Plan with me October 12-18

Thought I would do a plan with me video for the week. I love watching them so I thought...Why not. *lol*

Some magic in the bedroom

So last week we were talking about my desire to upgrade the bedroom. make it more of a beautiful retreat. I had gone to Ikea and picked up this beauty:

with the intent of putting my spin on it and incorporating it into my scheme. After about an hour or so…or more…I finally had it together. But…it still look like it did in the picture. Not what I was after. So…I got to work. My mother is in the process of redoing her bedroom as well and have picked up a few color samples from our local Sherwin Williams store to test out in the bedroom. I stole borrowed one that I liked which she was not happy with and went to town.
(Tricorn Black)
After about two coats and getting pain all over my feet…this is the end result.

But I wasn’t done there. The knobs were still the untouched wood color and I didn’t like that. So, I had some gold spray paint (We’ll talk about why later) and decided to add some finishing touches
It’s a little hard to see the gold, but it’s there. I’m still not happy with the knobs and I’m debating a trip to Anthropologie to get something more…just more. Maybe some glitz or glam or just a sparkle to catch the eye. I did line the drawers with scented drawer liner, but I forgot to snap that picture.
In the end, I’m happy with the results. I am even thinking of getting another dresser and putting them side by side. You can never have enough storage in the bedroom.
Happy Decorating!
XO

Where all the magic happens…

We are by no means done with the dining room, but I thought I would move to another room that has been getting some of my attention. That would be the bedroom. Let’s start from the beginning shall we…

This was the bedroom when we first moved in. It’s a nice size, large enough to fit a king and one nightstand, though there is that awkward little angle to the side. Not sure why, but hey…what can you do about it. My mission with this room is to get it here:

with the color scheme shown or this color palette:
Any variation of the above is also acceptable. I want this space to be an elegant, stylish, restful retreat. If I could, I would put up chandeliers and long flowing curtains and paint the room a subtle gray. Alas...I can not. But I can dream.


This is where we are at now:

Glamorous aint it? But that’s okay because we are working towards a goal. A nice, beautiful goal. On the road to said goal, I picked up this lovely piece at ikea:
(Tarva series $79.00)
Product dimensions Height: 36 1/4 "
Width: 31 1/8 " / 31 1/8 " Height: 92 cm
Width: 79 cm / 79 cm It’s a nice piece, with good storage and very sturdy. The only problem is that it’s not the right palette for what I want. So…I set about putting my own mark on it and bringing it inline with my vision. Seems simple enough.

Table time…part 2

Let’s get back to the table shall we? Last time we talked, this is where we were at:

Okay, but there were a few dings and scratches that needed to be taken care of. So, my dad rolled the top into his shop and got to work. I wish that I had taken pictures of the shop while he was working, but I seem not have done that. (hmmm…)

Anyways…

It took a bit of elbow grease and being talked out of painting the table either a shiny black or gray to match the chairs…still on the fence about that one to be honest, but in the end, the result was wonderful

The table is not as shiny as it was before which works for me. It was nice but I like this more subdued looked better.

I left the chairs that came with the table the same color as the table and they do work with other chairs. I covered them in the same fabric as the gray chairs, tying them into the scheme nicely. (did I mention that before? I can’t remember)

Not the same but a nice coordination of what I already have.

I took one of the extra chairs from the table and covered in something different to go in the bedroom. (is it just me or do I need to start taking better and more pictures?)

It’s a nice piece to sit and put on your shoes or just lay out clothes for the next day. Perhaps at a later date I’ll get one of those lush club chairs to serve this purpose but for now…I’m liking this addition as well.

And so ends the saga of my table love. I do like the roundess of the table for an apartment dining room. It does not take up a lot of space and is easy enough to accomadate more people if needed. Now, if I could just get more light into the space…I’d be happy.

 

 

Bedroom styling

I’m not sure if I mentioned it earlier or not, but I have been on the hunt for a headboard. I wanted one of those lush, heavily tufted, wingback armed headboards. Something that made a statement and just made the eyes happy to see. I searched high and low and found quite a few pieces that I fell in love with…until I saw the prices.

Not so much in love.

