Linde Browning Design

meet chandelle

2012-01-25T06:00:00.002-06:00

i teach a high school bible study with a couple of my besties from watermark. it is pretty funny being around high school gals. a couple of them were telling us about their high school dance. it is called chandelle(please picture chandelle written in fancy cursive letters). seriously? since when did sadie hawkins get renamed chandelle. for some reason, i thought it was hilarious and may have lost the last two cool points that i have, while trying not to snort laugh at chandelle.

the next day i was working on finishing up this chandelier for our house, and i remembered chandelle. so, of course, our new chandelier has been affectionately named, chandelle. we love her!

behold...chandelle

(i think i'm going with the goldish fabric in the background)

below is a picture of her before she got all spruced up
i gave her a fresh coat of paint and changed her pointy light bulbs to little round ones. i also decided to forgo shades for a more modern look.

might have learned a little life lesson from chandelle. when your huz has both hands above his head, sweat dripping from his head, is balancing on a step stool and is working by the light of a flash light to install your freshly painted chandelier he might not want suggestions on how to do the install...i bet you didn't know that! :)
ps thank you aunt suzi for saving this piece for us...we really love it!

New Things

2012-01-23T18:10:00.000-06:00

i was telling jeff the other night at dinner that i wish i blogged more. i get to see so many fun spaces that, i think, would inspire you! the thing that holds me back is feeling like i have to get perfect photos and then write and write and write. well, i'm going to take a different approach. somedays, i may write more, but more often, i am just going to give you a glimpse of where i am working and what i am up to. and the pics will be from my phone, most days.

so here ya go.
i finished up refinishing these fireplace screens on monday.

this particular screen was was solid metal with tons of burn/welding marks when it arrived.

i gave it a warm champagne finish with a bronze glaze.

this next fireplace screen is in the mama's retreat. it is a secret room that opens from a hidden bookcase in the hallway. the stair case in the back connects to the master.

one of the littles in this family asked if she could watch me paint. she is four. oh she was so adorable. she kept asking when i had to leave and would sigh when i told her soon. melt me.

the little gal also asked if i ever cry. i told her that i do cry when i feel sad, but try not to cry when i'm just feeling like acting ugly. she said, "me, too." :) apparently, santa visits little girls who practice being sweet when they are feeling like acting ugly.

i painted this screen solid gold with a warmer gold glaze. i added a wax gold rub to the inset areas.

instagram eats all of my detail work in this shot, but you get the idea.

have a good one!

video of our old place

2012-01-09T06:00:00.003-06:00

i am working on some posts about our progress on the house. for some reason, it's taking more effort than i anticipated to get my thoughts in order with that one.

i thought you might enjoy a tour of our old place. i took this video right before we moved. i thought it would be fun to show our lil' kiddies one day.

we made many a memory in that place. i loved it.

not gonna lie, though, kinda nice having a kitchen where the fridge doesn't hit the other cabinets when you open it, and your hineys don't touch when you and the hubs try and walk by each other:)

hope someone else is loving this place as much as we did.

hand painted herringbone wall

2012-01-02T15:13:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm getting a little(okay totally) out of order with the house. We have been making so many structural changes, that I decided it was time to do something fun. Don't get me wrong, the unseen things have tons of value...but I was sooo ready to do something light-hearted and fun.

A while back I did this hand painted chevron nursery. I loved the way it turned out and filed it away for our house. I saw this tutorial and this tutorial on herringbone, and loved them as well.

I combined all of these ideas and came up with a game plan for our dining room. I knew that I wanted to do the herringbone pattern, as opposed to chevron, and I knew I wanted to incorporate three distinct colors. I settled on navy, gray and white(the base color throughout our house).

Here we go...

before

during

A quilting ruler is my major time saver whenever painting any stripe pattern. Mine is 24" long and 8" wide. I can see through it to make sure I get my lines perfect, and it is large enough that I can gain a lot of ground in one movement. I also use chalk to make my marks on the wall...almost always(mom says never say never or always). It wipes off with a damp cloth and never bleeds through to paint(unless you use a crazy color and then try to paint white on top of it).

( i feel like i should defend my appearance in these photos...my excuse is vacation:))

after

(or should be say, for now:))

the pink blinds were making jeff nutty, so i replaced them with these sheers. i am going to hang some yellow panels that have a large organic pattern on them in ivory. just have to save my pennies for them! the yellow panels will hang on a double curtain rod in front of the sheers. i think they will add some great visual weight to the room. we will also get a new table, new light fixture, chairs, rug...but this is a start.

(next time you see this piano, it will be yellow!)

I was a little nervous halfway through that I'd gone too bold, but in the end, we love it. It is fun and bold, but breaks up all of the white in our place.

Colors

base color: Sherwin Williams Alabaster

navy: Benjamin Moore Old Navy

gray: Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray

Happy New Year!!

merry christmas

2011-12-25T06:00:00.002-06:00

merry christmas to you and yours.

marriage has taught me much about Christ's love. Christ loves us at our worst, we don't have to fancy our self up to go to him(quite the opposite in fact), and He is consistent.

thankful to celebrate the birth of Christ today and every day.

merry christmas!!

We're In!

2011-12-21T06:00:00.003-06:00

it's true. we are in our new place. i can't wait to show you around! my family has been eager to see our progress. so here ya go, familia. let's start with the beginning...

and can we have a quick chat before we start? will you do a little dance with me? i am, clearly, not a pro blogger...these pictures will jump all over the place, but if you follow along, i'll explain where we are along the way.

brace yourself for some before photos...

okay, this room is our living room, or family room...where we will spend most of our time. notice the sliding glass doors and outdoor patio to the left...that is now part of the kitchen.

this is a view from our kitchen looking into the dining room and front room. there is no longer a door here, and some walls are missing, too.

this is the front room that connects to the dining room in the previous picture. and yes, we are keeping those drapes:)

this is a view from the family room looking into the entry way. we kept that vintage red brick, and i'm so glad we did. i think it adds charm, and breaks up all of the(now dark stained) wood.

this is another view from the family room looking into the front room. this will be helpful later, that entry wall opening has changed.

this is a view from the front door looking in. see that back patio with the sliding glass doors again? think kitchen!

this is a view from the entry way down the hall. all of the bedrooms and bathrooms are down here.

this is a view from the front room to the entry. you'll appreciate it more when you see the new openings.

that is a cute little nephew head, who currently hearts flash lights. those two walls are gone.

afters and some fun projects coming sooooon.

Promise

2011-11-07T18:40:00.000-06:00

i promise, i will be back. and i have TONS to share. no clue where anything is...my winter clothes, really anything. didn't think about that one when we packed up. we will have internet one day, and you will love all the rooms i've been working in. kiddies galore and some fab furniture!

every post should have a pic, so here is mine. my aunt says that i won't ever have a baby that looks more like me than my hanky p. for those of you who don't know, hanky p (otherwise known as hanky, hanky pank, or hank) is one of my three beloved nephews.

hanky left, linde right

also, hanky is a gentleman and does wear pants. he was at his check-up...hence no pantalones.

what do you think?

he also only eats cheese and bread. no resemblance there.

notice the womble nose, it makes a v shape. always. from nostril to nostril there is a little "v." it is their little stamp that makes no one doubt michael is their daddy.

anywhoo, there is an update. more to come. two weeks and we are in. then, updates galore.

