Home Shopping

Sometimes the best things are found right at home or at the home of someone you love.

So, I am lucky enough to have "found" some great things right within my own family.

Months back I told my in laws that I wanted a sewing machine. My father in law said to take the sewing machine in the red room (the rooms at their house are identified by color for convenience). I said to him that the sewing machine was ancient and would not be able to sew a thing.

But

This past weekend we were up and I was walking around taking pictures. I came across said sewing machine and got a thought. I asked my mother in law if I could take it, not as a sewing machine but a piece in my house. She said absolutely. I could take it then but she said if she comes down before I come up again she will bring it to me in my father in law's truck.

Check out this baby:

The black Singer Sewing machine flips up. I plan on putting it in my Living room or even possibly my bedroom as we have so much space in there.

I then came home and my cousin, who has a lot of stuff stored at my parent's house offered me her Singer Sewing Machine Table with cushioned chair (will sand down and paint) that will make a home in my spare room some day.

She also gave me two of these chairs for our screened in porch

I will make a template of the seat and ask so nicely of the woodworking guy at camp to cut me a seat that I can the make a cushioned seat from (padding and fabric). She also said she has a matching table for the chairs.

I am super excited about these projects.

And

Today my step-mom told me she is giving me this oriental rug. I am thinking it can go in our family room or bedroom (it has nice blues and such in it). If it works in the family room I will move that rug into the dining room.

We shall see.

Zizette

Project Completion

Ok, so I have been on a self imposed hiatus. Not on purpose just exhausted and too lazy to sit down and do my postings. Believe me I have lots to say and I will try to limit my posts to help me catch up.

A few weeks, scratch that, months ago I found this awesome frame on clearance at Home Goods.

The frame was originally pink with chocolate brown polka dots.

I spray painted it white and then stamped on a zebra pattern.

The frame actually has a little mirror, it is not a picture frame.

The mirror is now in and I will find a place to hang it tomorrow in her room.

Have a great night, and I will be posting more soon...

Makeover Monday (Maybe Sunday)

So late week I had shared with you my wonderful find from the flea market.

I decided from the get-go what I was gong to do with it. So this weekend I got the rest of the the "ingredients" and my recipe was complete.

So, they came out exactly like I wanted.

What do you think?

Finally

A few months ago my grandma was so generous as to purchase my curtains for me.

Really, she is a fabulous woman with awesome taste and a very good eye.

So, we made a date to go shopping for curtains for my living room (about 14 months after having nothing on the windows).

I pick something out that I liked and when we headed over to the register she insisted on paying, I did not ask her to, she said it was her treat.

Thank you Grandma Syl.

We come back home and then next day I ask hubby to hang up the rods and the curtains.

I leave the house for a little and in that time hubby put his hand through the wall in frustration (tried to say it was from his hand pushing through the wall when in reality it was him punching the wall).

My brother in law came and helped put the other rods up and patch the big boo boo that hubby made.

My job was to spackle and paint the hole, umm I mean patch.

I did that, well the spackle part. Today, FINALLY I painted the hole.

Everything is dried (a week later) and today my fabulous Brother in law came over again and hung it up.

How beautiful is that? The room totally has a different look and I am so happy.

I was going to go for a white couch BUT I may or may not do that. You see I was reading something and the saw the mom from that new show 9 by Design and she had something along the lines of what I am thinking of.

Having white furniture but as accent pieces if you are afraid of a big white piece of furniture and then use other colors as accent colors as well. That got me thinking.

Master Bedroom Redo

I have been yearning to redo my bedroom.

It's blue and even though blue is my favorite color, I hate the room's color.

I want something else.

Something light, something airy.

Something different.

Start off with the paint? New Comforter?

Changing the furniture is NOT an option.

I do love my furniture but I MIGHT prefer it a different color (one that hubby does not like- so it's a no go).

Here's some of my inspiration:

I found a color I am digging - Virtual Taupe by Sherwin Williams and I have always loved the bedroom here and the paint is Glidden Armadillo.

Right now the dormers are painted blue too. I think I will paint them white again.

And today I think I have found the bedding that will be the inspiration for the whole redo. I think I will be ordering it this week. Once I do I will pick the paint and go from there. I am very excited.

Pillow Love

I love pillows.

I don't have lots of pillows.

I think I love the thought of pillows.

Today I was out trying to drum up donations for my fundraiser.

I was waiting for Cheesecake Factory to open up and decided to check out Restoration

Hardware.

