Apartment Therapy's Home Cure

Apartment Therapy's Fall Home Cure started Monday, but I'm a little late joining the bandwagon.

This season's cure is specifically designed for those of us with busy lives, so it will be perfect for me this time of year. Each task takes just 20 minutes a day, and the cure lasts for 20 days. Anyone going to join?

Monday's task was to floor and surface clean 1 room. I actually did this in the kitchen on Sunday, but I'm not going to count it! So tonight I'm going to clean either the living/dining room or our bedroom. I haven't decided yet.

Tuesday's task was to buy fresh flowers. Luckily, I already have a shopping trip planned tonight, so I'll stop in the grocery store in the shopping center and pick up a bunch.

Today's task is to find inspirational photos for my home. I already have a folder full of these, but I might stop by the bookstore to flip through some magazines and add some additional images I hunt down tonight. Either way, I'll be posting some of my finds tonight or tomorrow.

There are a lot of great tasks coming up (remove one unneeded item and set up my outbox, establish a landing strip, and declutter my medicine cabinet, all sorely needed!).

So is anyone else up for the Fall Cure? You can sign up and see all the tasks here!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Sure, we may not have bought our Halloween candy yet, and the high may be 91 today, but guess what.

There's only 75 days to Christmas!

It's been two years since my grandma had to feed me at Thanksgiving, so the questions on what I can eat started a few weeks ago. Then I thought about how fast Christmas will come after that. It's just around the corner, really!

So here's what I'm hoping to find under the tree on Christmas morning (if they'll fit!)

First, I've had my eye on this big wooden ampersand since I saw it on Door Sixteen (I think).



But at $125 plus $25 shipping, that's a little rich for my blood, even if someone else might be paying! But you can get custom unpainted letters from Woodland Manufacturing in your choice of font (the one on etsy is Helvetica, I'm almost positive). For the size of the one on etsy, I'd pay only $48.85 including shipping. I already have matte black paint from the fireplace, but wouldn't t be gorgeous stained a deep wood tone? Hmmmmmm.....

I want to hang it to the left of the fireplace. I think it will be the perfect thing once we find a low storage piece for that side.

And speaking of storage. I'm really digging the IKEA PS Cabinet in red.



At $99, it's a phenomenal deal. And I think the pop of red would look great with our new wall color. I think the touch of metal would bring a new texture to all the wood in our living room.

Still on my list from last year is the Manzanita Candelabra from West Elm.



And I would love to snuggle up under this handknit throw in Platinum.



And while we're on West Elm, their Christmas decor this year has me swooning. We scored a new tree on clearance last year, and it's a natural tree with pinecones, so we're going for a certain look. West Elm's ornaments make me want to go on a buying spree. Some highlights:






Another great gift would be to reupholster/repair my $3 chair. I've already got the fabric, below, but I've got plenty of other things to spend the $300 on.



I definitely wouldn't mind finding this yellow desk lamp under the tree. I love the classic design with the unexpected color.



Even though I know none of my friends or family will indulge my unhealthy tea towel obsession, I would love one of these French inspired towels from Our Workshop.



Of course I have some non-home related items on my list too.

I have my eye on some original Hunter boots, but I can't decide between the classic hunter green or this gorgeous aubergine.



I'm also in love with these Britten boots from J. Crew, but they are waaay too expensive. I guess a girl can dream.



Also from J. Crew, I'm really itching for these.

Silk and wool ruffle shell




Ruffled jersey dress



Dream draped V-sweater



But in real life, I rarely wear J Crew stuff, so I know I should go back to my first love, GAP.

I want to wear this cap sleeve dress with textured gray tights and a cardigan all winter long.



And this navy and red skirt is calling me.



And from GAP, I'd be happy to add to my weekday uniform stash. Always Skinny jeans (plus I'd like to try the Real Straight fit), scoopneck or crewneck Favorite Ts (or vintage Ts), embellished tanks, and cardigans.

And something that's been on my list for a while, I'm still dying for a Sharon Montrose print (or three). I'd love a 17x22, but at $350, I just can't. Instead, a grouping of two or three (or just one!) 7x9 images would be wonderful.

