Outdoor Room

I just love a covered porch + curtains. Instant outdoor room.
Its going to be gorgeous here in Boston this weekend so I plan on taking full advantage of the lovely weather and moving on to some outdoor projects.  We have a covered porch that I plan on adding some curtains to.  I've had a bolt of an outdoor black and white awning stripe kicking around, and I found some super inexpensive mosquito netting at IKEA yesterday (a pair for $4.99, and they are over 100" wide!).  I'm a bug magnet, my husband doesn't understand my pain because they never touch him, so this made my day.  
Black mosquito netting... very chic!
Or your standard white...
Simply beautiful...
An old favorite...
domino

And a great look for the summer holiday...
Country Living

Hope your weekend is FABULOUS and you get a chance to get outside!

All wrapped up

I'm off to IKEA this morning to pick up some frames and cheap inspiration.  Hoping to find something along the lines of these...

I'm loving these from Pottery Barn.  They scream summer to me. The price doesn't. Like these  a lot too...

I did find a tutorial DIY in some hallow twine balls here that got me thinking. You might need to enlist the help of a boyscout  if you really want the knots.

This chandy had me spinning about all the ugly light fixtures in the world that would benefit from a recover.  (Strands of beading, yarn, strips of fabric... come on peeps I know you can think of plenty of other things.) Found a DIY tutorial for a twine covered lampshade here at Creative Little Daisy.  You people are creative and crafty so I'm sure you can figure out how to apply it to a chandelier.

Now slip on a pair of these for inspiration and get busy.

Burberry

Pink & Red

I hated this combo as a child.  In art class when you would add white to a color (red, orange and green in particular)  I would always despise how the pastel version would look next to its bolder half.  Well, a lot has changed I guess.
I've been having a hard time getting my red entry to "blend" and play nice with the rest of my house.  It was kind of a spur of the moment decision, like most things I do, and I didn't have red anywhere else in my house at the time.  It flows right into my living and dining area, and I figured I'd add red pops to tie it in. 
Not loving. 
So enter pink...
It never occurred to me because I live in a house of testosterone & a house of blues (my favorite color is aqua).  Three other males and  me.  Pink is never entertained as an option so out of sight, out of mind.
 I'm thinking it just might be the thing this space needs.  A happy punch of color, not too overwhelming.   I have plenty of areas to add color... need to paint the coffee table (most likely white), cover a lampshade with fabric, pillows, a huge mirror frame to paint, and two wicker barrel chairs I'm thinking might get a shot of pink. My only other contending color in that room is some turquoise that I think might play nice.  So here are my inspiration pics...








Miles Redd, Southern Accents, House to Your Home

Just don't expect pictures soon, both my camera and sewing machine died together on Monday.  They were overworked I guess.
And more more from Mother Nature...

Great new blog to check out...

For those of you with children you must check out Erica Cook's latest blog Little Moth.  It is such a wonderful concept... "big style for little people", and bound to be super inspiring.  Erica is more than qualified in this department, being an interior designer AND a mother to five boys.  How do you do it girl?  Tell us your secret!  She also manages two other equally fantastic blogs you must visit if you haven't already... Moth Designs and Luxe Life.   I can't wait to see what this amazing chick does next. Now go get inspired people!

Pretty damn impressed with myself.

I am DONE reupholstering my thrift store couch!  Remember this beauty?
Here it is all done up in plain linen...
I kept the channels on the base so I can lounge on it 80's style with some leg warmers and a Dr. Pepper, but made a removable pleated skirt (see first picture) for when I want a more traditional look.  I added button tufting on the back and still may tuft the seat cushions.


My niece was up for the weekend and did a lot of babysitting. THANK YOU ASHLEY! If it wasn't for her it would have taken weeks.  Here is the work in progress...
My little helper.



There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears.  Did I mention blood?   This is what happens when you are impatient and want to finish a project at midnight and had two mojitos...
Staple to the face. The only reason I'm smiling is because I'm finished (and had 2 mojitos.) On to the next project and a nap.

