Happy 4th!

This year, we're celebrating the 4th of July from our nation's capital!

image from j_du on flickr

Mood board

I've recently become addicted to This Young House and the mood boards they create for their readers' decorating dilemnas. I've wanted to revamp my family room for a few months now, and I thought the best way to get started would be with my own version of a mood board!

When I took a style design quiz a few months ago, I realized that I was attracted to lighter, more neutral walls, with pops of color (mostly blues, as apparently, I am "inspired by the sea"). With my yellow walls and red and green accents, there was no room for blue. So a couple of weeks ago, my parents came over and helped me slap some neutral paint on the walls to create a a lighter and more sophisticated look that would allow me to bring in some blue.

As I posted last week, here is what my family room looked like a couple of weeks ago.

I've already bought a few things but I want to wait till the room is completely finished to post my official "after" pictures. But here is the mood board I created with items that inspire me, and to help me know what I am looking for when I go shopping.

Clockwise from top left:

Fan: Our current fan is such an eyesore. It hangs too low, and it's kind of clunky. I like the simplicity and brushed nickel of the fan pictured and also this fan.

Shell and coral: Since I am "inspired by the sea" I thought it would be fun to bring in a couple of beachy accessories that would play off that. Something like this clam shell and coral would be just the right touches.

Assorted blue vases with orange accents: just a couple of decorative accessories with the soft blue color and a punch of orange. That color combo is one of my favorites, and just a few pops of orange will add some interest, but won't be too overwhelming.

Chair: unfortunately, this is probably one thing on my mood board that won't come to fruition. Hubster is pretty attached to our rusty red chair given to us by his grandfather, and while he has been pretty easy about most of my decor changes, this is one area he just won't budge. But I included it anyway because my mood board also serves as my wish list. [I'm a bad blogger because I can't remember where this chair is from, so I can't link to it.]

Rug: I've already ordered and received this rug from Overstock.com, and I have to say, it was a little nerve-racking for me. I already have a problem with second-guessing myself, and ordering something without seeing it in person is even scarier! But the colors are perfect and the rug looks great with the couch, coffee table, and tile.

Console table: I would love to replace our entertainment center with a sleek table like this that would also provide storage. I would even prefer a table with shelves and drawers all the way down to the floor to maximize storage. A very big bonus would be a new flat screen tv to sit on the table, but it's not my top priority.

Pillows: Another easy place to bring in some color, especially a pop of orange. I've already bought the blue and brown pillows, but now I'm keeping an eye out for the right orange pillows. The one pictured is $60, which is way too expensive for me.

Plant: I'd like to add a couple of cute plants around the family room with some cheapy pots from Ikea.

Hourglasses: I just love these tabletop hourglasses. They are so unique, and pull in just a little bit more green that I have in the rug and in the plants

Glass lamp: this might be my favorite item on the board. One of the best places to go for lamps is Home Goods. I found a beautiful glass lamp on clearance for $50, when it would have normally been $250. It's not the exact lamp pictured, but it has the same rectangle lampshade. [Again, bad blogger, no link.]

So what do you think? I don't know how long it will take to completely redecorate, but hopefully I will be able to post pictures soon!

Lavender

Although lavender is one of my favorite colors (hence the name of this blog), I
have never decorated with it. These images inspire me to try one day.

from Delight by Design
(madeline weinrib, house beautiful, decor pad via dwellings
and decor, apartment therapy, shannon fricke, unknown)

Travel Tuesday - SkyMiles Shopping

Online shopping is so easy these days, and it's even better when you feel like you're getting something for free. I signed up for Delta SkyMiles Shopping a few weeks ago and have received nearly 1,000 miles for making regular purchases.

SkyMiles Shopping has almost every retailer you can think of...not just the places that you'll never order from like 1-800-Flowers, but places like Target, Home Depot, and Nordstrom.

For Father's Day, I sent my dad and father-in-law some Omaha steaks, burgers and hot dogs. Before ordering, I checked SkyMiles Shopping and found that Omaha Steaks was offering 6 miles per dollar! I've also ordered some shoes from Nike.com and a rug from Overstock.com for 2 miles per dollar. Pretty good for items I would have purchased anyway.

Just start your shopping experience at SkyMilesShopping.com, and then click on the retailer you want to shop. Your visit will be tracked, and once the item has shipped, you will receive a confirmation email letting you know how many miles you received. Some retailers even offer specials through SkyMiles, such as free shipping or 20 percent off.

I've been a little obsessive about collecting Delta miles lately, because I really want to take Hubster to Sun Valley, Idaho where American Airlines doesn't fly.

So we can see this:

And do this:

Step up to the plate

I'm one of those weird people who likes to take pictures of my food before I eat it. It's usually with this blog in mind, but now there is another purpose for those random food pics taking up space on my computer.

"Food2.com is seeking the hottest, rising food photographers. Actually, if you like food and have a camera or phone, that will work too."

The Shoot Out is simple...

1) Take a picture tied to food or cocktails. You can submit more than once.
2) Be creative. Catch our eye. [Just be sure you took the photograph.]
3) When the submission phase ends, rock the vote. You and your friends will get a chance to vote on your favorite photos...

I have absolutely no chance of winning, but I submitted a photo for fun. Submissions end today, and voting starts tomorrow.

image of monogrammed cookies from my sister's engagement party

Soft pizazz

I love seeing bold color schemes, and my current favorite is blue and orange. The blue provides some softness while the orange adds a bit of pizazz. Of course it depends if you use pale or bold shades, but I love all combinations!

image from SwirlyHue.com

image from ThisOldHouse.com

"mood board" from ThisYoungHouse.com

Of course let's not get too carried away...

Remodel pics...finally!

So you might remember many, many, many months ago when Hubster and I undertook some major renovations. I posted some before and during photos, but I never did get around to posting the after pictures...which is the best part! Here is a quick look at our family room. We replaced the carpet with ceramic tile, painted the brown trim a crisp white, and removed the wetbar in the corner.

Before

After

We are still loving our new family room. If you have some remodel work, I would highly recommend our contractors at REDO. Give these guys a call for a free bid.

But the work is not done yet. I'm in the middle of redecorating the family room (the yellow walls are a bit bright, don't you think?), so look for a few posts about that next week. What's staying: the pheasant on the fireplace and all the furniture; What I've already done: selected a new color scheme, painted the walls a neutral color, and bought a few items which I will share later; On the immediate to-do list: replace fan and fireplace mantle; On the wish-list: a new chair and flat screen tv. One step at a time...a homeowner's work is never finished, right?

Travel Tuesday - CB2

San Francisco is on my list of the top 5 U.S. cities I want to visit, and now there is another reason for me to plan that trip. I'm pretty sure I'm a little late to the game, but I stumbled upon CB2 a few months ago, and I really like its style and decor. There are only six locations in the country, and one of those is in San Francisco, where Hubster and I hope to go next summer. They also have one in New York (another of my top 5) and two in Chicago, which is my favorite U.S. city.

I think we can make some time to stop in and browse a little.

Some of my favorite items:

Ada Hanging Vase - $6.95

Daisy Pillow - $19.95

Recycled Lantern - $19.95

Cover bride

An image of my sister and her husband is featured on the
summer 2009 cover of DFW Bride & Groom!

Image by Jenny Martell Photography

One year ago today...

...I was boarding a plane for Paris.

and then I was at my favorite spot in the world.

Sigh.