My favorite by far (at this moment) is the baby goat.



But I also LOVE the baby deer



And the porcupine.



These can be framed with West Elm's 14x17 gallery frames, which I would love in white.

So that's what I'm hoping to unwrap this Christmas morning. Am I the only one working on the list and shopping this early? Or am I just crazy?

AWOL

I'm not even sure when the last time I posted was, but I've been so busy at work that I've barely had time to come up for air, much less work on any projects. I think since I last posted, the only thing I've done is touch up the fireplace. The touch-ups really sharpened the whole look and Brett is totally on board with the black fireplace now.

Unfortunately, we have some very bad news here at the Clueless Home. Last week, we unexpectedly found out that our Weenie Man had a tumor in his little belly. It was just too much for his little body, and we had to put him to sleep on Friday. We will miss him so much, but we're relieved that his pain has been lifted. In his too short life, he touched us in so many ways.

I've loved many pets in my life, but I've never had a bond like I did with Weenie Man. Every room, every piece of furniture holds a memory of the two (or three) of us. Whether it was him sitting next to me on the arm of the sofa while we watched TV, sitting in the dining room chair with us while we ate dinner, patiently waiting for a table scrap, or hopping up on the ledge of the bathtub and drinking my bathwater, he made his mark on every inch of this house.

Even though we'll always have those memories, we wanted to add something a little more concrete. So we printed out some of our favorite pictures of him, and framed them for around the house. Now in our bedroom and in the office, we will always have a reminder of our favorite boy.





We took it really easy this weekend, mostly reminiscing and trying to sleep, but we are trying to get back to normal, and I'm hoping to start some sewing projects soon. I'm itching to get some curtains up in the living room and guest room.

I also just sewed an adorable throw pillow for a sweet upcoming arrival's nursery, and once I get permission from Mom-to-be, I'll post pictures and instructions!

A quick update

Just so you know I'm not dead.

The pain I mentioned in my hand last weekend somehow migrated to my right arm, and got so bad that I couldn't lift it without assistance from my other hand (or "chicken wing it" as my doctor called it. Love him). He gave me the good stuff (prescriptions strength anti-inflammatory and a lowish dose of painkillers) and hooked me up with a specialist. I also got my first non-dental x-ray, which was anti-climactic. I did think it was funny when they called me three days later to tell me my arm wasn't broken. Well, I knew that, but I'd hope if it was, you'd have gotten back to me sooner!

But I've been taking it easy as far as house projects. Pretty much all I've done this week is take the sunroom rug out and scrub it with woolite, wash it off with the water hose, and let it dry in the sun. Somehow it looks dirtier after, but I think the layer of dirt that visibly came off was hiding some of the uneven sun fading.

I am feeling much better on the medication, though. So I may actually touch up the fireplace tonight, which would be a super quick job. Then I will just have to re-coat the ceiling and one staircase wall, and I'd be done! (with everything except the trim).

Happy Labor Day!

I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend as much as I am. Labor Day itself brought rain to our neck of the woods, so there was no grilling for us today, but after our weekend, staying inside and getting some projects done was welcome.

We spend the extra long weekend hanging out with my dad, who came down for a visit. Thursday night the two of us had dinner at home together, and it was so nice to just spend time with him. I couldn't tell you when the last time I had five interrupted hours alone with my dad was.

I had an appointment Friday morning, and Brett needed to do some stuff at home, so Dad checked out a local bike trail and had a great time. Then we went and picked up jambalaya for lunch (white beans for me). After Brett went to work, my dad and me checked out some of the shops around town and bought some fabric for a project he wanted me to do for him, and had dinner at the gluten free place, Truly Free Bakery. I loved my cheese and pepper pizza and Dad was really surprised by how great his avocado burger was. I think he didn't have high hopes! We also got some cupcakes and a muffin to take home for dessert, which were delicious.

Saturday, we spent the day downtown. We had lunch (after we had a lot of trouble finding an open place!) and walked around Third Street. We spent a few hours in the Old State Capitol and learned a ton about the history of Louisiana politics, which was great for us non-natives. Then we walked along the river for a while and headed home for a nap and some dinner.

