Goodwill Tray Revamp

Quite a few months back, maybe even close to a year ago {geez I'm lazy}, I found this awesome, brand new tray by Target Home sitting in our Goodwill store - for $8.98. The original Target price tag was $24.99. It is solid wood and very large - it was a perfect fit for our monstrous coffee table that my husband built.

Originally seeing the glass and picture frames in it, I knew I wanted to find a great coordinating fabric to put under the glass instead of pictures. I searched and searched, but never really found anything, and then just sort of let the project idea sit on the wayside.

Then, I saw Courtney's makeover of her daughter's room with the closet office and instantly fell in love with the pattern she used on the wall. When she said it was wrapping paper from Target, I was floored. I knew this was what I wanted to use, as the colors would fit perfectly in my living room scheme.

I went off to Target in hopes of finding the same paper and I most certainly did. I began the project by taking out the bottom of the tray, and found that I would actually have to unscrew the main frame to remove the picture frame piece and get to the glass.

I then cut some wrapping paper to fit the size of the glass and laid it in. Breckin was happy to help me screw the tray back together.

 

Here is the finished product, before styling of course:

And here it is styled:

What do you think?

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Hello, Pink & Yellow

Let me begin by saying I heart the combo of pink and yellow. Like immensely. And y'all remember my living room re-do, yes?

I am just sooooooooo happy walking into this space every day. It feels crisp, clean and well, HAPPY. Don't get me wrong, there's still some slight changes to be made here and there, but truly, I am lovin' it.

So I'm now beginning to see a lot of pink and yellow floating around the blogosphere...I am so inspired and in love with the spaces, I simply had to share. If pink and yellow ain't yo' thing, it's understandable, but you will probably still love these spaces too.

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Cassie's outdoor patio redesign for the Home Depot Patio Style Challenge simply blew me a way. {Like I-pinned-it-within-two-seconds-good.} I want nothing more than to sit there and sip on wine with a couple of good girlfriends. I am so inspired. My patio is due for a change...so I think this may be the direction it's going to head. What better place to use fun brights than the great outdoors?

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Is this not the desk area you dreamed of as a little girl? Forget as a little girl, I'd take it now! Courtney's big girl room makeover included this beautiful little closet desk space and it just makes me want to sit in there and write in my diary...er, blog.

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Kate's credenza area in her new design and sewing studio is nothing short of awesome. {Note: That yellow lamp is the same as the ones in my living room!} The credenza redo alone is spectacular, but I just love her use of colors here.

What are your fave color combos?

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Living Room Reveal

You have no idea how long I've been waiting to be able to do this post. I started redecorating my living room over A YEAR ago. It has taken this long to pull the pieces together {and of course there are still some tweaks to be made here and there}, but I am finally in a place where I can say, "It's good."

Let me show you where this living room pretty much started. This is in 2010, though we moved into the house in 2008. The decor was pretty much the same all that time.

You can see the room isn't that large in size, nor does it get a lot of good natural light. Let's just say I wasn't really thinking when I decided to paint the space a medium taupe/brown. It literally felt like a dungeon in the evenings, and the daytime wasn't that great either. I'm a bright, natural-light-lovin' girl.

The first steps I took when I started redecorating last year, was to pick some accent colors that were bright and cheery, unlike my earth tone go-to's of the past. So naturally, pink and yellow it was! {To the discontent of my husband, but it has grown on him as the space has evolved into my original vision.}

Even with these bright changes, the paint color in the room still made it feel dark. I knew we had to go lighter. I thought a nice light gray would be just the right fit, plus I had wanted to paint the kitchen that color too ever since our remodel of that late last year. So here you go...{beware: pic overload!}

I'm sure you noticed the large blank wall above the couch. Before we painted, I actually had all the wall pictures in one large gallery there, but it was a little busy and I really need something to fill the small walls, so I thought splitting the frames up into three different galleries was the best thing. My plan with the large wall is to put my artistic skills to use and make a custom painting on canvas. I will keep you posted on that.

Overall, I am so much happier about the space. It is fun, bright and bold...a true reflection of me. I want our boys to enjoy a happy space...it is modern, yet playful at the same time, and has some personal touches - i.e. my artwork, Tanner's artwork and some DIY pieces. The couch doesn't really go so well anymore, but we are not in the position to get a new one any time soon, so it will have to do...and that La-Z Boy, well it's an eyesore and doesn't really match, but Jake needs a comfy chair in front of the TV. One day it will be replaced with something better. So other than those few things, this room is pretty much done! It feels so good to say that.

