you had to be there

It's warm, sunny and Monday. Two out of three, not bad. How was your weekend? Did you wake up confused as to what day it might be? I did. Bummer when you think for a split second that it is Sunday.

Anyway, as those of you that are long time readers know, I can't go very long without changing things around these parts. It is chronic and there is no end in sight (sorry hubs). But often the changes are small enough that they aren't meaty enough for their very own post. (see, I now remember the word meat)

So I thought I'd gather them up and every once in a while do a little show and share - thus, the birth of 'you had to be there'.

Let's go into the living room, shall we? Don't look at the Barbie's on the floor but turn your eye up. I decided that keeping blue and white platters in a closet is just as bad as putting Baby in a corner. So I've added them above my favorite Pink Pagoda couple.

Since you are already looking up, you may also notice this.

Yes, I'm changing my dining room chandelier again.

We finally have a rug in our bedroom.

The hubs got it for me for Christmas. Which is in December. And it is now April. I know, I know.

This is happening in the entry hall (if you can call it that).

And finally, my ongoing battle with my mantel continues and I've changed it yet again. I pulled out some old sconces that I got at an estate sale way back when and slapped those suckers up. I had always thought I might spray them but I think I like the patina on the brass. And I love my pink candles.

Why yes, that is one of my lovely Indie Mats on the mantel. Good eye! Let it serve as a reminder - this is the last day you can enter to win these lovelies for your own home! Make sure you enter to win!

What about you? Do you move things around your house often? Made any small updates lately?

change up your welcome

Happy second week of March to you! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Mine was pretty top notch. A date, much ORC progress, time with friends and some shopping. Not too shabby for old Elizabeth.

My 'shopping' is really just some quite mommy time on Sunday afternoon's when I walk around my favorite antique shop. I have never once NOT found thousands of dollars worth of goodies and this Sunday was no different. I was instagraming up a storm. I'll share all the goodies another day, but today I wanted to share my favorites.

This bench is my new obsession. It was in PERFECT condition, a great price and had a lovely tortoise shell type original finish. I dreamt about it last night. No lie.

I also found this little gem. A beautiful yellow and more bambo.

As I've chatted about before, I had lovely plans of getting a secretary to act as the new star of my entry. But the more I look the more I fear I won't find something that will fit properly in my tiny little spot. (see it in its current state here)

So the bench got me thinking. Thinking about how nice it would be to have a place for the girls to sit and put on their shoes (and put them away when they get home of course - yeah right). And in the spirit of day dreaming, I did some inspiration boards for an entry with a bench.

Now I'm off to go visit my bench and possibly hang around to make sure no one else touches it.

Ever dreamt about furniture? Have you ever found a piece that made you rethink an entire room? Can you really call a space a room when it has only two walls?

pig in a blanket

I had my sights set on a new secretary for my entry. Not the ‘here is your coffee and you have a call holding on line 2’ type of secretary (are they even called that anymore) but a nice little piece of furniture. It was old, but not too precious that I couldn’t paint or change it up in some way without feeling bad. Character and charm to spare and spots for all the entryway things one needs. Just what I had in mind.

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Except, it was 2 inches too deep. Two. Damn. Inches. I could have stuffed it in and made it work. But it would have been like those tight jeans that you can’t wear sitting down; great for one night and then just a regret in your closet…or basement as the case may be. And really what sense would that make? 

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I had thought it was a take it or leave it piece and I was the tough cookie who would walk away if we couldn’t get it for the right price. But those extra two inches rejected me before I could reject it. And now that it is for sure not coming home with me, I feel a new obsession to find its replacement.

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Something even better. 

I’m going to show those two inches I can live a happy wonderful life without them. I will survive.

Do you have a piece that got away? Have you ever had a design idea that was perfect in your head but never worked out in real life? Do you know anyway to move a wall two inches without having to make structural changes?

2013 goals

Ok, I know. I'm a little late to the party. And you are probably rolling your eyes to have to look at yet another New Year's list, but I've got to create some accountability here people. If I don't put this list out into the great big interwebs, it will become part of the long list of things that never get done. I need to be able to look you in the eye after all.

After my success with my 2012 goal list I find it best to keep this suckers short manageable. So I'll keep this short and sweet.

1. Entry refresh. It is really too small to be considered a foyer and "entry" is even pushing it, but whatever it is it needs a kick in the pants. The hubs and my dad hung the wallpaper the first summer we were in the house and it is pretty beat up. I also need more storage...somehow. A head scratcher.

2. Sew something. Anything. I've got the sewing machine, it's the whole using the sewing machine thing that is getting in my way. Just to figure out how to spool the thread is a challenge for me. Don't judge. I'm just not a patient person. So the goal is to sew myself a pillow at the very least. 12 months to sew a pillow. I'm pushing myself for greatness, aren't I?

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3. The girls' room. It's almost time for Eve to move into her big girl bed, so it is the perfect time to start from scratch. Hopefully I can make these bossy clients happy.

4. Bathroom redo. All cosmetics. Not the lipstick kind, but the paint kind. I'm over the color(s) in there and something needs to change. Pinterest and I have been consulting on this already. Now if I could just narrow it down to one idea...

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5. Open my little black door a little more. Did you know I have a growing design business? Of course you don't, how could you? I don't talk about it much. That will change, in a good way. More to come.

So there is my top 5 for the year. Officially out there. And I already feel behind. No turning back now, you've read it after all. Have you planned for any big changes this year? Any new adventures?