I haven't forgotten you...

2011-10-05T09:02:00.000-05:00

dear bloggies,

i have not forgotten you. i am in the process of moving, and renovating, and living in more than one place. things are a little nutty. i cannot wait to update you with recent projects and pictures from our place. i might even have to start doing a weekly update of projects from our casa. we will see.

what is a post without a picture?

owen and i feel the same about in and out. don't you love the lil stickers on his shirt?

ps owen, so ready to start slumber parties with you now that we live less than 5 minutes apart. love you, bubba!

little known facts

2011-09-12T06:00:00.001-05:00

i am on vacation. it.is.heavenly. in honor of being away from work, here are some random facts about me, in my life away from work.
here we go:

i make my bed every day

(and this guy makes it when i don't)

i sleep on the side of the bed that is closest to the door ( i need to be able see the robbers when they come after us...)

my toes are so short they barely touch the ground, and are always painted(i do need to clarify that they do leave toe prints in the sand:))

i have really vivid dreams (i think it is because i imagine stuff that isn't real for people every day. for example, i walk in a home office and see a baby's room totally painted, furnished and complete...for a baby that hasn't been born yet)

i am a picky eater. jeff asked me what foods i didn't like when we were dating. i told him i should probably just tell him the foods i do like (grilled cheese is my favorite food)

i don't drink coffee or tea and rarely drink soft drinks. abbe says its weird to see me drink anything brown.

somehow, the conversation came up with my college roomies about shower routine. as in, they have one. they all do the same thing in the shower every morning. what? do you have a shower routine?

hope you are enjoying your week and that you snuck in a vacation this summer. i am so glad to be on ours!

Hank T.

2011-09-01T07:00:00.001-05:00

problem: hank t. needs a little cowboy chic in his nursery

solution: hand painted chevron walls, custom name painting, and custom painted dresser

a little insider scoop...any client project that starts out with the home owners letting you know they plan to name their baby boy, hank, is gonna be good. why? because all i picture is this guy.

my lil hanky panky

(sporting half of his halloween costume)

he's grown...

(*sigh* and big brother woody has grown, too)

and you should know that hank said "ninde!" on speaker phone this week. he was hardly prompted and said it quite clearly. and my heart started to melt. even more than my body has been melting painting in the garage this summer...leaving me feeling like i'm roughly 102 years old.

okay, on to the good stuff.

before

after

i was so excited about this one that i let you skip the rest of the before shots. let's back up a little.

more before

more after

there are many more details in the works in this room. cowboy chic bedding, a sheepskin rug, closet doors, glider, artwork... but this is a sneak peek!

dresser details and name painting coming soon!

Surf's Up!

2011-08-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

problem: asher needed a little surfer vibe in his new room

solution: hand painted name detail on a surf board

this project created a personal touch that will mature with asher as he grows, and will also serve as great art for the wall.

happy monday!

Jamie Lee

2011-08-22T08:26:00.000-05:00

my cousin jamie lee came in for the weekend and we had fun making some goodies for her first dorm at ACU! we are so proud of jamie!

we took this ikea frame

and turned it into this

then we took some plain pillows and painted in her monogram and name

we love you, jamie lee! we know that you will flourish at ACU. hang in there through the transition...it is so worth it!

Riley's Name

2011-08-17T09:18:00.000-05:00

problem: riley's room needs a little something special

solution: custom name painting

we wanted a shape that was simple, but girly. we also wanted to tie in the colors pink, gray and cream. here ya go:

after

and some detail shots

hope your week is treating you well!

Glaze

2011-08-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

i love working with glazes! they instantly add sophistication and history to a piece.

for example, the glaze takes something plain, like this:

and makes it look sophisticated, like this:

big difference, huh? the glaze made this accent piece look like it has a story. here they are side by side:

want to see the rest of this furniture piece?

before

now this isn't a jaw dropping, holy cow she bleaches her hair-so obvious, after. it is a subtle, does she color her hair,or is she a stunning perfect shade of auburn naturally, after...

after

what do you think? are you in to the subtle sophistication?

Tea Anyone?

2011-08-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

problem:little girl needs a spot to have tea with her friends

solution: hand painted tea table and chairs

apparently, as a little girl, i had many a tea party. my mom even let me use real water in my tea set...she was SO cool. don't underestimate the power of a tea party. you learn how to talk with your friends at the table...even if your friends are stuffed bears. you learn how to serve others...tea and cookies of course. and, you learn how to sit like a lady...in your chair with your legs under the table.

here is ainsley's tea table, minus one chair and the porcelain tea set with her name on it, that now sits on the table.

see that little swatch of fabric in the background of the picture below? that is her drapery fabric, and was the jumping off point for the hand painting on her tea table.

we went for a painterly, watercolor look as opposed to a modern, clean line look...

for me, the glaze makes this table. it adds sophistication and softens all of the colors. more on that in friday's post...

hope you have tea with someone special this week! i bet ainsley will.

Lindsey's Secretary Desk

2011-08-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

i think this week will be a week of furniture pictures. this is a secretary desk that lindsey has had in her family for a while. her parents were actually going to toss it, but lindsey saved it and had me hand paint it.

before

after

i am so in love with this color

i silver leafed and some of the original hardware to give it an updated look, while maintaining the original style of the piece. the new treatment on the old hardware allowed it to coordinate with the new mercury glass knobs we put on the bottom portion of the desk.

more furniture to come...

campaign style side tables

2011-07-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

when i found these campaign style dressers in a thrift store, i had to do the "deep breath, be cool, go ask how much they cost" self talk. do you ever have those moments(i hope someone nodded)? i knew the second i saw these dressers that they would go from this:

before

these dressers are not identical twins. i found them on opposite sides of a thrift store. they are similar in size and style but have subtle variation...this makes them the perfect match in my book!

to this:

after

i had a hard time getting good shots of these with the lighting and my poor photography skills. the stripe colors are creamy white and deep navy... the hardware is antiqued brass

of course, allison styled the side tables incredibly well.

the tables flank either side of her bed. they could also easily be pushed together and used as an oversized, 6 drawer dresser.

i was preparing for the dallas flea when i found these dressers and could not wait to refinish them and take them to my booth. brittany is a mastermind and create the coolest, chic flea you will find. if you have never been to the flea you MUST come check it out! the next flea is september 24th at south side on lamar. i i will be there! come check us out!

allison, thank you for helping make my first flea a success!

ps if you haven't already, check out allison's amazing paper company here!

