tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444369829698795822012-02-16T17:42:36.741-08:00In the HeightsFilling a home with love, laughs and styleCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.comBlogger921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-65801748881653227322011-04-11T21:36:00.000-07:002011-04-11T21:36:57.993-07:00Take a SeatWhile in Palm Springs last weekend we popped into the Design Within Reach Annex store, the outlet version of the popular modern furniture chain. I was hoping to find new dining room chairs, since we had been using our Eames molded plywood chairs in the dining room vs. in the kitchen breakfast room with the table they belong to. And in the kitchen breakfast room where those chairs should have beenCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-50112357878144845822011-04-05T08:49:00.000-07:002011-04-05T08:49:30.811-07:00ACE in the HoleAfter a fantastic week of Spring Break-ing it with the kids - filled with lazy days playing in the yard, a trip to the beach and a movie or two – the hubby and I snuck away to Palm Springs for the weekend and spent a lovely two days and nights at the ACE Hotel, and I can’t say enough good things about the place. In addition to a fun pool atmosphere, spectacularly comfortable bed and delicious Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-84101275593337674712011-03-29T09:38:00.000-07:002011-03-29T09:38:25.509-07:00StumpedTwo things I loved about our home when we first moved in were the big and beautiful eucalyptus trees in our backyard:
We fantasized about building a tree house in one for the kids, or hanging a hammock between them for some summer afternoon lounging. They smell nice, create a great privacy screen between our yard and back neighbor’s home, and shade out the afternoon sun while we eat on the Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-28436917779484350602011-03-21T21:44:00.000-07:002011-03-21T21:44:24.514-07:00Miles of Tiles<!--[if gte mso 9]> 1024x768 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-63967804706135198212011-03-16T09:05:00.000-07:002011-03-16T09:05:04.490-07:00Closet Case<!--[if gte mso 9]> 1024x768 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-58892734289643692162011-03-11T11:49:00.000-08:002011-03-11T11:50:39.551-08:00I'm Baaaack!I know, I know...I said I was taking a little blogcation and then I was gone for almost two months! To my kind and loyal friends who kept pestering asking, "when are you going to blog again?" the answer is NOW! The truth is that I fully intended to just take a week or two off to charge my blogging batteries, but then one kid got the flu...and then the other...and then the first one got it again, Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-43406358595188753942011-02-01T16:30:00.000-08:002011-02-01T16:30:27.498-08:00A Blog-cationFor those of you who may have noticed the absence of any posts this week, I've decided to take a little vacation from the blog for a few days. It's been a busy couple of weeks for me both personally and professionally, and I think a little evening R&R (i.e. clearing out the DVR, preparing food for the final days of my cleanse and attacking the mountains of laundry that have taken over my home) Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-76181745729663325342011-01-26T05:35:00.000-08:002011-01-26T05:35:00.203-08:00HomeGoods = Good HomeY’all know I’m a sucker for a good deal. So when we had an opportunity to make a stop at the new giant HomeGoods store in El Segundo, CA last weekend I said, “yes please!” We had just left a lovely visit with my BFF mom-to-be (the one I threw this baby shower for) and decided to make a pit stop. Thanks to the convenience of the El Segundo Plaza we could accomplish four things with one trip:
1)Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-62931186099004198102011-01-24T05:04:00.000-08:002011-01-24T08:22:58.527-08:00Rolling and Cutting 2: The Results ShowI realize that I owe you guys a few updates on some past posts, so I thought I would check back in with you on one of those today? First up? Remember when I picked up the special paint edger and paint roller for finishing my bedroom a couple of weeks ago? Here's a quick recap and review.
