Lazy Summer Days

Yep. That has been my wonderful life. Beautiful hot weather requires plenty of pool time, which is the only thing I really enjoy doing during the summer. It also explains the reason I am not outside today, 6 loads of laundry are awaiting. So while I am waiting for the next load to fold, I thought I would share a few pictures of finished projects and what I have managed to squeeze in between laying out and... um, more laying out. Man it is going to suck going back to work in August...

Anyway. Here is one of the frames I bought at a garage sale a while back, now hanging in the kitchen framing a magnetic/chalkboard that I made.

And my new kitchen. Ugly and outdate brown to antiqued cream. Add some new hardware and a few rugs... viola. Now light and airy. I. Love.

Let me just add, that we have 28 doors in our kitchen. I didnt count the drawers, so that is 28 doors alone!!! It took forever! I hope I never have to do a paint project that big again. Although as soon as we get back from vacation we are planning on painting the living room... which will take some time, but I think I can handle doing just walls.

We finally picked out a new sofa. Nothing like the one we wanted from Restoration Hardware, which was discontinued (boo). But it is comfortable and I love all the pillows. We are still playing around with positioning furniture. We removed the loveseat to open the space up, and brought in a chair that was previously in the study. The trunk is temporary or permanant. Can't really decide. We will be painting the walls Cafe au latte from Restoration Hardware. It should help open the space a bit more. Out with the brown! And of course we still need a coffee table... but here is what we have so far (suggestions are welcome, as i am impaired at decorating)

Forgive the dog barrier on the couch. It was the first day, and they were a litle too excited about the new scent. I need to get a better picture....

Finished

Finished with the kitchen. And... The Twilight Series. I broke down, and then got sucked in. In my defense it is the hubs who rented the video that started it all. Until watching the video, I wanted nothing to do with the vampire fad. But then I watched and realized this was more than blood sucking vampires. It is a love story. Will it go down as the best love stories such as Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, Romeo and Juliet, Noah and Allee (the notebook). Not sure I will go that far, but it is one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I wont admit how quickly I read them, but I did fall off the face of the earth until it was finished. I might have even finished one and then went to buy the next one that very night... ugh. Shameful.

Anyway, besides Bella's happy ever after, we have finished our kitchen. And a few other projects I had laying around waiting to be completed. So now I just need to post them. That is to come. Right now my stomach is growling and the Mr. is taking me out!

Happy Memorial Day!

On this glorious sunny hot celebration I will be finishing my kitchen cabinets. It was this weekend because Alfie doesn't have to work, or probably never. I will never be so glad to have a project done. It feels like forever. After this we have to paint our living room and get our new couch (this weekend) yay!! Curtains in the guest room, and finishing out a few more little projects I have started. All this before Australia... hmmm, we'll see. We didn't take a before shot, but this photo shows the whole ugly wood thing going on. Plus my hot husband and adorable fur babies!

The Before:

Frame Collage

I have been working on our guest room slowly. Trying to figure out what I really like and what style I am going for, before purchasing items. I always change my mind, because my inspiration is always changing. A lot of very creative bloggers out there. :) One of which gave me the idea to do a frame collage. Check her blog here. So I think I maybe hung the frames a little high, I have discovered that I am horrible at finding the right level. I am hoping to build some height with covered books, yet to be done.

I am also picking out curtain fabric (hanging on the lamp).

Yep, after looking at it again I am sure that I will have to move my collage down about 2 inches...Boo!

Potential

And the garage sale begins. My mom, sister, niece, and I went early Saturday to find our "treasure". At first we didnt find a whole thought, and driving back home when we found a church garage sale. And I found all these frames, and a movie for Joe for a total of $5.

This is the before, full of potential... I am seeing good things!

Boston

The longing in her eyes is the leash I have dangling over her head. :)

LOVE

W are looking for a new couch. When we first got married, we had absolutely no furniture. And we had a little money that needed to go a long way. That being said, we got micro suede couch and love seat in a style that we liked. Since getting two dogs and moving, it is evident that the time is now. I am absolutely loving the high "shelter arms" on this couch from Restoration Hardware. It looks cozy and inviting. We don't pull of "formal living" and I think this gives more of a cottage/country vibe. I am having trouble deciding what color of stripe to go with. Here are the options as of now. This first one my husband picked out. At first I wasn't sure because of the gray color, but I am starting to come around due to it looking so relaxed and comfy.Then there is the neutral color. I originally wanted to go with another neutral color couch because of the versatility, but with Wally... not sure it would stay clean...

Than the last is the cafe stripe. Cafe to me sounds brown, but when I look at the pic it doesn't really look that brown.Any suggestions? If I spend the money on this couch than I want to keep it forever, but knowing me I change my mind after a couple of years, and need change, this being said which one do you think would be the most versatile?