Vintage Chairs

2011-07-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

problem: vintage chairs need some love

solution: refinish wood, metal legs and reupholster

before

after

these babies were tricky. the old finish didn't want to let go, and the new finish didn't want to adhere. i used a few tricks and got everything to come together. don't they look fresh?

the old upholstery was bad all the way through, so i put in new foam, batting and then fabric. i love the fabric allison chose.

a few around the table

we debated refinishing the metal on the legs...i'm SO glad i did.

allison and i both have a thing for mid-century, modern design...i kind of wish i had most of what is in her house.

loved working with you, allison!

ps check out allison's amazing paper company here

Asher, Safari Suite

2011-07-18T09:00:00.009-05:00

problem: asher needs a jungle/safari theme to make his new nursery complete

solution: hand painted detail on the walls...

before

the plan

after

a closer look

the monkeys in the room have gingham bellies and faces, like the monkeys in his bedding

i am a sucker for hand painted letters in a child/baby room. they are painted on wood, you can keep them forever and always have a special memory of baby's first space...you can even have the space painted where baby's name will go and add the letters after baby is born if the name is a surprise!

ideas and themes can be interpreted into a space, a million different ways, based on a client's taste. look at this jungle theme incorporated in a room in a completely different manner. pretty cool, huh...

click here for more images of this room

different strokes for different folks!

we did some hand painting in asher's bathroom as well! pics to follow...

Alexandra's Dresser

2011-07-13T09:00:00.007-05:00

remember alexandra's room. well, i painted a dresser for her also.

problem: love that dresser, but not that finish

solution: refinish the dresser with colors from the mood board

before

after

this piece is much cuter in alexandra's actual room(rather than in my studio), but you get the idea. alexandra also has bubble gum pink, crystal knobs installed on the dresser(not seen in this pic).

the details are what make a hand painted piece special, notice the slightly distressed edges and transition areas...

it's both economical and sentimental to re-purpose an existing piece. this changing table will have many a memory between big bro and lil sis!

bright white and rich pink will always have a soft spot in my heart!

ps if i had permission, i'd post a pic of the little alexandra right here. think a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e!

Alexandra

2011-07-11T09:00:00.004-05:00

probelm: mama is creative and wants to decorate daughter's nursery, but she also wants help

solution: create a mood board, which serves as a map for mama to decorate room

mood board

before

in progress

if you look on the dresser in the left of this picture you can see the letters that will go in the bubble gum pink circles painted on the wall...

you can't tell from this photo, but the ceilings are quite high in this space. this light fixture lightens this space and adds the perfect texture and shadows to the chocolate walls. a huge part of me wants to buy this light fixture and stuff it under our bed until we have babies!

i love the way the three dimensional butterflies from turned out. we bought them from etsy and then i hand placed them on the wall.

somehow, i got distracted while there, and only snapped photos of this wall. we still have to tack the letters "alexandra" inside the pink circles. i will update this post next time i am out there and will post the finish product along with her brother's room!

ps before and after of her dresser coming wednesday!

Allison, Sisters

2011-07-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

remember andrea's piece? today is allison's post. allison is starting a new adventure in houston and wanted to take this dining set along.

problem: love grandma and her dining set, but that finish...not so much

solution: custom refinish chairs and table in ivory with pops of gold

before

in progress

after

allison, i hope houston is treating you well. wishing you all the best in your new adventure!

Andrea, Sisters

2011-07-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

the next couple of posts include furniture that belongs to sisters. each sister has some of their grandma's furniture. andrea is the first sister. she was so sweet and fun to work with.

problem: love grandma and her hutch, but that finish...not so much

solution: custom refinish in chocolate brown with a pop of turquoise

before

(these are from a cell phone, hence the tiny size)

after

ps do you ever wonder what a sample board looks like? this was the sample board for andrea's piece

allison's furniture is up next!

Micahl's Table

2011-06-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

remember micahl's dressser? well, she had a table and chairs, too...

problem: love that table and chairs, not so much with the current finish

solution: pull colors from inspiration painting, and refinish table and chairs

before

inspiration photo

after

a closer look at a couple of the chairs

have a great day!

Jillian

2011-06-27T08:54:00.000-05:00

problem: jillian needs a little extra oomph to complete her purple room

solution: add some chandeliers, complete with actual crystals, and glaze cabinets to complete her purple palace

before

after

i actually came back and added small crystals to the "drops" on the bottom of the chandelier, but i forgot to take pics of the addition...

we decided to glaze the cabinets while we were at it...

Feeling Blue

2011-06-24T09:00:00.002-05:00

apparently, i'm in a blue mood this week. this post and this post are both predominantly blue in color scheme. so, thought i'd finish off with another blue post...

problem: old furniture needs a new look

solution: custom refinishing to client's taste (and, in this case, mine, too!)

before

after

micahl found all of this vintage furniture herself. micahl, whenever you are ready to become a buyer for linde browning design, please let me know!!

Stella

2011-06-22T09:00:00.002-05:00

problem: baby Stella needed a little something special in her room

solution: hand painted tree detail

i thought this room would be really neat to post after yesterday's post. these rooms are similar and color and over all idea, but totally different in execution. while yesterday's client wanted warmth, texture and a blend of traditional and modern, today's client wanted modern and streamlined...they asked for an almost chalk like effect.

before

after

hope your week is treating you well!

Reese

2011-06-20T09:00:00.004-05:00

problem: baby girl's room needs a little something special

solution: hand painted tree detail with three dimensional flowers

before

after

detail shots

i love the combination of soft white and ivory here. combining the two creates texture, warmth and sophistication.

metallic paint adds a little unexpected touch as well.

thanks, christine! loved meeting you and making the connection that we both go to watermark!

#2

2011-06-17T09:00:00.005-05:00

i'm sure you remember hanky's pillow from this post. here is a shot of avery's pillow. once mama takes her profile picture, i will finish up the family.

its the curls that get me in this one.

you might remember that ave has banker hair much of the time....however, his naps bring out the inner rock star/curls in him...

see what i mean...

brothers

and just for fun...here is one of his outtake profile shots. i caught him ever so slyly looking at aunt linde.

sweet boya. if you could see facial expression in a silhouette, like you can in this photo, i definitely would have chosen this shot for the pillow.

Harper

2011-06-15T09:00:00.007-05:00

problem: green guest room needs to become harper's nursery.

solution: soft pink walls with damask detail and specialty name painting
before
(please excuse my flash issues in the first two)

after
these pictures will take you on a tour around the room starting at the doorway and ending on the wall to the left of the window(in the same order as the before photos).

(*update* we now have an adorable leopard print, toile and pink silk window treatment installed. i'll snap updated pictures next time i am out there and will post them with a link to this post)

now for some detail shots...

detail of harper's name

detail shot of damask print

this is an odd crop, but shows how the custom name painting, wall treatment, and refinished crib all fit together.

**the pictures appear blurry in my window until i click on them. if they are blurry on your screen, click on them to enlarge and they will be clear.

ps in case you missed the link, click here, to see pictures of the cream crib in this room before it was refinished...