BIG MISTAKE.

Now I am on a SERIOUS budget - it's actually no budget right now but a spending freeze.

I found the most awesome pillows for my family room.

They are SCREAMING my name, Zizette, Zizette, Zizette......

Aren't they BEEEEAUUUUTIIIFUL?

I want them but I can wait. They also had curtains to match in a way so we shall see. So far it goes with my minds eye and vision. The room is white wainscoting/paneling around the room and then Benjamin Moore Texas Leather on top.

I'll keep you posted.

Zizette

Beautiful Bedrooms

I am in the mood for a change, a bedroom change.

Tomorrow I will head over to a store where I saw something I liked very much.

I love Blue but somehow the blue I painted my bedroom is just annoying me. I somehow knew it when I first saw it on the walls.

I NEED this change. I am thinking....

I had actually loved this bedroom style for a while

I really like this one

The light and dark contrast here suits me

And finally this looks so cozy I want to stay there all day

Have a good night,

Zizette

Flea Markets

I have been for ages trying to get over to The White Elephant Flea Market  , I was there about 5 years ago as it is very close to my in laws house.  So this am I ventured that way, about an hour and 15 minutes, to see if they had anything I could use.  I saw lots of stuff.  SOme stuff I would LOVE to have and other stuff that would be nice to have.

There were keys and tape measures and mercury glass.  I actually found corbels that will soon grace my kitchen (I just need to paint them).  I did not find the writing table for Sam or myself

but did see some awesome things.

I left there and went to the unfinished wood furniture store.  This is where I found a night stand (yay) and a writers desk.  The night stand is painted blue (Sam loves it) and the desk is unfinished (which I will paint blue).  We are so happy in our home and he has waited so long for these items. I can't wait to show you the room, it is coming together so nicely.  There were also many plants that I am actually looking forward to putting in my yard, yay.  I am very excited that I got such great finds even though they were not all from the market.  Stay tuned for pictures of my finished room.

How awesome are these letters?  I found them here and these too

all in my search for stuff for my son's surfer themed room.  I really wanted to have our home to have a beach inspired/cottage feel to it. It does not completely have it.  However, the upstairs of our home does have that feel.  I think I will change the bedding in our room soon (within the next 6 months) to make it more cottagey/beachy.  I am working on it.  My son's room definitely has the feel and my guest room/playroom is on it's way as well.  It will only be the Princess' room that will stick out but that post is for another day and more work.  We will get there...

Beautiful Murals

A view of the lake from the patio

We spent a lovely day on the Lake in CT.  My in laws have a beautiful home in Northwest CT and my mother in law has done a wonderful job with her addition.  She made it to look authentic.  Here are some pictures of the mural in her breakfast room of what the lake look liked back in the day.

The other side of the lake

The house in the top left corner is supposed to be my in laws house back in the day

Hopefully I can decorate my home like she does some day.  I even did some antiquing and found nothing :(

Ahh, another day.

Keeping Busy

I have been super motivated to be crafty.  Some in part to my general crafty nature and part to the wonderful inspiring ladies I have been following through blogging.  In the past few weeks I have embellished clothing, made magnets and started treasure hunting for new projects I have in mind.  

I know I will have some time during my summer break as I work in a Day Camp and run a department called The Design Center.  I am so excited for this summer.  Last summer was my first, so I ordered all my projects late in the game.  This year, I had time to plan things out.  See crafts from all over and see what I could do with the girls that come to me (girls after all are the only ones who want to attend an activity called The Design Center).

Every project I do is based on photos.  The girls go out and take pictures with a few digital cameras and then do a project based on that photo or photos.  We have done canvas bags, scrapbooks, memory boxes, etc.  This year I am able to incorporate some paperweights, magnets, canvas bags, other types of decoupage frames and boxes so I am very excited.  I have always felt that I wanted the kids to bring home something meaningful and not "crap."  Last year I did charm bracelets so this year I tried to get lots of good beads and such to incorporate into funky frames, boxes and whatever else may suit my fancy.

I decided to originally go back to working at camp to divert the cost of sending my kids there and because I loved going to this camp myself.  I always told myself anytime I felt like i hated it or it wasn't for me I would not come back for a second year.  Well, obviously I enjoyed it and I am going back.  I am very excited for this and I am looking forward to it.

I'll keep you posted and maybe someday I will open my own Etsy shop.  I have too many ideas and I just have to start doing them.