Sunday was the day we had been looking forward to all weekend. We got up early and drove to Breaux Bridge and met a guy named Butch who took us into the swamp for a tour. We saw all kinds of birds, spiders, frogs, snakes, and yes, GATORS! Plus tons of beautiful old cypress and tupelo trees.







Real life owl! We got to see him fly and it was completely silent. I'd hate to be a snake or a frog and have him sneak up on me.





This guy was a little baby compared to the one above. He's still a juvenile, less than 10 years old. Male gators keep growing until death (females stop around age 10), but their growth slows way down around that age. The best way to tell their age is by their markings. The darker, the older







This is in a protected nesting ground for herons and egrets. No boats are allowed in during nesting season. One thing I thought was interesting was that the gators actually serve as a sort of protection for the baby birds, because they eat raccoons, nutria, and other small animals that will eat them. Of course, if one of the baby birds fall out of the nest, the gator will eat it too!





I love the swelled cypress bases.



We stopped for lunch at a hole in the wall on the way home, and then rested the rest of the day after our adventure. If you're ever in the area, seriously, spend the two hours and $20 and go to Cajun Country Swamp Tours in Breaux Bridge. It's worth SO much more.

Today, my dad left for the long drive home, and Brett had to work. I touched up the paint around all the trim in the living room while watching the Hoarders marathon. I'm so excited that it's done! I was hoping to touch up the ceiling as well, but I'm having some pain in my left hand, and there's no way I'm rolling. It will have to wait until I can rest my hand for a while.

With Labor Day marking the end of the summer season (but not the end of oppressive heat) I knew I had to take down my red, white and blue wreath. We've had a green berry wreath since last Christmas, just changing the ribbon and the accent color with the season, but I was ready for a change.



My criteria were that I didn't want to leave my house, and I didn't want to spend any money. So I was resource limited. I decided to take some inspiration from our swamp tour, and go with a cypress wreath. Luckily, we have a cypress tree right in our backyard (they also grow on land, but the trunks don't swell at the bottom unless they're in water, and the cypress "knees" don't come up). I cut a few branches of greenery, making sure to get some of the balls.

Then, I started the long task of taking the old wreath apart. It was a huge pain, and I had no business doing it with my hand hurting so bad. But I got it done!



Then, I trimmed down the greenery and started wiring it to my grapevine wreath.



Once I had it mostly covered with greenery, I had to figure out the hanger. I was pretty sure I didn't have a ribbon I would want to use, and after digging through my craft box and my fabric stash, all I found was bright orange grosgrain left over from my apron. Halloween isn't quite what I'm going for!

So I knew I had some leftover rust colored silk that would be perfect for fall. I cut it into strips and made a wide bow. It's a lot more orange in person than in photographs. The finished product is a bit more wintry than I hoped. But I'm thinking that as the cypress dries out, it will turn brown and be the perfect fall wreath. Here's hoping!

A Fresh Start?

I love our bedroom. I really do.

It's calming, it's soft, and the wall color, Oyster Bay, is still one of my favorites in the house.



This was the second room we made over in the house, and I really think that color choice is the one that set the tone for the rest of the house, and ended in the cohesive cool loveliness we've got going on now.

But I have a real craving for something new in there. I think I want another bedding option.

In the rest of the house, we've really been gravitating towards brighter colors, graphic prints, and more fun. We want a calmer feel in the bedroom, but I also want it to fit in with the rest of the house.

Lately, I've really been noticing some options that I think would be gorgeous for our room.



This duvet cover from West Elm is definitely graphic, but I think the color would look really beautiful with the wall color. Plus at $79 it's a steal.



This is a lighter option that would still have a definite calm feeling, but it still feels fun and modern. It's organic cotton and only $99 for a king, from West Elm.

I'd love to pair either one with a slate gray quilt and crisp white sheets. Or a white quilt and white sheets. Neither one would need very much in the way of throw pillows, just a couple of very small ones in a bold pattern.

But, I also have the strong desire for a think, multi-layered, cloud of white on my bed. I'd start with Target's Organic sheets in white. We have these already in a bronzy color and love them.