It's that time again

2011-06-13T15:04:00.000-05:00

i accidentally deleted this original post, so here is the short version.

i'll be blogging the next few weeks. you can expect rooms, before and afters and lots of refinished furniture.

problem: sis needs a birthday present

solution: hand made silhouette pillow

pillow #1 hanky panky

**hanks hunch neck-back kills me

pillows 2-4 to come...

you know it's cold when...

2011-02-03T12:32:00.002-06:00

your paint cans are frozen solid...the ones that were in the car!

until they thaw, i'll be working on some mood boards, personal projects and baking. of course, this will all be happening at my SIL and sister's house since our pipes decided to freeze, too.

stay warm everyone!

before and after

2011-01-31T11:15:00.005-06:00

i recently refinished some baby furniture for a client. this furniture was purchased from a friend. since a girl is on the way, we wanted an antique white finish to replace the heavy espresso finish.

before

and after

i love the detail work in this furniture. the distressed finish allows the beautiful espresso undertones to peek through...
remember the original hardware? i loved the brassy look, but wanted crystal to capture a bit more feminine flare. look what i found. crystal with the same brassy finish...perfect!

hope everyone has a great week!

daily candy and abby's room

2011-01-19T06:00:00.002-06:00

do you guys read daily candy? you totally should. it's full of good stuff...like linde browning design!! check out the article they did on my biz here.

on another note, i painted baby abby's (not to be confused with abbe...abbe has babies, but is not a baby. you get the idea) name on the wall in her room recently.

before, missing a sweet custom painted nameafter, now isn't that sweet. i pulled all of the colors from her bedding. they came together juuust right.

i'm no taylor, but at least these pictures aren't off of my iphone.

my camera died after two pics *sigh*. so that will have to do for now.

yeehaaaw

2011-01-14T06:00:00.001-06:00

yeehaaaw! i updated the gallery section of my website. be sure to check it out.

(please note woody's banker hair. it's what makes him irresistible)

Baby Isaac

2011-01-10T06:00:00.001-06:00

i think i might try to blog a little more of my week to week projects. i bought a little point and shoot camera, so this will be the last round of my terrible iphone pics.

last week, i painted baby isaac's name in his room. his mama and daddy were inspired by some other rooms that i have done and tackled the stripe detail on their own. i came in behind them and added the name detail. there is something about seeing the name on the wall that makes things real, and sweet, and special (hint, click on the colored words).

don't forget, by using these letters, you will always have a special piece of baby's first room. simply pull this three dimensional letter off the wall and put it in a shadow box with a piece of fabric from baby's bedding. doesn't get much sweeter.a hall full of shadow boxes, with a swatch of baby bedding and a first initial, sounds pretty sweet to me.

i sure had fun chatting with rowena and helping create a special space for baby isaac.

Mandy's Bathroom

2010-11-08T06:00:00.002-06:00

Here is Mandy's bathroom. We went with a harlequin pattern in yellow and cream. It is very hard to tell from the pictures, but I also painted a floral pattern over the harlequin pattern in a champagne metallic paint. You can see it a little better in some of the detail shots.

The cabinets are glazed in yellow paint.Can yo see the floral detail a little better here? I also attached glass beads between all of the diamonds.

This is one subtle and sophisticated space!

Sarah's Room

2010-11-05T06:00:00.002-05:00

This room was really fun to complete! We wanted to create a teenage girls room that was peaceful, but fun. I love adding in unexpected three dimensional objects into wall treatments. It gives things such a textural, interesting feel.

I also painted these night stands. They came in close to the right color, but not close enough:)

One thing I take note of in this room is the simplicity of the furnishings.

Ashley and Amanda were the masterminds behind all of the furnishings. And as a side note, Amanda makes some AMAZING jewelry!

Owen

2010-11-03T06:00:00.003-05:00

This is Owen's room. I think it turned out pretty cute.

We went with a classic stripe pattern in here, but turned the pattern on it's side for a little more interest. I also love the width of the pattern. People often ask how to determine the appropriate width for a "banding" pattern. For this room, I went a few inches above the door frame molding, and a split the middle of the light switch plate. Things get awkward when patterns line up exactly with fixed objects, like door frames, switch plates...

This piece was a fabulous Craig's List find. One thing I love about this piece is that I can easily see it being used as a serving area in a formal dining room or living area. I loved finding ways to rework pieces throughout my home.

I am a huge fan of crystal knobs on vintage furniture. I think it adds the perfect amount of "fancy" to a refinished piece. Boy mom's, don't be afraid of crystal knobs. Crystal hardware can be manly, too...go for a geometric shape, and crystal knobs will work perfectly in your boy space.It's no secret that I am a huge fan of getting the baby's name displayed somewhere in the room. It adds that perfect, personal touch. And seeing the baby's name in this room made things even more real. I am so glad that I am no longer waiting on precious Owen to arrive!Owen, I hope you make many a memory in this room. I sure had fun praying for you while painting away. You are one adorable lil luv bug!

And just for fun, meet Owen, my sweet nephew:)

Baylie

2010-11-01T06:00:00.002-05:00

This is another project that I completed with my talented friend, Erin. Baylie and Erin found an amazing wall covering that inspired the design for this room. They placed the order and got cracking on everything else. Once almost everything was complete they got the call that the wall covering was not available...nice. Sooooo, Erin called me and I painted this plain wall covering to match the original, detailed, wall covering.

I wish we had an overall shot of the room. This paper is the feature wall. It looks busy here, but in reality it is the perfect touch for this simple, sophisticated space. And is this space fun or what?We wanted to achieve an overall uniform look. For that reason, I created three templates mimicking the pattern work in the original design. Then I placed the templates against the wall in the appropriate spaces and painted through them. I never measure for pattern work...it looks to harsh and "off." I just place the pattern work in the appropriate place and work the overall space as a whole...the wall is my canvas!I think the end result turned out more interesting than the original paper. Thanks, Baylie and Erin for having the vision to see this project through!

Baby Conlon

2010-10-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

This is Baby Conlon's room. Marybeth is a friend of my VERY talented designer friend, Erin! Marybeth wanted a peaceful room for her little one on the way. Erin took care of everything, literally everything, except the walls...that is where I came in. I always enjoy working with Erin, and meeting Marybeth through her was an added bonus.

I was thrilled when the girls told me they had a vision of a painted tree on the wall. I love the symbolism of the tree in the nursery...knowledge, life... I was even more excited that they went for the painted stripes and the idea of the tree changing colors between each stripe. If you look carefully, you will see that the tree gets slightly darker or lighter based on which stripe it is intersecting.The mama and daddy luv birds will watch over Baby Conlon as he sleeps:)See the painted detail changing colors as it passes from the light blue to dark blue stripe? Finding ways to implement subtle transitions really adds interest to a space.Marybeth is keeping Baby Conlon's name a secret until he makes his big debut. Once the name is revealed, we will put hand painted wooden letters inside this "name plate." The letters will be painted in the white and cream colors used in the tree. I will paint them in a vertical stripe pattern, alternating the white and cream.