Shur-Line Paint Edger
The Pros: The cutting-in tool made going around the edge of my closet and the Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-49847711556226996492011-01-21T05:01:00.000-08:002011-01-21T08:32:14.188-08:00Hanging AroundRemember last month when I talked about these great neighborhood posters from Ork? Well I decided to go ahead and buy one, and was initially planning to hide it away until Valentine’s Day as a little gift for my hubby, but since he was home when the package arrived and I was not, that surprise went out the window. Guess I’ll have to think of something else for February 14th, but for now I’m Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-85122925152109788432011-01-19T05:26:00.000-08:002011-01-19T05:26:00.368-08:00Cleansing our Palates<!--[if gte mso 9]> 1024x768 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-3640071416343224142011-01-17T05:13:00.000-08:002011-01-17T05:13:00.406-08:00Clean House
Sorry for the radio silence for much of last week - we spent a fantastic two days at Disneyland with some visiting family, and by the time we made it home I was just too exhausted to report in. But thanks to an exciting new development in our house I'm feeling well rested...after much debate over the last six months, we finally hired a housekeeper. The final straw? I noticed cobwebs in our Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-90309903986914579352011-01-12T05:35:00.000-08:002011-01-12T05:35:00.404-08:00FramedI was so happy with the way that our holiday card came out that I found myself sneaking peaks of the tiny printout version I made when we initially planned to do printed cards vs. an ecard. So when I saw that Aaron Brothers was having their One Cent Sale, I decided to make a larger version of our silhouette family that I could hang up and look at whenever I wanted to (and without having to squintCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-26044195215295646522011-01-10T05:45:00.000-08:002011-01-10T05:45:00.180-08:00Rolling and Cutting I learned two things when I painted the kids room (all by myself) last weekend:
1) Painting without an extendable roller leads to extremely sore shoulders and legs (from climbing up and down a chair) and general grumpiness
2) Cutting in is an ENORMOUS and time consuming pain in the ass
So even though Christmas just passed, I bought myself two gifts this weekend:
When I stopped in to Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-68290843631837201652011-01-06T21:49:00.001-08:002011-01-07T09:10:07.029-08:00Un-mending FencesRemember this excited post about our future fence? And this great glamour shot of the slatted wood walls that would soon be surrounding our yard?
Well, here are the slatted wood walls now:
What happened? Well, for starters, three fence companies came out to give us a quote for building a fence with these gifted slat walls (“we’ll save a TON of money!” we said) but those three fence companiesCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-72503253348248630442011-01-05T05:16:00.000-08:002011-01-05T05:16:00.598-08:00Bottled Up<!--[if gte mso 9]> 1024x768 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-64141555091186872372011-01-03T05:07:00.000-08:002011-01-03T05:07:00.198-08:00New Year, New RoomHappy New Year!
I couldn't let 2010 end without accomplishing one of the things that has been on my to-do list for months: finishing the kids bedroom!
With close to two weeks off from my day job I finally had time to paint and add the last few touches (for now) that have turned the room into a warm and comfortable space that the kids and I both love.
Just to refresh, here are some before's Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-87532286063219972912010-12-31T05:11:00.000-08:002010-12-31T05:11:00.161-08:00Sale AwayThe week after Christmas is one of the best times for bargain hunting, so I'm glad we were a bit restrained on the pre-holiday gifts this year so we can take advantage of the great sales going on right now.
I found a 20% off West Elm discount code in my inbox on Wednesday, so I snatched up a couple of these great mirror-lidded boxes and two felt ornaments for next year's tree (I prefer Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-5444876182938755032010-12-29T05:25:00.000-08:002010-12-29T05:25:00.364-08:00My GiftsAs I've already mentioned, Christmas was a wonderful day. I was lucky to be able to spend it with my family - first my husband and kids, and then later in the day my in-laws. I prepped my wish list ahead of time and kindly provided it to my husband, and was thrilled to find some of my requests under the tree. I also unwrapped some great surprises, including a beautiful watch from my mother, a newCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-57439000422984554672010-12-27T05:39:00.000-08:002010-12-27T05:39:00.295-08:00Soup's On!What a weekend! From Friday morning until 20 minutes ago, I've hardly stopped moving. I started Friday AM at Trader Joe's (the kids, still in their pajamas, and I arrived five minutes before opening) to load up on all the ingredients for our Christmas Eve soup dinner:
Then I spent the rest of the day leisurely cleaning and cooking while the Mr. organized the garage and my oldest daughter Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-82279286377595042822010-12-24T05:41:00.000-08:002010-12-24T05:41:00.758-08:00Merry Christmas!The hubby and I worked hard on this year’s holiday card, which we fully intended to mail out as a postcard a few weeks ago to reach all our friends at a time appropriate for those who celebrate Hanukkah and/or Christmas. But due to busy work schedules, the new baby dog and OfficeDepot’s unacceptable paper quality, we decided to go with a Paperless Post card again this year.
While I do like the Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-66160884514362042332010-12-23T04:24:00.000-08:002010-12-23T04:24:00.520-08:00Fun Find: Ork City Neighborhood PostersYou all know I love myself a nice map as artwork. Not only does it infuse a bit of your own personal history into your space, but more often than not they are already ripe with luscious color and elegant lines. So of course I was equally enamored with these city neighborhood posters from Ork Posters when my husband passed along the link earlier this week.