So…I decided to embark on the adventure of making one for myself. I’ve watched all the YouTube videos, seen all the blogs of crafty DIYer’s. I was confident that I could do it.

Why does not one tell you that the longest hardest part if just finding the right fabric!?

Anyways…

After searching high and low,  I found fabric that I could be happy with and proceeded to produce my masterpiece. My mother and I worked diligently on this project for about two days. We tried to rope my dad in, but he was not having it. Oh well

After the addition of some nice sparkly buttons, I think that I did a good job.

pay no attention to the mound of pillows on the bed or the untidiness. I took the picture right after hanging it on the wall and I seem to have lost all my other cook photos of this creation.

If I’m honest, this is not the result I was looking for. I do enjoy, but I think that I may have to bite the bullet and buy what I really want. Either that, or not let my mother help me with it next time. I wanted it more lush than this and my mother was like “Why?”

That should have been a hint, but alas…it was not.

Full exposure thoughts

I recently made a new palette purchase, having finally given into the hype. I’d been eyeing the the smashbox double exposure palette since it came out, but could not justify the price without testing out some of their other eye shadows. I decided to take the plunge and I picked up this one:

I know, not quite the same, but figured that the quality should be on par since it’s the same company and all. I brought it home and just oohed and awed over it for a bit, thinking of all the looks I could do with it.
  (a shot of the all the colors.)
I probably should have done some swatches while I was at Ulta before brining it home, but this one was up at the registers, so not really the place to be testing things out. As you can see below, I’m the color pigmentation is okay, but not at all what I was expecting from glancing at the full palette’s. (samples swatches)
(A better look)
One the arms, the colors show up alright, but on the lid, I have to be honest that the colors did not show up the way I was hoping for. I know one has to build and blend, but I felt that if I had actually dug into the shadows, I would have received better color pay off. The good part is that there was no fallout or heavy chunks like I found in the lorac gold palette (another story).
The neutrals in this palette are nice and could probably be used as transition colors. Some of the other colors though are a bit light, almost ashy on my skin tone and they will not be used for much.
In the end, I’m not sure how much usage I’ll get out of it, but I do plan to keep it and try to work it into a few looks. It is good for travel and maybe with a nice base, these colors will pop better.

Good find…table time!

So I have two chairs, but no table to sit at. Makes sense right?

Anyways…I was on the hunt for a table. I stalked craigslist, the thrift stores, IKEA…you name it, I was there. I could not find anything. I was very much on the verge of building my own table and doing the whole diy thing. For some reason though…daddy was not into it. Neither was mom. I can’t figure out why…

So I continued the hunt. The reality is that I was on a budget and did not have hundreds of dollars to get what I wanted, so really needed to find a good bargain.

In come my mom and aunt.

I have no idea why, but they happened to stop into a consignment store in the area and found a few options. In the end, I chose this option:

A nice round piece and…three chairs. I had no idea what I was going to do with extra chairs, but the table was just what I wanted.

I did not get close up of the table top, but there were a few scratches on it and the chairs were not in the fabric style that I wanted. It was time for some more TLC.

Chairs…again

I think I have an issue with chairs. I love chairs. I really do. Every time I see a chair in the window or on Pinterest or somewhere…I can’t help but to think of where I want to put…where I could shove it  or if I have enough floor space. It’s just…a real problem.

Last week I showed you some chairs that I’d found by the trash. They were just the style that I wanted and they only took a bit (a lot) of elbow grease, love and dedication. Once my father and I had sanded them down, fixed up the rungs and spray painted them, it was time to find some fabric. This usually takes the longest for any craft that I do that requires fabric. I need the colors and the patterns to be just right. I can not just roll into a store and go “That’s the one!” I have to look at it, admire it, feel something like a spark every time I look at it.

This is what caught my eye. I love the bold pattern and the color of the background. It just seemed to fit with what I wanted in the space. Especially since the room is kinda of dark and we do not get enough light in the space, I needed to keep the colors light enough not to drag the whole space down.

This is what the finished product looks like:

 

I am very pleased with what we accomplished and how things turned out. upholstering didn’t take that long and I even added some extra padding to give the seat some cushion. All in all….very happy.

But…I still didn’t have a table.