I also have to address the fact that Marybeth left me square water one day. Little did she know, she was giving me the BEST mid day treat. I mean square water IS the best water...can i get an Amen?? :)

Drake

2010-10-27T06:00:00.001-05:00

This is Drake's room. Kay, Drake's mama, is BFF with my SIL, Leeanne. See how we are all connected? :) Kay is from California and wanted a simple beachy feel. She found the surf board that the name is tacked to and we painted it to match the color scheme she had in mind.

One of my favorite things about this room is that it reads baby and masculine at the same time. That is not always an easy thing to achieve. I also love that this room will grow with baby Drake as he gets way too cool for a nursery. That never happens though, right? Ave, Hank, Owen don't get ANY ideas about growing!

Kay found the round rug that is in the floor. I think it was an excellent choice. Putting an organic shape in with all of the hard lines of our stripes softens things just enough.

The surf board for the name was truly an excellent find. I love that although the surf board was originally bright pink and green, Kay was not afraid to make the purchase! Kay had the vision to spot an excellent piece that fit our overall look, knowing colors can almost always be changed. I also like this piece because it echos our theme in a sophisticated manner. I am all about using found objects and infusing three dimensional elements into two dimensional spaces!

Baby Drake, we hope you get here safe and sound! Can't wait to meet you.

Hudson

2010-10-25T11:32:00.007-05:00

I really wish I had a picture of Hudson at the top of this post. Hudson is by far the cutest part of this room. Imagine huge blue eyes, bleached blond curls and a little voice that says "hi!" when you walk in the room. So cute! This room was for my client, and now friend, Casey. She wanted a blue and brown theme.

I added a touch of metallic paint to portions of the brown detailing. The light will catch it just right for subtle interest in the pattern work.

This was a fun twist on a traditional stripe pattern. Something as simple as adding scallops to a stripe can turn an often seen design into something custom and special. I was so sad when this project was complete. I became spoiled rotten working with someone I developed a fast friendship with.

Enjoy your Monday!

PS Please visit Taylor at Barefeetcreative.com to drool over more of her fabulous photography! Thank you, Taylor for sharing your talent with me.

Paxton's Bathroom

2010-10-21T09:53:00.006-05:00

This is Paxton's bathroom. She is at that fun little tween age. She wanted something fun and fresh. I think we managed to do that.

A bathroom is a great place to take a risk. If you are a lover of color, but afraid to have color in your home...have fun infusing color in your bathroom. You and your guests won't be spending tons of time in this area. I think people expect something fun in an often small space.

Adding a turquoise glaze infuses a traditional touch, custom glazing, in a more modern way.I love that even the ceiling is engaged in this space.The pictures don't quite to this justice, but synthetic glitter is hand blown into the paint to add a little extra sparkle, like in the chandelier.Thank you Taylor for taking pictures of some recent work. More updates to come...

Someone else please tell me you didn't know this...

2010-08-03T12:54:00.006-05:00

I can't believe I didn't know this glorious furniture painting tip! I cannot tell you how many pieces of oil base painted furniture I have sanded to the bone. And if you have done that before you know, it is no small task! I only paint with latex products to preserve my health and the health of my clients. I use a glossy polyurethane if I want the deep luster look of oil based paint. All that to say, am I the only one who didn't know that you can paint any piece of furniture with oil based primer and then follow it with oil OR latex paint? Not sure how I missed that, but am pretty sure it will shave years off my life. Thought it was worth sharing. So, if you have a fabulous vintage piece to refinish, you can hit it with oil based primer and then paint away with that safe latex, non toxic non VOC paint!

And while we are at it. Look at this cutie pie room I have been designing. These paisleys will be gigantic. Maybe three to a wall.

I feel the need to preface this next statement with the fact that I buy all organic, no hormone added, no dye added food from Newflower Farmer's Market. However, tomorrow is Whataburger's Bday and if you wear orange you get a free burger. Just sayin.

It's coming...

2010-08-02T10:11:00.005-05:00

The date has been set. Taylor's little fingers may fall off. I have (finally!) booked Taylor to come shoot a bunch of recent work so that I can do another six week series of updates. I know you are all losing sleep over the lack of work posted lately. The last Friday in September is the day! Prepare yourselves for baby nurseries, furniture, model homes and pictures galore!

Until then here is a project in the works and a television cabinet.

before

after

I have been on a kids' room kick lately. Let me tell ya, it has been fun! I had to send pictures of this to a designer friend and thought I would share them. Typically I rip these out of my book and let the home owners hang on to them during the deicsion making process. So, I thought I would share them since I actually had them. I am so excited about this project. I love a modern twist on a traditional idea.

if you are wondering, she has chosen option#2 for her baby's (secret, to be revealed at birth, my kinda woman) name. i chose drew as a stand in.

Last, I feel compelled to share with anyone in driving distance of DFW about these delicious babies being on sale today. Go wait in line. It is so worth it. Just don't mix your cookies. Or your wife will want to toss her cookies.

Happy Monday!

canvas

2010-03-30T06:00:00.001-05:00

remember those canvases from a while back? they asked me to add in two more. here they are all together!

2010-03-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

this $30 craig's list dresser needed some serious love!

the old, not so beautiful hardware

after.

i filled in all of the detail work on the dresser. i wanted a nice smooth surface with no detail since i added the bold stripes.

don't you love those built in polka dot things!

do you guys ever shop at tjmaxx home goods? you should check it out. i got the lamps there for a steal!

with a name as cute as hank, it has to be on the wall!

the bedding was our jumping off point!

and there you have it. some of the details in hank's room! here is a tip for you! go ahead and buy enough fabric to make a duvet out of your crib fabric. then all you have to do when baby transitions is move them to a big bed and use the fabric you have to make a duvet that matches the room. this way you can get at least 5+ years out of their sweet nursery!

Hank

2010-03-24T10:02:00.007-05:00

my sister does this really fun thing when she has her babies. i get to know the gender of the baby so that i can do the room, while the gender is a secret to everyone else! wohooo! this is the best of both worlds(for me anyway)because her room is ready to go when baby gets home, but she still gets to be surprised when the baby is born.

to start, we pick out a boy and girl fabric that we like. i develop concepts that i like from there, and then i create the room that is the correct gender. fun!

here are the results for hank!

before

after

before

after

before

after

before

after

we came a long way! i'll post some detail shots in another post this week.

canvas and dresser

2010-02-25T09:15:00.011-06:00

here is a quick post for ya! i did these canvases for a little girl and little boy room. the little girl wanted a whimsical chandelier canvas and another that coordinated. the little boy wanted a canvas that was mainly gray and had their school logo and mascot in it (the R shape in the circle and the yellow jackets). and the boy canvases needed to be sophisticated instead of like a poster. oh, and the dresser below had an unfortunate "mural" on it. so, i painted that out, put new hardware on it and silver leafed it.

here is what i came up with:

girls

boys

dresser

Anyone else looking forward to the weekend? Have a great Thursday!