He’s got his eye on this gold metallic Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-60784723583539418352010-12-22T05:20:00.000-08:002010-12-22T05:20:00.671-08:00Made the List, Checked it Twice!We’re down to the last three days of our advent calendar, which means the clock is ticking on my holiday shopping and I’m WAY behind! I have somehow found the time to make my own wish list, however (I’ve definitely been more nice than naughty this year) and kindly emailed it off to the Mr. this week. Priorities, people!
Here’s what I’m hoping I find under the tree this year:
iPad
iPhone 4
Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-77482044647645789162010-12-20T08:53:00.000-08:002010-12-20T08:53:52.754-08:00Bronchitis :(Despite my best efforts to rest up last week, I ended up with bronchitis, which was diagnosed early Sunday morning at the walk-in medical center. I'm on a course of antibiotics and lifetime movies for the next few days so I'm going to take a little break from the ol' blog and work on getting better, along with some last minute additions to my Xmas list.
Be back soon!Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-41946215139205083392010-12-16T05:59:00.000-08:002010-12-16T05:59:00.759-08:00GiftedBeginning Friday at noon my kids are officially on winter break, and less than a week later so am I. We'll be spending our days relaxing at home, playing with the pooch, doing some small projects around the house and, of course, celebrating Christmas and New Year's. I still have lots to do before I slip into vacay mode, but I was happy to cross teacher's gifts off the list this week. While I Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-41318450116187346072010-12-14T05:14:00.000-08:002010-12-14T05:14:00.311-08:00Pillow PetIt's only taken me a couple of days with the dog to realize that she's not a fan of sleeping on the floor. We've decided to have a "no dog on sofas/beds" policy here though, so in between lots of "down" and "no," she's been getting cuddly on the sheepskin rug in our bedroom.
Since we're now Rudy's official new family (yay!!), I wanted to set her up with a proper bed that she could snuggle intoCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-86574805191648744892010-12-13T05:23:00.000-08:002010-12-13T05:23:00.369-08:00Hershey Kisses
Our first weekend with Hershey was an exhausting adventure! First off, it's looking like her official new name will be Rudy, inspired by the dog of a close friend of mine growing up. I consulted a few online tips for changing a dog's name and they suggested adding the new name to the old name for a few days and then dropping the old name all together. After about 12 hours of confusing each Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-69074772216185714242010-12-10T05:25:00.000-08:002010-12-10T09:37:39.337-08:00Dog DaysThe kids have been begging for a dog ever since we moved into our house, but considering our busy schedules and our freakish need for organization and tidiness in our house, we’ve resisted. After much debate, we decided to appease them with a small critter for Christmas – maybe a hamster or guinea pig instead. So while the girls were at the Nutcracker with their Grandma (thanks for all the great Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-60062302995243178122010-12-09T05:13:00.000-08:002010-12-09T08:31:29.118-08:00Wrap It UpI’ve started to accumulate some Christmas gifts for the kids (they know that most of the presents come from us, but that one or two from their list to Santa are delivered by the big guy himself…wink, wink) and a couple for the Mr., so while I was alone with a glass of wine - ok, fine, I had two - and Grey’s Anatomy on the DVR the other night, I decided to get wrapping.
I like to put together a “Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-40689316187216669162010-12-08T05:13:00.000-08:002010-12-08T08:15:29.541-08:00Sick DayI had managed to stay one step ahead of the kids' colds for the past couple weeks - they've been coughing and sniffling non-stop, but it finally caught up with me yesterday, so I decided to indulge in a rarely taken sick day and stay home.
Once I got the kids off to school I crawled under a blanket on the sofa, where, other than trips to the kitchen and bathroom, I remained for most of the day. Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-4183697207579085912010-12-07T05:49:00.000-08:002010-12-07T05:49:00.632-08:00The Giving TreesAs you can probably tell from all my holiday decorating posts, I’m a little geeked out this season, which also led me to get our Christmas tree earlier than years past. With our lovely new living room and beautiful big front window I just couldn’t help myself. Plus, I had a bunch of new ornaments from post-holiday sales last year that I was eager to unleash. So we took ourselves down to Culver Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-32949687179632018762010-12-06T05:57:00.000-08:002010-12-06T09:30:32.534-08:00Still Decking the HallsThis weekend was a whirlwind of activity - a birthday party, brunch, kids classes and the Nutcracker - and that was just Saturday! By Sunday morning I was excited to sleep in a bit (how sad that 7:30 seems like sleeping in at this point in my life) lounge around in my PJs until late in the morning, and indulge in a delicious chocolate chip pancake breakfast prepared by the hubby and kids.