Boom Boom Pow

Here is some weekend spring eye candy.  I just love this image.  A mass grouping is so beautiful and inspiring.  These were made from printed images on transparent paper.  Bromeliad Living has a great DIY post here.
Canadian House & Home
How about these giant lovelies? 
See more and get instructions  for these at Shopruche.

An update from Dirk Diggler's couch

So I bought the big orange couch from a few posts ago.  Thank you for the encouragement people, and the answer to that post is "Yes, I am nuts."  The couch got delivered and has been living in my garage because it smells like a chain smoking granny.  I didn't notice this at the store, but that might have been because the whole place probably smelled like that.  My two year old's face pretty much sums up how I felt too.  My husband and I joked about keeping it in the garage, opening the garage door and have a bunch of people over to roller skate and drink beers.  Keep the neighbors guessing! 

Lemons to lemonade.  So for the next step... reupholstering.  I have no patience to wait weeks for it, so I am doing it myself. This weekend.  I've reup-ed some things before, never a couch, but my motto is usually "How hard can it be?"  Worse case it'll be good entertainment for all of you.  I spent the good part of Earth Day ripping the fabric off of it and discovered that it was also my new sofa's birthday...
Kind of creepy, 27 years to the day. 
And the whole time I was thinking it was from the 70's because of the orange.  I was wrong about the color too.

 Once the fabric started coming off I learned that it was originally mauve and had faded to orange.  I know, this couch just keeps getting uglier.  So it was a Smurf-era pink couch.
So, it is now stripped and aired and in my house awaiting new fabric.

I starting tacking on a heavy neutral linen that I thought I had enough of, but this thing eats fabric!  SO now I am running to Zimman's this morning to see if I can find a match and get more.  Wish me luck, I bought it 7 years ago.  If I can't find it I think I might go for a velvet or a chunky texture.  Would love a print, but I don't think I can handle keeping it straight on a curved sofa.  I think I am going to put tufted buttons on the back and  I haven't decided whether the channeling on the base is staying or going.  I kind of like it, in a roller rink kind of way.   I had to keep the gross fabric on that part on the couch in case I decide to recreate it.  I googled my brains out trying to get ideas for this biggin'...

Very similar with a smooth front, but kind of boring.


Same deal, loose cushion.

Tufted seat.

Could not find a picture of anything with a channeled base, just lots of channeled marshmallow stuff in KW's pad...
SO, while I run to the fabric store I would greatly appreciate it if anyone has any ideas of things I can do to it, or if anyone has a cool couch image e-mail me!  My brain is mush.  Thanks!

I am loving...

Meg Carter's sea inspired line of jewelery.  It has me giddy with the anticipation of warm summer days with my toes in the sand.  (I am a New Englander, I live for summer!) Ironically, I was first introduced to her work at the start of last winter when she happened to leave a comment on my blog.  At the time, the holidays were upon us and I was amazed by how well her pieces fit in with the season.  Several of them had snowflake- like qualities, as well as a beautiful luminescence.

  I realized that her jewelery has a wonderful transitional element to it.  No matter what the season, she has created something timeless that will make you happy.   Her pieces are delicate, yet make quite a statement. 
 Just look at this piece called "South Bar".  I love the color combo (aqua and coral of course!), and how it balances dainty and bold so well...


I also love the simplicity of "Dionis".  It has a great organic structure and would definitely give your jeans and  T some edge.   Just LOVE chunky pieces. 
Her color combinations are just beautiful.  I want to create an entire room around them... Could you imagine?
I really can't even say which one is my fave, they are all so beautiful...


How about this color combo dazzler... "Audrey" earrings in celadon and coral.    XO swoon!
Also love this Buddha necklace & bracelet. I  just couldn't decide which color I liked better, so I had to post all.


Be sure to check here for the complete scoop on Meg. Trust me you will be glad you did.  And for any of you brides to be, she has a Bridal Collection.   I have a soft spot for this, having had been married on the beach at sunrise. Meg, I wish I knew of you then.  I can't wait to see what you do next!



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