Next, I'd love to add some texture with this Frayed Edge Quilt from West Elm



With that much texture in the quilt, I'd top it with a smooth cotton white duvet cover to keep it simple, and sew one or two throw pillows with just a pop of color.

Now, neither of these will happen because we have other priorities right now. I need to spend my time touching up the living and dining rooms, and we need to spend our money elsewhere. But a girl can dream.

Maybe a West Elm giftcard will find it's way into my stocking this year?

Home Stretch!

I planned to do some work last week in the evenings, but I hit a snag. I had plans Tuesday, and then Wednesday I started having an allergic reaction to something (assuming it's gluten). For me that involves hives and swelling on my hands and feet, so I slathered on the anti-itch cream and hoped for the best. But I was worse on Thursday, and was still in no shape to be holding a paint brush with my swollen hands. Luckily, I got into my doctor early Friday morning for a steroid shot and a six day course of more steroids, plus strict instructions to alternate antihistamines morning and night. Steroids being the miracle drug that they are, I felt pretty much completely normal after a couple of hours. And after running some errands and hanging out with the hubs for a couple of hours, I was ready to roll, literally.

I actually started with a brush, in the stairway. I cut in around the stairs and the rail, and then cut in throughout the upstairs. Then, I got a little frustrated and decide to tackle the last layer of wallpaper. It was something I wasn't going to do on my own, but I just wanted to get it as done as I could. So armed with a bottle of soapy water and a scotchbrite pad, I scrubbed as much of that paper off as I could. With a lot of elbow grease and a little spackle, it's looking not too shabby.

Once that was gone, I could actually paint the entire upstairs hallway. Because it's a tiny hallway with 7 doors (closet overload up there), it was almost entirely brush painting. I was able to get on two coats pretty quickly. Or at least, it seemed quick because I was listening to a great book, The Year of the Flood. I'll be posting my review a week from Thursday at my other blog.

Then I started rolling, and after I finished upstairs, I made my way down the stairway. Once I got to the bottom, I decide that I might as well get that second coat on the walls downstairs while I had all the stuff out. It only took a couple of hours and the results were so worth it. I thought we had great coverage before, but the second coat really evened out and deepened the color.

Saturday morning, we were all ready to pull the tape! I am so happy with how this color works with the floor, the furniture, and the white moldings. I'm in LOVE with the black fireplace, but the verdict is still out for Brett. Cross your fingers for a yes!





Good lord I'm a terrible picture taker, aren't I?



This is like the PERFECT color to complement the kitchen. Seriously. Perfect. I'm so glad I saw it on Kara's blog one day and randomly asked her for the name. Thanks Kara!



And finally, my vision for my china cabinet has come together. The tan was totally throwing me off before and I still had my doubts until now. I can't wait to set it all up again.

(Side note, that is my new bag in the pic, bought as a self birthday gift. I bought it from seller ikabags on etsy and can't recommend her enough. The quality is excellent and it's so adorable and deceptively roomy. Plus with the sturdy strap I can carry my full size laptop and it feels feather light. I love it so much more than the bag I paid over twice as much for from another seller late last year. Love her!)

One of my favorite things about this color is how awesome it looks with wood. Our console table and our handrail look so much more, I don't know, there?





I love it upstairs, mostly how great it coordinates with all of our other colors up there.







But we still have some work to do. We haven't figured out the stairwell conundrum, so we have some areas that look like this.



See how high our arms reach?

Plus there are significant touch ups needed on the ceiling, and I need a second coat on the upper half of the stairway walls with the roller. And then there's all of the cutting in around the moldings. We tried the Frog tape for this project, and our verdict was basically, yes it leaks less than regular painter's tape. But we're not good enough tapers to justify it if we're going to have to touch up everywhere anyway. So after the two rolls we have are gone, we're going back to the cheap stuff and a steady hand.

But it just feels really good to have banished the flesh color from our house. I love this color so much, and it makes for such a great feeling in here!

Now, anyone interested in buying 4 gallons of it from me (that's right, I have half a gallon left for touching up)?