I was Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-75578632775201661672010-12-03T09:12:00.000-08:002010-12-03T09:12:37.636-08:00Bedding DownThere is some serious marital discord in our house. No, we’re not fighting over money or religion or even the remote. What’s coming between us? Well the thermostat of course.
I’m the first to admit that I’m constantly cold. In fact, I never took off my jacket on Tuesday, and am typing this message while wearing fingerless gloves:
I grew up in chilly Massachusetts, but I guess your blood reallyCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-41577564161346765612010-12-01T05:29:00.000-08:002010-12-01T09:12:22.886-08:00Deck the HallsThe holiday decorating continues over here! Remember the lovely little wishing tree I made for the baby shower? Well, I was looking to add a little holiday cheer to our den (since the more formal living room will house our full Christmas tree soon) and decided to repurpose the branches I had collected to create a mini Xmas tree. I picked up a new crisp white vase from Target for $15 (the cream Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-86294417582709853972010-11-30T05:53:00.000-08:002010-11-30T05:53:00.385-08:00My Festival of LightsWe’re not an especially religious family, but we love to celebrate holidays, and because my father was Jewish I think that entitles me to both Christmas and Hanukkah. Since I’ve always had trouble finding menorahs that are aesthetically pleasing to me and also within my budget, I decided to make my own this year.
Instead of opting for one candelabra or vessel to hold the traditionally tall & Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-37626633547262168662010-11-29T05:03:00.000-08:002010-11-29T19:20:32.532-08:00How To: DIY Advent CalendarWe had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration full of delicious food and family fun - I hope you did too, but I'm glad it's over so I can start getting ready for Christmas!
First on the agenda was an advent calendar worthy of our new digs. In years past we've usually gone with the $1.99 24 windows of chocolate, picked up from Trader Joe's or Target, but this year I wanted to do something more Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-92052519098099861492010-11-25T05:42:00.000-08:002010-11-25T05:42:00.348-08:00Thank You
I'm up to my elbows in cubed bread and chestnuts, but wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who takes the time to read this little blog. I'm so grateful for this fun creative outlet and for the support of all the friends, family and followers who read it faithfully.
For those of you who I do not have the pleasure of being with today, I hope you're having a deliciously decadent day!Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-37738045902692662892010-11-24T08:45:00.000-08:002010-11-24T08:45:34.545-08:00Chance of Showers III: The FinaleToday I want to share just a few more details about the shower, and then I'll put this baby (ha!) to bed!
First off, when I was planning the day I knew I wanted to find, do or make something that could be a special keepsake for the parents-to-be, something they could keep as a reminder of the day and the people who were there, and also a way for the guests to share a bit of their love, wisdom Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-50337800371186371732010-11-23T05:20:00.000-08:002010-11-23T05:20:00.197-08:00Chance of Showers Part II: Stenciled OnesiesNow that I'm rested up from Sunday's festivites, I'm excited to share some of the details from my first baby shower in the new house.
When I was cooking up ideas for activities, I knew I wanted something that would be fun for both men and women, could do double duty as a keepsake for the guests of honor, and would be fairly easy to execute. When a friend suggested decorating onesies, my mind Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-60495990044707704902010-11-22T05:35:00.000-08:002010-11-22T10:12:44.573-08:00Chance of ShowersYesterday was the highly anticipated baby shower, and it was a wonderful afternoon. We had just the right amount of food and drinks, guests participated happily in the activities, I got lots of compliments on the house and decorations, and - most important of all - the mom and dad-to-be had a great time.
The weather ended up cooperating perfectly, despite the warning of 90% rain, and even Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-85043580039554328382010-11-19T05:20:00.000-08:002010-11-19T05:20:00.101-08:00A San Francisco TreatDespite my fabulous LA morning on Wednesday, I had a not so fabulous San Francisco afternoon on Thursday when my return flight was delayed for more than three hours and I was left wandering SFO on just two hours of sleep from the night before. I scoped out the available power outlets at each gate they moved us to (that would be three gate changes, thank you United) and spent most of the time Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-53907765636333918732010-11-18T05:10:00.000-08:002010-11-18T12:01:43.158-08:00La La LandYesterday I was lucky enough to spend the morning in Malibu with my older daughter, where she was shooting a commercial in the backyard of a private home.