Info/Sources:

Paint: HGTV Brand at Sherwin Williams in "Silverlight" - This was the most gray-gray...without purple, blue or green hues in the shade of gray we wanted. I'd say it's a light-medium gray.
Yellow Console Table: Crate & Barrel - but I got it on Craigslist!
3 Paintings in a Row: My artwork
White Frames: Misc. from Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc.
Large White Mimosa Quatrefoil Frames: ZGallerie
Magenta Accent Chair: Overstock
Floral Pillows: TJ Maxx
Pallet Art: DIY Project
Faux Ivory Coral: ZGallerie
Yellow Lamp Bases: Target
White Lamp Shades: Target


So what do you think? Please remember to "pin" it if you love it! xoxo

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Monday Musings: So, About That Race...

Yeah, you know, that Cooper River Bridge one I mentioned I was going to be doing? Well, I didn't. {GASP!}

I know, I know...I was so torn about the decision not to do it. Here's what happened - remember Hubby's and my plans to repaint the living room and kitchen this weekend? Well, we started working on it Friday, just cutting in and priming everything...and we were up until midnight-ish doing so. So for one, I don't do well on little sleep, and I already get up at 3am three days a week. Hubby then asked me not to do the race so he could get started painting bright and early on Saturday while I took the boys out and entertained them so he could do so in peace. I reluctantly agreed it was the right thing to do. So no big race for me this past weekend, but I am getting back into training mode with running...and finding out which half marathon I want to do, hopefully this fall. And I wholeheartedly plan on doing the Cooper River Bridge Run next year - making no plans to paint any rooms the same weekend!

Anyway, here's what my weekend did look like:

I Instagrammed this pic on Friday night to show what the house looks like when you decide to repaint it.

While Jake worked on it Saturday, I took the boys to the gym {to make up for missing the race, I had to at least workout.} Then we met up with my friend, Suz, and her kids at a play park and spent a few hours there. We ended the playdate with a Mexican lunch at which Suz and I had delicious margaritas. The weather was gorgeous, so we ate outside.

I spent Saturday night helping Hubby to finish the paint job and Sunday I was able to put everything back in place and start hanging pictures back up. I tell y'all, I love how it turned out. I'll be sharing it with you soon. I am so happy and it is soooo much brighter - not like the dungeon it seemed like before.

Anyway, hope y'all had a great weekend! xoxo

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Living Room Progress

As I mentioned recently in this post, I have the majority of my living room redecorated. There are still some minor things like hanging shelves and more wall art to take care of, but I am so happy with the progress so far. I wanted to take you back to what my living room looked like before and show you what it looks like now.

LIVING ROOM - BEFORE:

There was nothing particularly wrong with the space, but I wanted to challenge myself to try something more bold than my usual go-to earthy tones. I had been using these tones forever and was ready for a change, plus with the lack of natural light this room has, it was definitely in need of some "brightening up".

LIVING ROOM CURRENT {PROGRESS}:

What do you think of it? I know I'm enjoying coming home to a brighter space each day...it really does wonders for your mood! xoxo

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A Little Love & A Lot of Yellow

You get two posts today, you lucky ducks, you!

So let's start this post off bright and happy...

I can't think of any other way to do that other than to show you my favorite Craigslist score to date:

Oh-Em-Gee, right? I was on Craigslist lurking around for fun DIY candidates when I stumbled upon the post that held this beauty. A Crate & Barrel yellow lacquered table being sold for 25% of the original price. It was a little steeper than I wanted to pay for a Craigslist console table, but it was so perfect for my space {both color and measurements}, I wouldn't have to do a thing to it and it was in excellent condition...so I didn't even bother haggling. I just wanted it to be mine.

And mine she is. God is good. {Well, God is way better to me than just perfect bright yellow console tables, but you get the gist.}

I'll be showing you how I styled her in just a hot second...but I first want to show you something I created just for the table. I'm sure many of you have seen and admired the lovely work of Jen Ramos of Made By Girl. I had been teetering and tottering over purchasing this piece from her online store the last couple of weeks:

via

After careful decision, I decided I actually wanted something painted on canvas, so I recreated the print myself using gold metallic acrylic paint. I purchased a 16x20 frame for $14.99 from Target and voila:

{I highly recommend you check out Jen's shop, especially if you are not the DIY type. I just happen to love making art myself, so when I see something I love and am able to do, I DIY it rather than buy it. She's got some great stuff though, and great ideas...I would have definitely purchased this print if I couldn't have painted it; it's not a bad price either.}

And here this LOVE-ly painting is on my beautiful yellow console table...styled up and pretty.

{This is not permanent styling - just threw some quick things together for now, and that top mirror key rack will be gone as soon as I finish my DIY project for what is going in that spot! Can't wait to show you...}

So what do you think of the new piece? {Or rather, both of them!}

I'll be coming back very soon with an update post showing you my living room befores/afters...there are still some things in progress, but I am so happy with how far it's come since earlier this year when I started to brighten things up. Stay tuned...xoxo.

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