm sorry all my pictures are terrible. I pretty much only use my phone to take pictures and they are hit or miss!)

 

 

I moved the picture above my bed to this wall and left the sconces. I think it adds color ot this wall and so I like it. I'm totally getting a nicer tv for Christmas, by the way. Don't you worry!

 

 

And, here's the other side of that wall.

 

 

The last thing I tweaked was the living room.

 

 

I took the big white ottoman out of this room and put it in the den. So, I found this little bench at an antique mall and had to have it!

 

 

I love the gold striped fabric and I love that I can move it in about a million places in my house! It matches every room and the scale is perfect.

 

This weekend, I worked all night Friday at our school's Fall Festival. It was tons of fun but I was WIPED when I got home that night. And, I had to drive out to Franklin afterwards because my parents had been keeping Finley for a few days. I had a few late nights with school at the end of the week and I hated for her to spend so much time in her crate!

 

My mom says she's ready to start staying out of the crate during the day when I'm at work... but, it makes me nervous! I'm not worried about her having accidents... she NEVER does. But, what if she puts something in her mouth? Or starts getting nervous and claws at the walls? She's really calm... but, how do you know when they're ready? If you have a dog and have any advice on this, I'd love to hear it!!!

 

Also, she's getting fixed on Thursday... poor baby! So, I'm not going to do anything until she's all healed up from that.

 

Saturday, my mom and I spent ALL DAY shopping for work clothes. Fun times! She even convinced me to order a new pair of Steve Madden's because mine are three years old and they look AWFUL! But, I love them and I especially love the color!

 

They don't make the ones I have anymore, but I found some that I like even better!

 

 

Swoon!

 

I just love the color. It's perfect with black and brown. And, it matches my hair (which I realize is stupid) which kind of makes them seem like they match anything I wear them with. Ha! I can't wait for them to get here.

 

Today, we celebrated Matt's birthday with lunch in Cool Springs and then I took Finley to the groomer.

 

 

Here's her new look (and crazy tongue)!

 

It's really short... but, I wanted it short so I won't have to take her back for a while.

 

And, since I've long since passed over into " crazy dog owner" territory...

 

 

she's going to be a bumble bee for Halloween!

 

You're "awwing"... admit it :)

 

I think that's all I've got for now. I need to do a school update post. Everything is going good... I've just been super busy. I'll try to get some good material this week.

 

Have a good week!

 

 

 

 



Stumped.

I don't think I've posted about my house in months... literally. I haven't changed much since I moved in and got it settled. I'm a girl who makes quick decisions and I know what I like so I had it "done" pretty much within a few months of moving in.

 

But, just because it's presentable does NOT mean that I'm not always on the lookout for furniture and home stuff. I'm a decorator. I get it honest because my mom is too.

 

 Pretty much every time I go to my parents' house there is something new. And, my mom always took me shopping with her when I was growing up so I kind of learned all about it and enjoy it.

 

Needless to say, I get very bored with my house after several months and I get the urge to start moving stuff around. It's just what I do. And since I'm on Fall Break, I had all day to play around and make some changes.

 

The first thing I did was fancy up the front a little :) I hung my Vandy football burlap thingy and set out some pumpkins and mums. I LOVE fall so this was very exciting!

 

Not much new in here except for some fall accessories.

 

Oh, and I hung my yarn wreath on the pantry door.

 

Here's a close-up. I made it last fall and while I liked it on the front door, it was a little small for me. So, it's perfect in the kitchen!

 

I rearranged this little table in the kitchen/hallway. That's a fake pumpkin with a wreath around it. And, I hung that little platter over my chalkboard. I'm on the lookout for something else to go there but it works for now.

 

I put some pumpkins on the sofa table in the den.

 

I also switched out the coffee filter wreath on the windowpane above the couch for a fall wreath. I tried out my new painting above the table beside the couch... but, I didn't like it. It was way too busy with the gallery wall right next to it.

 

I even added a little fall pillow my mom made me to the chair.

 

 

I moved the coffee filter wreath over to this table in the living room. I also moved that lamp over there from across the room.

 

And, I hung the new painting over the tall bureau. I like it there because I really think it goes great with the curtains in this room. I still need to frame it.

 

Here's the close-up. Those hydrangeas came from my aunt's garden last Labor Day!

 

I re-arranged the top of this cabinet, too. And I added a little fall swag on top.

 

The next room I'm going to show you is the reason this post is called stumped. Because, guys? I can't figure this room out.

 

Okay, this is my bedroom. Please pay no attention to all Finley's junk. Or my suitcase sitting on the floor. Focus your eyes above the tv because that's what I added today. My theme for this room is teal and red... kind of. So, I was looking in a cabinet and I saw that red wreath and thought "Why not?" I don't know if it will stay but it definitely adds some color to this side of the room. Also, I added those two sconces that have been sitting in my closet for over a year because I didn't know where to put them.

 

Here's a shot so you can see how it ties in with the rest of the room.

 

I bought that chevron picture frame at Hobby Lobby this weekend and I am in LOVE. I love the burst of color. And, I also love those mustard yellow candle sticks.

 

This is my bed. It's so blah. I love the curtains in this room but I am not inspired. The rest of it is so boring. I'm going to TJ Maxx tomorrow and I think I'm going to look for a big chunky shelf to put over the bed and I'm going to take that picture down. It's just so predictable. I'm stumped, though, because it's a HUGE wall. Will a shelf look too bare?

 

What do you think?

 

Seriously, I need help.

 

I also want to find some lamps. I want something more colorful - like red! The lamp in this picture is a mercury glass lamp from Potterybarn so I would still use it somewhere. I just want something brighter in this space...

 

I'll do an update if I find anything good tomorrow.

 

As always, thanks for checking in!