Caroline Jane

2010-02-09T06:00:00.001-06:00

i recently did a dresser for caroline jane, yet to make her entry into the world. her momma is crazy about pink and brown and full of good ideas. here is what we came up with.

before:

after:

there are three drawers behind the center door. so much storage!

a couple (fuzzy) detail shots

these mirrors came with the dresser, so i refinished them, also.

and last, my trusted assistant on the project.

have a good week!

heirloom piece

2010-02-02T06:00:00.000-06:00

ahhh, one of my loves. i LOVE getting to work on family pieces. this piece was in the owners' baby rooms when her kids were little. it has managed to stick around her house over the years. the home owner was inspired by blue, age and pattern. what a fun concept. here are the results:

i forgot to take before pictures. here we are in progress:

then i added a little more detail to the front for the finishing touch:

and damask to the side. i've always loved damask print:

and there you have it:

hand painted letters

2010-01-28T06:00:00.001-06:00

I am constantly telling clients about hand painted letters. They are great for kids rooms and nurseries. I encouraged my sister to have them in her baby boy's room so that she will have a piece of her firstborn's nursery with her forever. After Avery is too cool for hand painted letters in his room (gulp), Abbe can have the first letter of his hand painted letters framed in a shadow box and a little plaque made with his birthday and name. How cute would it be to have a hallway of framed letters and birthdays reminding you of the first room your little babies stayed in? Personally, I wouldn't mind having an entire hallway full (hehehe!) Here are some I've done recently.

I made these letters for my friend, Molly, and her little muffin, Titus.

This precious picture was taken by the fabulous, Rachel Debell. Check her out!

These are Walkers. Walker is the sharpest dressed man I know!

Betsy Marie took these photos. She specializes in maternity, newborn and children. Soooo talented! Be sure to visit her site also.

These are Owens. Dear Owen, please hurry and get here. Aunt Linde is dying to meet you!!

bachelor chair gets some love

2010-01-26T06:00:00.001-06:00

The Mr. and I didn't have much between the two of us when we got married in the furniture department. The Mr. brought along this gem.

I loved the shape, but the white pleather cushions were yuck, as was the chipping finish. I sanded and restained the wood, and then had the cushions recovered. I am a huge fan of Amy Butler and her fabric designs. I decided to go with something simple, and to rely on throw pillows (to be purchased) to change things up.

If you live in the DFW area and need a great, affordable seamstress, let me know. I use three that are fabulous!

dresser

2010-01-21T06:00:00.001-06:00

Here is a before and after for you.

Nice white dresser with beautiful shape! Think storage...

after

This client wanted a clean, streamline look. I typically start with a light base and add darker detail. However, I thought dark with simple light accents, would give a cleaner more simplified look. The darker base is a touch on the masculine side, too.

Enjoy!

Whoooo Me?

2010-01-19T06:00:00.004-06:00

Hey everyone! I have decided that I will be a quarterly updating blogger. I have ten posts that will run twice a week for the next five weeks. I love to journal, but never want to turn my computer on at the end of the day to blog, so I think this system will work. Hope you guys enjoy and are inspired (kidding!) over the next few weeks.

I recently made these onsies for my SIL's shower. Her husband wanted owl's in the nursery, and I felt bad that I didn't end up putting any in there so I decided a onsie was in order. If you can draw some shapes, and iron on some wonder under you are in business. Super easy and personal. I have to say, it is a little weird giving family stuff you make. It kind of feels like, here is my 4 grade art project, but we are going with it.

The Owl

Whoooo me?

When Jeff and I were dating, I went on a trip with his family to Florida. I was in the car with his whole family driving (for 10 hours). We kept passing nail salons that all had the same name (Nails by so and so). Steve, Jeff's dad, had the kids all go around and say what their nail salon would be. We heard more things like Nails by So and So. I was on the spot and got nervous. When it got to me I said the first thing that came to mind and had the word nails in it. Out came, "Snails." Uggggggg! Jeff followed it up by saying my salon would specialize in speedy service. Nice:) So, the second onsie commemorates Aunt Linde's genius comments, or lack there of.

Hope you guys have a good Tuesday!

Back in Action!

2009-09-17T15:13:00.004-05:00

After getting some good time with family

Celebrating this

And just taking a break from things, I am back in action.

I'll start posting soon with a little bit of what I've been up to in the design world!

Stumped

2009-08-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

Ever get STUMPED about what to do with a specific area in your home? ME TOO! The hubs and I recently got a king size bed. My mom told me over and over before I got married that wiggle worm + tall husband = king size bed. Well, turns out she is SO right! I was sleeping on the couch about three nights a week and then on the floor when the couch hurt my back, so we finally caved. When our new bed arrived we realized we needed to move it to the adjacent wall for everything to fit. With the new arrangement, I lost room for a bed side table. What to do? I am not up for buying anything new because we are renting, and I want to wait to invest in pieces that I know will have a more permanent home. Soooo, I got to thinking and looking for inspiration, and came up with this... a STUMP.

(please excuse the mattress on the floor. i am almost finished refinishing our now converted (from a queen to king) head board)

**It does look completely ridiculous when you have a STUMP in the back seat of your car when taking your bestie to the airport. AND, the hubs just sighs when I call to say that their might be a tree STUMP in the back seat of the car. But, it is so worth it.**

I saw these STUMPs in different catalogues. Don't buy these babies, go get em from the curb! Just wait until beloved bulk trash day and you will have tons of options....ahhhh bulk trash day.....

And as a side note, lift with yo back not yo knees (i just looked up a link to put here with the "you can do it put your back into it" song. not appropriate. just sing the appropriate version in your head here. and don't stop get it get it until you finish singing the whooooole song:))

Good luck finding creative solutions to the areas that STUMP you in your home.

Walker

2009-08-04T14:30:00.006-05:00

Lulu is one of my dearest friends from long, long ago! She was my first friend when I moved to Tyler. This sweet girl who was willing to be friends with a dorky girl from Plano sure allowed me many fun memories. She is expecting her first sweet boy this October. (And as a side note, Walker is her maiden name and will now be the first name of her first born boy-can't get any cuter!)

Here is the $30 Craig's List treasure BEFORE:

And the changing table/dresser for baby Walker AFTER:

Now we just have to wait on the sweet boy to get here!

Happy Tuesday!

Katie

2009-07-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

This week I got to work on a room for Katie. Katie is 7 and is getting a new room! Her mom painted the room yellow, bought new bedding, and hung a few shelves. She wanted me to paint something in Katie's room. When I met with her she said that she wanted something small but significant. I thought that was a great way to put it. I have done several of these name/monogram with painted detail lately. It is a really great way to add a significant, special touch to a room, without investing in the entire room. Here you have it.

Katie's yellow room, new bedding and shelves before we add in the hand painting.

Day 1 progress (Shelf inserts complete. Katie can tack up pictures of her friends in the padded shelf inserts. Hand painted detail in progress)

And Day 2, the finished product. I should mention that Katie LOVES softball. We added in a subtle softball theme to the painted detail to highlight her current interest. However, if Katie later decides softball is not her thing, all we have to do is paint out the tone on tone stitches and they will just be polka dots. Who doesn't love some polka dots?