It was a beautiful morning driving up the Pacific Coast Highway, and warm enough for us to spot plenty of surfers and bikers along the way. When we finally approached our destination we made our way down a long gravel driveway to one of the Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-85983020367396536242010-11-17T10:30:00.000-08:002010-11-17T10:38:09.628-08:00Mirror, Mirror On the WallYesterday I shared my little kids dresser turned living room credenza (sort of) project, which I’m super happy with, but from the moment I placed it in the room I knew it needed something on the wall behind it. I could have used these botanical sketches that hang above the mantle, but now they’re accounted for and residing happily in their new home. After much deliberating I decided a mirror Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-83924033547910033842010-11-16T05:00:00.000-08:002010-11-16T05:00:06.805-08:00Paint it BlackI’ve been looking for something to fill an empty wall in our living room since we moved in. First we tried our West Elm console table, but it was too high and too white, so we moved it to the kids room where it now lives as their desk. We thought about putting our new hutch in that spot, but it just felt like a piece that was more appropriate for the dining room, so that was out too. Then I Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-48676361374776349712010-11-15T05:10:00.000-08:002010-11-15T05:10:00.842-08:00Pop RocksWith less than a week to go, baby shower preparations are in full swing over here. Favors are ready, decorations are almost done, and the menu has been planned. It took me a while to make all the decisions, but one thing I knew weeks ago was that I wanted to serve cake pops. I first tried these delicious little balls of delight at a friend's baby shower back in September, and it was love at firstCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-63024636560259411682010-11-10T05:10:00.000-08:002010-11-10T05:10:00.424-08:00Not So Mellow YellowThe kids room progress continues! I knew I wanted to give the new bedside table a bright coat of paint, but I was toying with a few different hues - blue, pink or yellow. When I saw how the pop of yellow from the new pillowcases brightened the room I knew which direction I wanted to take. I shopped around for the right shade and then decided on a sunny yellow spray paint.
Here's the before:
Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-24754182117430371152010-11-09T05:22:00.000-08:002010-11-09T05:22:00.176-08:00Smokey SaysSince I'm trying to focus on the last of the kids' room updates, I decided to tackle a little project that I've been putting off: matting and framing a great poster we found at the thrift store last month:
Yep, that's Smokey the Bear. We snagged him - in that yucky fame - for $3.99. Aside from not being able to resist Smokey, I thought the colors of the birds were beautiful and the message Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-89247557755117573562010-11-08T05:03:00.000-08:002010-11-08T05:03:00.413-08:00Rise and ShineYes, I'm still working on the kids room redo. I know, it's been two months since I started reworking the space, and a month since I unveiled phase one. Well, the problem is - aside from the fact that I have a full-time day job, two young kids and this lovely blog that I post to daily - that I've been getting distracted by all the fun projects for other rooms and events that have come along. Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-34869709245745025392010-11-05T05:51:00.000-07:002010-11-05T05:51:00.756-07:00It's Getting Hot in HereLast night I attended my first design-related event as a blogger! It was the private grand opening of FLOR's Santa Monica store, and while I know it's not the Oscars, it was exciting for me nonetheless (I've told you before that I love myself a nice FLOR tile.) The kids were at the g-parents for a sleepover so the hubby and I decided to go together and have a little date. We stopped for happy Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-55695236366474354392010-11-04T05:32:00.000-07:002010-11-04T05:32:00.881-07:00Tool Time
While the Mr. was out to dinner the other night I decided to finally hang some curtains in our bedroom. As I mentioned last week when I updated our bed pillows, we were thinking that a full wall of curtains could be nice here, but then I realized that I already had a curtain rod, brackets and two brown velvet panels sitting in the garage unused – they used to live in the kids room but had been Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-79209762152050237012010-11-03T05:45:00.000-07:002010-11-02T20:47:49.510-07:00Dia De Los Muertos
Last night we attended our first Dia De Los Muertos celebration and it was amazing! I've always loved the vibrant colors and traditional elements - cut paper banners, fresh marigolds, brightly painted skulls - but have never decorated with them at home. Well, after last night I'm definitely a convert, and am already looking forward to next year's celebration. We munched on some pastries and Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-48684114442012803522010-11-02T05:30:00.000-07:002010-11-02T05:30:01.666-07:00Peter Peter Pumpkin Seed Eater