That was the next step. ( I know…you can see it in the back. I’m trying to tell a story here.)

Dining room chairs- before

As a recap…this is what we are working towards:

I really like the blue and gray color scheme. It’s calm, cool, sophisticated and elegant.

I am very into the traditional look, not so much a fan of the whole modern thing. It’s too cold and sterile to me. Not that there aren’t elements that I enjoy, but not all over. Traditional is cozy and lived in, as if you have been in the house forever. This look in particular catches my eye because of the colors and the elegance it exudes. I know that I won’t be able to recreate the whole look, but I’m going to get as close as I can.

 

So I found these chairs by the trash

and I just knew that they would be perfect in the space. Of course, I don’t have a table at this point, but I just knew that I would find something to fit. Back to the chairs.

Something about the lines and how good they would look painted a deep gray.

They were originally covered in this dirty green stripe fabric that was just not cutting it and the chairs themselves were covered in cobwebs. Not a good look in the least.

I stripped the seat down to the base and set about getting the chairs into shape. (This is my dad working on the chairs for me. Yay dad!)

They were in pretty bad shape, missing a few rungs and the glue was dried from being outside for a bit (I guess) and just needed a bit of TLC. It took a bit of elbow grease to get the chairs into shape, but well worth it in the end.

Next post…The finished product.

Home Decor

I have to admit…I love decorating. I like to take a blank canvas and turn it into a showpiece. (at least…it’s a showpiece in my own head…but still) It’s fashion for the home, a trued extension of one’s self.*Whoa…got deep there*


Right now, I have a new apartment that I am decorating. I have a few pieces in storage, but most of my furniture from before I have given away or sold or donated. So right now, I am definitely starting from scratch. Which is really…an exhilarating feeling. The idea of buying new things and watching everything fall into place. The thrill of find new things, doing some DIY projects and putting your mark on a place is just so…FUN.


The space I’m working with is a one bedroom apartment…around 650sq. A good size, with ample room to decorate and just get creative. Today, I want to show you the dining room. A good before shot will help you see what I’m working with.
(Don’t mind the boxes and bag.)
I know it’s a bit dark in the space, but I’m considering investing in a new light fixture to brighten things up. It all depends on if I stay in this apartment longer than a year, though I could always take the fixture with me. Hmmm…
 
The color scheme I have in my head is:

With a bit of bling thrown in to give it that glam look.


The overall feel that I’m looking to achieve is:

but with a round table. This is going to be the first of many projects in this apartment and I’m eager to get started. There's going to be quite a few DIY’s and I’ve collected quite a few Ikea hack ideas on my Pinterest boards.


This is going to be a fun ride.

Building a special occasion wardrobe

Today was a short video, but no less important. We discussed how to put to together a versatile and functioning wardrobe that will take put on the right track when it comes to dressing for special occasions.










Even if you only go to one special event a year, that is not reason to be scrambling at the last minute to find something to wear. Even a very classic black dress can de dressed up to go any cocktail event. And of course, if you have more events to attend, this list can help you build up your wardrobe.




I hope you enjoyed the video and don’t forget to leave me comments on what you liked and what you thought I could have added.




Have a good day!




Lulu’s: http://bit.ly/1Cpi8Vh





Aldo shoes: http://bit.ly/1wk3o5r





I bought this clutch at Chicos many years ago. A Similar clutch can be found at: Charming Charlie: http://bit.ly/15gC4zy





Charming Charlie: http://bit.ly/17XFxEr





H&M: http://bit.ly/17XDRL4

Building a versatile purse wardrobe

Hello Everyone!

It’s a little late, but I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and a happy new year. I was in bed by 10:30, but it was still a good time. Today, we discussed the essentials of building a versatile purse wardrobe. I hope that you found some helpful tips and ideas that will help you in starting your collection. I’ve listed some sites that you can go to for shopping and I hope you find them useful.  

www.justfab.com “martin”
www.chicos.com
www.charmingcharlie.com
 www.charlotterusse.com
 www.louisvuitton.com “neverfull GM”
 www.coach.com
 
 www.coach.com Please feel free to share this blog post and video with your friends and I shall see you next time. Have a good day!