Happy almost weekend!!

Family Dinner

2009-07-08T11:00:00.001-05:00

Did you guys grow up eating family dinner around the table? We sure did. It was very rare for us to eat out, and the phone and television definitely did not make an appearance during dinner time. We had some good conversations, memories (and maybe a couple of throw downs) growing up eating around the dinner table.

The table below belonged to my client's grand parents. It is an old farm table that I guarantee is FULL of memories. Projects like this are inspiring. It is cool to see an old piece transform, instead of dying out. AND, it reminds me to get my buns in the kitchen so that we can enjoy a good meal together!

Okay, okay. I guess we need a recipe if we are talking food. I would never claim to be a good cook, but I try. I have no shame tossing a nasty meal and chowing down on frozen M&Ms instead. When I made the recipe below I stopped mid bite and asked the hubs if he felt like he was eating at a restaurant! It was so tasty I imagined myself paying money to eat it. Ahhhhhh, satisfaction:)

Shrimp (or scrimp as some call it) Scampi

1 t minced garlic

l t olive oil

1/2 t oregano, 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t pepper

1/2 lb fresh peeled shrimp

1/4 c white cooking wine,

1 t cornstarch,

2 c cooked linguini

saute garlic in olive oil for 1 min over medium heat. add shrimp, oregano, salt and pepper and saute 4 min. reduce heat to simmer. combine wine, cornstarch and add to shrimp. simmer until sauce thickens. divide shrimp and sauce into two portions and serve each over 1 cup pasta.

No pictures of the meal, just the mouth of approval!

Have a good one!

Before and After

2009-07-06T06:00:00.002-05:00

I found a blog recently that features before and after photos every so often. I have become quite a fan of checking them out. Everyone thinks that working with a designer or artist has to cost the big bucks. While it is true that you can go all out and create a really detailed space that would be more expensive, you can just as easily use an unattractive dresser out of an old room or from a garage sale to make something special. Here are a couple of examples.

Okay, no grief for the pictures below. I haven't had a chance to professionally shoot them, yet. This dresser cost $50 at Good Will. The baby's name wasn't decided at the time. Now that MARY CLAIRE (preshy name!) is here, her monogram will be added to the top. I also installed this hardware on all of the drawer fronts. Her momma put a changing pad on the top of the dresser so that it can double as a changing table in the mean time.

I think you've seen this dresser before. Here is the before and after anyway:)

Can you tell which pictures are from my little point and shoot and which pictures are from Taylor? Me niether:)

Left One Out :(

2009-07-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

I accidentally left out this fire place. She was SO fun towork on. I even got to incorporate copper leafing. Oh how I love you gold, silver and copper leafing!

This is the fire place from the adjacent room. It is what the fireplace below looked like before I gave it some love. It is obviously a different piece, this is just what the stone looked like before.

Happy 4th again!

Fire place

2009-07-02T13:14:00.005-05:00

I am working on a fire place pretty quick which reminded me of these old treasures. Talk about bang for your buck! These two home owners transformed a dull cast stone fire place and a pink stone fire place with a special finish. They kept the original charm, but added some fresh flair:)

Happy 4th of July!

The 3 Day Walk

2009-06-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

I want to let you guys know that I am walking the 3 Day Walk for breast cancer with my family! My mother lost her mom to breast cancer when she was 18. Her mom was 47. My dad lost his mom to breast cancer when he was 30. His mom was 52. My Grandma Faye is a breast cancer survivor. I am thrilled to raise 2,300 to help promote research to end this terrible disease. Each participant is required to raise the full 2,300 in order to participate in the race(They ain't playin about fighting breast cancer!!). The three Day will consist of walking a total of 65 miles over the course of three consecutive days. I have a dear family friend who walked this race 2 years ago. She gave me some great advice. She committed before the race that she would finish no matter what. This would be her way of honoring the lives lost, and the people who work hard to fight cancer in the present and the future. She literally fought through blisters bleeding through two pairs of socks and her shoes to walk every step of the race. I, too, am dedicated to walking every single step of this race to honor my family members and the people who choose to give their personal time and money to help find a cure for this disease.

I am surprised by the training (and my lack endurance, shesh!). I am hoping that the discipline of training will bleed over to other areas of my life and produce some goooood fruit!

There is a button on the side bar of my blog if you would like to donate. This will be a really exciting, challenging journey for my family. I will definitely let you know how it goes.

Have a great weekend!

Bedding

2009-06-24T14:15:00.001-05:00

I met my friend the other day to help her pick out some bedding. I have had several friends stumped at what to do when buying bedding with registries a

nd such. So, here you have it...my ideas on bedding. Just what you wanted I am sure:)

I generally opt for a neutral duvet or comforter (Just like Stacy and Clinton say on What Not To Wear, neutral does NOT have to mean white. Neutral can be gray, metallic, khaki...). My reasoning behind a neutral duvet with patterned sheets is that sheets can be easier and cheaper to change than a duvet or comforter. You can generally find high quality, cute sheets pretty much anywhere! I like to fold the duvet down at the foot of the bed and let the fun patterned sheets do their thang! Don't get me wrong, I love pattern and color and am not afraid of a cute patterned duvet or comforter, BUT this is another option that has served me well. Also, remember to put the top sheet on your bed "inside out" if you want the pattern to show when you fold the sheet back.

Some fun neutral duvet covers

Some fun patterned sheets

Have fun mixing and matching different styles and textures.

Happy middle of the week!

Mmmmmmmetallics

2009-06-15T12:00:00.001-05:00

I am loving the metallic trend!

You can find me wearing these

or these

or these.

And wishing I was carrying any one of these.

And painting with these

If you haven't tried these metallic paints you are missing out. I love Modern Masters Metallic Paints, specifically. Warm Silver, Anitique Bronze, and Smoke have become instant favorites! They are SO easy to use. They brush on to practically any surface. This is a great way to spruce up

an unfortunate chandelier

or some garage sale dining room chairs that fall apart almost every time the hubs sits in them.

I have used metallic paints in formal spaces, dining areas, and even baby Hudson's nursery.

Don't miss out on the mmmmmmetallics!

And P.S. remember the demi-john/glass jug crave I was telling you about? I gave in...or mom helped me give in:) Gotta love a good thrift store find. Treasures are worth the hunt, I tell ya. (I am going to put a branch in here soon, just haven't made it that far yet)

Love it

2009-06-09T13:22:00.005-05:00

I found a new designer that i LOVE, and want to share her website with you.

www.jhinteriordesign.com

Make sure to take time to browse her portfolio...you will definitely be inspired!

She features these demi-johns in most of her rooms (demi-johns are the glass jugs on the floor in the back right of the picture below). I am now on the hunt! These glass jugs look great on the floor next to a great chair or fireplace, on a dining table, empty, with water, or with water and branches in them. Enjoy my latest obsession!