In a gift from the school schedule Gods, the kids had a vacation day yesterday, so I decided to do the same and spend the day at home with them nursing our sugar hangovers. Since I work full-time outside of the house, I rarely get to host playdates here, so I took advantage of my availability and invited two little friends over to play as well. I started the day with a big bowl of steel cut Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-72011485450665128792010-11-01T05:41:00.000-07:002010-11-01T09:03:09.437-07:00November ShowersNow that Halloween is over, the costumes have been retired and our decorations are packed up, my creative focus is turning toward another exciting event - the baby shower of one of my oldest and dearest friends. The date has been locked in for a while now and the invitations went out last week. I haven't been able to blog about it - since she's a reader (at least she better be!) - but now that Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-26908136184813574222010-10-29T05:33:00.000-07:002010-10-29T05:33:00.735-07:00Boo!On our way home from school yesterday my girls were in the back seat chatting excitedly about today's Halloween festivities at school - a breakfast for my preschooler and a parade for my 2nd grader. Then came the request - "can we stop at the store and get some Halloween shirts to wear tomorrow morning?" I have to admit that I cringed a little from the front of the car, knowing that I was on my Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-2260978085342774882010-10-28T05:39:00.000-07:002010-10-28T05:39:00.720-07:00Pillow TalkI’ve been obsessed with throw pillows lately, and since DIY-ing this sweater-turned-pillow cover earlier this month, I’ve been looking around for other great fabrics (either from a store or straight outta my closet) that would be good pillow material. First I threw together these additional softies for the living room sofa and chairs, both from old sweaters:
Then I turned my attention to my Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-28031165938601933322010-10-27T08:39:00.000-07:002010-10-27T08:39:12.501-07:00Mantle RefreshDid I mention that I’ve been revamping our living room a bit and trying to change up the accessories? In our former living room, this painting was really the jumping off point for most of the room's décor:
In our new house, that painting now lives in the dining room, so it was time for our living room to establish it’s own new personality. The first order of businessCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-84957757176761755512010-10-26T05:39:00.000-07:002010-10-26T05:39:00.466-07:00Muffin TopMonday started off cold and rainy - again! - and nothing makes me want to head into the kitchen for comfort cooking than a dreary day. The kids and I got home around 5:30, and as soon as their backpacks hit the floor we were preheating the oven.
Of course their vote was for a sweet treat, so we compromised with pumpkin muffins. I found a simple recipe from Gourmet Magazine on the food blog Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-66947023094649546972010-10-25T05:18:00.000-07:002010-10-25T08:34:33.478-07:00Costume CraftingRemember last week when I told you that my oldest daughter decided she wanted a homemade costume instead of this Target devil? Of course I couldn't resist her sweet request, so we spent a few hours this weekend crafting up our new creation, which is.....
...wait for it.....
...a Lego!
I can't take credit for this idea - I spotted it online somewhere a couple of weeks ago - but it met all of Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-28421862181969203292010-10-22T05:36:00.000-07:002010-10-22T05:36:00.159-07:00I've Got WoodSorry, I couldn't help myself :)
Now that I've got that out of my system, check out this gorgeous piece of driftwood I snagged this week:
I've been re-accessorizing our living room and thought this might make a beautiful addition. I love the texture and it's organic shape, but I also envisioned it as a beautiful centerpiece/table decor that could be easily embellished based on the holiday, Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-55319729008692848112010-10-21T05:00:00.000-07:002010-10-21T05:00:10.613-07:00SandyI have someone new in my life. We met at the hardware store, and although I was a little nervous at first, we’ve become fast friends. He’s a rough and tough guy most of the time, but can also be a softie, if you ask him to.
Meet Sandy:
Yes, I purchased my first electric sander! Actually, I think this might be the first power tool I’ve ever bought! Technically I guess I'm a part owner of my Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-35843383039040082692010-10-20T17:53:00.000-07:002010-10-20T17:53:58.477-07:00Wee Little Ghosties Featured on Craftzine!I was so excited to see that one of my favorite crafting sites, Craftzine, included my Wee Little Ghosties in their craft blog today! Thanks, Craftzine! Check it out here.Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-32288105406193643842010-10-20T08:27:00.000-07:002010-10-20T08:27:05.437-07:00Faux-laroidsWhen I was looking for inspiration for wall art in the kids room - before I hung the framed maps - I came across this image from Cookie Magazine (loved,loved, loved that magazine too, by the way…sniff, sniff) and thought I might try something similar.