Ava

2009-06-02T14:48:00.000-05:00

I went home for Memorial Day. My parents live on the lake and had their second annual Memorial Day Party over the weekend. They had some of their friends from church out for dinner and to play in the water. I saw some friends I haven't seen in a while! One family I saw is the McCowns. This is where Ava comes into play. Back when I first started the business the McCown's let me work on their son Corbin's room. This was really helpful at the time. It allowed me to get some good photos for my fresh out of college portfolio:) They later hired me to work on Ava's room. In the McCown family you get a new room when you turn 5. They don't worry too much about the rooms before then. They hit this transitional age, make the room special, and have a great room for the majority of the child's years at home. Sounds pretty great if you ask me!

They already had her bedding, so we worked from there. Here are the results. By the way, my Dad loves the before and after pictures of people who have terrible teeth and then get them fixed. In his honor, here are some before and after pictures of Ava's room:)

BEFORE

AFTER

Happy Tuesday.

Christopher

2009-06-01T14:19:00.006-05:00

Transportation!

I met the Scherer Family a while back. They have some CUTE kids! I worked in their son and daughter's bedroom and bathroom. My sister always complains that there are way more "girl" things than "boy" things as far as clothes and decor so I am starting with Christopher.

Christopher wanted a room with a transportation theme, so that is what we did!

The stripes on the wall mimic the road we travel on!

I refinished all of Christopher's furniture from his baby nursery so that it could transition into his new big boy room. All of the maps that are on the drawer fronts are from some of the family's favorite travel spots.

Hope everyone has a great week!

My Favorite Giraffe

2009-05-13T14:52:00.000-05:00

So a little over a year ago, my sister had a sweet baby boy. BUT the story gets better. When Abbe found out that she was preggers, she decided that she wanted to wait until she delivered to find out the gender of the baby. This is where the fun begins. Abbe had her nurse write down the sex of the baby on a card and gave it to me. I got to be the only person to know if Avery was Avery Blake or Avery Kate before he was born. It was really fun. I was in charge of getting the nursery together for Abbe. She wanted to be in the loop with what things were going to look like, but did not want to know whether she was having a boy or girl. This gave me the idea to do a giraffe nursery. Khaki and cream could be the main colors and gender nuetral. This way Abbe could be involved in the bulk of what was going on in her nursery, and watch the progress of things . I selected fabric for a girl and boy and then told her I would either add pink and orange accents for a girl, or lime green and blue accents for a boy. The plan was for me to finish everything but the accent colors about a month before her due date, and then to add in the final, gender determining, touches right before her due date. Since she delivered a month early, we didn't get quite that far along in the process ahead of time, but we did get a finished product eventually:)

This dresser belonged to my Papa who passed away a couple of Christmas' ago. It is so fun to have a special heirloom treasure to incorporate. Some of our very favorite memories are with Papa!

Abbe loves her some monograming! This is a fun idea. After Avery outgrows his room and is way too cool to have his name on the wall, Abbe can take the "A" from his name and put it in a shadow box in the hall to remember his first room. I think this will be really sweet one day to have a wall of shadow boxes with all your baby's first room momentos.

And a sweet picture of my very favorite giraffe:) Such a cutie! If this boy ever turns up missing, don't check Aunt Linde's house! There is no way I would ever snatch this kid, nope not even a chance;)

Happy Wednesday (AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABBE!!)

Black is Back

2009-05-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

I am so thrilled that the color black is making a come back! While a sweet baby girl in pink and brown will always be adorable, I am glad to have something with a little "kick" reappear. The color black adds great accents to any space.

I have talked to several frustrated clients when they go to a paint store to grab some black paint and see the sea of "black" swatches. They walk away so annoyed, and with a greenish/blueish/blackish quart of paint. I thought I would share my favorite black with you. I have used this for client's cabinetry, moldings, and furniture. I have also used this color to help all of my personal mis match furniture coordinate.

So there you have it! Here is my favorite black in action. Tricorn Black SW 6285

Denim N' Diamonds

2009-05-04T13:16:00.000-05:00

I have a former client, Holly, who asked me to donate to her kids' school district fund raiser. With a name like "Denim N' Diamonds" how can you resist? My hubby is not from Texas and said that "Denim N' Diamonds" is the perfect fund raiser name for Texas women. I think he is picturing some Texas Mommas:)

One of my very favorite things to do is to bring new life into something old. Of course refinishing heirloom pieces is most special to me when I know their story, but regardless it is a treat. I love to hit the Canton Trade Days and McKinney Trade Days to search for old treasures with potential.

I found this beaut in McKinney. My good friend Rachel braved the TERRIBLE weather with me to find this piece (gotta love a fine mist in the air...feels just like a sneeze!)

When painting for auctions I try to think of something fairly neutral so that it will fit the current style and color scheme of a wide variety of clients. Denim N' Diamonds is supporting children's education, so I painted a piece that could easily go in a child's room. I think the piece will fit in a bath or entry area as well.

I did a subtle tone on tone giraffe print with gold leaf detailing.

Gotta love some good old giraffe print. I mean, animal print is sooo cute! I had a killer leopard vest in 6th grade (it was even fuzzy when you touched it), and I bought a leopard print gift bag for my mom's birthday this year. I think the prints, in some way or another, are going the distance!

Good luck to Holly and everyone associated with the auction!

Party Favors

2009-04-28T16:35:00.000-05:00

I love throwing parties and I LOVE making cutie party favors. One of my very closest friend's is expecting a sweet baby girl, and some good friends and I could not help but throw a party. I was inspired by a gift idea I saw recently and decided to make these fun party favors for Baby Maci.

Okay, here is the run down. First I bought these cute little "buttons" on a free standing cube thing at Michaels Craft Store. They were a bargain. A group of 24 cost less than $5. This came in handy later because we were only expecting a handful of guests. I got to be choosy about which prints I liked since I had more than enough pieces. I placed a glittery letter on the top of each piece. I bought these in the sticker section of Michaels as well. I used the letter "M" to represent Baby Maci, the letter "S" to represent the Shaw Family (Maci's mom and Dad), and the letter "L" to represent Maci's mom's first name. This allowed me to maximize my use of one packet of letters.

Next I put a small hole in the top of each piece. I lightly tapped a nail with a hammer on the front and backside of the top of each piece (don't forget to put something underneath while you hammer, or to hammer over a surface that won't mind inheriting an indention). Then, I went to my local hardware store and bought these little key rings. I liked that they weren't as stiff and big as normal key rings. I threaded them through the top of each piece.

And there you have it. These are cute little key rings. I encouraged each guest to pray for this sweet family and the little one they are expecting according to the letter on their key ring (people with "m" pray for Maci, people with "s" pray for the Shaws...). Hopefully they will see the key ring daily and pray for this sweet family daily!

P.S. And if you are making a party favor for a sweet baby girl, you might as well wrap a tiny party favor in a tiny pink box:) You can get the tiny pink boxes at Hobby Lobby.