We have a Polaroid camera in a moving box somewhere, and what better way to add a personal touch to the space than with photos that the kids Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-1066259455946315272010-10-19T08:30:00.000-07:002010-10-20T08:28:59.577-07:00Wee Little GhostiesOur neighborhood is definitely getting in the Halloween spirit, and although I started to spook out our house a bit a couple of weeks ago, I could tell that I needed to amp things up, since our only outdoor decoration thus far were my bats-on-a-branch, and those could only be seen if you walked all the way up to our door. But as I’ve mentioned before, my kids are not fans of ghouls and gore, so Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-50766206784409939442010-10-18T05:00:00.000-07:002010-10-18T05:00:00.218-07:00Michael's and MichaelThis weekend our Sunday morning was spent on Halloween costume preparations. Until Saturday I thought we were set - I had one devil and one bumblebee and the respective costumes ready to go. But then my devil threw a wrench in the plan, as devils often do, when she suddenly decided that she wanted something homemade instead of the Target option we had picked up last week. I have to admit, I was Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-64575904478730598482010-10-15T09:07:00.000-07:002010-10-15T09:07:21.963-07:00A Little RockOn our way out for the day last month we spotted a sidewalk/yard sale with some (what looked like) amazing outdoor furniture. We decided to pull over and investigate, but upon further inspection realized it wasn't really a fit for what we wanted. On our way back to the car though, we found this pair of cute little kids rocking chairs. We didn't really need them (I guess nobody really needs pint Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-33278849036830692252010-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:002010-10-14T05:00:02.234-07:00Whitewashed
After scoring this great hutch last weekend at St. Vincent de Paul, I've been eager to fill it with goodies. So I stared at her with aestethic affection for a couple of days for inspiration, and then decided that her contents really needed to lean to the modern side, since the vintage wood grain and mid-century lines could take it to Antique Ave. in a heartbeat.
We decided on an all white Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-36895428048893555992010-10-13T10:36:00.000-07:002010-10-13T10:36:16.246-07:00StuffedI'm a big fan of spicing up rooms with accessories - throw blankets, vases, coffee table books, and - my holy grail - pillows! Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those "50 throw pillows on a bed so it takes an hour to clear them off" kind of girls, but I appreciate a strategically placed pillow here and there. With our additional square footage and furniture, however, I've been feeling very Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-65668307713356554552010-10-12T08:35:00.000-07:002010-10-12T10:15:14.170-07:00Instant Art
While browsing the racks at Marshall’s last week, I spied these great 1895 U.S. state map placemats from Kikkerland and snatched them up for a steal-worthy $7. But instead of letting my kids drip their soup and sauce on all of them, I had another plan in the works. I’ve been looking for some artwork for the blank wall in their bedroom, and these hit the mark! The muted tones and multitude of Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-19412159221254330432010-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:002010-10-10T21:18:39.307-07:00Wake and Bake
I woke up this morning feeling totally rested and refreshed (thanks for the extra sleep-in time, Leon.) The sun was shining, the kids were already dressed and playing nicely together - I knew it was going to be a great day! When I went to pour my coffee and saw the last 10 apples from our apple picking excursion sitting on the counter, I could tell they only had a couple of days left in them, soCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-84193674387382813002010-10-07T05:27:00.000-07:002010-10-07T05:27:00.210-07:00Score!Remember last Friday when I refrained from my local thrift store purchases in the hopes of scoring some even better ones on our Saturday outing downtown? Turns out I made the right choice! Almost immediately after arriving at the St. Vincent de Paul, we spotted this amazingly gorgeous Drexel china cabinet/hutch. All three dovetail drawers were smooth-running, the three glass shelves were in Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-16253022411706817832010-10-06T08:41:00.000-07:002010-10-06T08:41:37.338-07:00Kids Room Redo: Phase IBack in early September we started on a redo of the kids bedroom. Remember this? We were hoping to make the most of their additional square footage and create a room that is fresh and fun without being too trendy or childish. I decided to tackle the revamp in two Phases: Phase I would be to create a clean canvas of neutral items upon which to build Phase II, adding in pops of color and whimsy Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-90922783188090122432010-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:002010-10-10T20:12:51.591-07:00Spooktacular StyleOur apple picking trip (and this rainy, cold weather!) definitely has me in a fall mood, and now that it's officially October, that means Halloween! We never got very decked out for Halloween in our condo - no trick-or-treaters and very few passersby meant that any door decor would go relatively unnoticed. But here in our new neighborhood I'm told we get lots of visitors on Halloween, so I'm Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-54186947097019846892010-10-04T08:45:00.000-07:002010-10-04T08:45:26.331-07:00Road TripWe took advantage of the fall-ish (for LA) weather this weekend and ventured up to the Oak Glen area near Yucaipa, CA to go apple picking. I'd been wanting to make this trip for a few years now, but since it doesn't start feeling like autumn here until the apple picking season ends we had missed it two years running. We packed a bag with hats and activities for the kids and hit the road for the Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-67742760947201956922010-10-01T05:00:00.000-07:002010-10-01T05:00:13.685-07:00Frugal FindsI’ve always been a bargain hunter when it came to clothing, never afraid to sift through the racks at stores like Marshall’s, TJ Maxx and Loehmann’s (this must be genetic, since I remember going there as a kid.) Sidenote - Grandma Roz + Loehmann’s open-concept dressing room = yikes! Over the past few years I’ve expanded my frugal sensibilities to include thrift stores and flea markets for Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-847152089901401452010-09-30T05:00:00.000-07:002010-09-30T14:09:03.937-07:00The Great Sofa Hunt of 2010
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have a ”thing” about sofa arms. This “thing” started a few years ago, shortly after purchasing our Case Study Day Bed at the Modernica annual warehouse sale. At the time we were looking for something to replace our enormous IKEA sleeper sofa, which had been repeatedly scratched up and peed on by our cat (thanks, Astro) and this seemed perfect. Small in scale,Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-85401363252592961182010-09-29T05:00:00.000-07:002010-09-29T05:00:20.052-07:00Man's Best Friend? Part II
A warning for the gardeners...
Apparently bees don’t speak English, because despite our kindest request for them to move on, they did not. Time to call in the big guns, or in this case, the Backwards Beekepers. I found them online after a quick Google search, “a group of organic, treatment-free beekeepers in Los Angeles.” They’re "backwards", they say, because they rely on observation andCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-39118406318853238962010-09-28T06:00:00.000-07:002010-09-28T08:26:04.112-07:00Man's Best Friend?We haven’t had a pet in years. Aside from a few betta fish (we’re on our third one now) the last legitimate house pet we had was our cat, Astro. I adopted Astro when we lived in Boston, about 13 years ago, and he was with us until the year after my oldest daughter was born. Since then, we’ve been hesitant to add another member to the family – between work and the kids and everything in between, ICarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-47899461049916838112010-09-27T06:00:00.000-07:002010-09-27T08:24:32.514-07:00Treasure HuntDespite it officially being Fall now, temps reached over 100 in parts of Los Angeles on Saturday. So what better day to start emptying out our storage unit, right? Ugh.
While we were living in our condo we desperately needed the additional space, but now that we have more square footage and a garage, hanging onto the storage was a waste. It'll take a few trips to get it fully emptied out, but ICarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-62902454165521050522010-09-24T06:00:00.000-07:002010-09-24T06:00:09.173-07:00Nook LookOur home has lots of charming period details (it was built in 1927), including this cute little hallway nook, that I think was meant for a phone and phonebook back in the day:
This was how the nook looked when we bought the house, and although I would have loved to put a vintage phone in there, like this one from the amazing LA store, OK…
…the phone jack had long been removed or covered up. Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-89071214960860029062010-09-22T06:00:00.000-07:002010-09-22T08:53:39.660-07:00Fence Me InOur front yard is one of the nicest features of our home. Well-manicured green grass, two beautiful agave plants, and plenty of space for the kids to play. What we don't like, however, are the shrubs that line the edge of our property at the sidewalk. They're sparse, dry (despite regular watering and gardening) and don't provide us sufficient privacy from the passersby on their way to the Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-70140027040176389812010-09-21T06:00:00.000-07:002010-09-22T10:14:23.184-07:00Put a Pin In ItNow that the kids are back to school, my house has become overrun with papers - homework, notices, calendars, order forms, graded tests, etc., and although I hate having it laying around the kitchen counter and dining room table, most of it contains important information that my family will need to reference on an ongoing basis:
Since we're in the middle of our kids' room refresh, which will Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-38898356760498522542010-09-19T06:00:00.000-07:002010-09-20T07:24:46.928-07:00Greige
While flipping through the October 2010 issue of Real Simple, I came across this beautiful collection of nail polish in "greige" tones:
With fall officially upon us in less than one week - yikes! - I fell in love with the richness and warmth of these colors. A "trend worth trying" they called it, so try it I did! While enjoying an indulgent mani/pedi birthday celebration for my good friend Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-39945429739523159202010-09-16T09:00:00.000-07:002010-09-16T10:07:43.821-07:00Serenity NowDue to limited space, most of the rooms in our condo had to do double duty, including our bedroom hallway/closet, which also doubled as an office space for us:
But since Leon and I have very different working schedules (he’s a night owl and is content to stay up until 2AM, my brain turns off around 9:30 and I’m usually asleep by 11) this system never worked out that well. Thankfully in our Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-80579908368341532442010-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:002010-09-15T08:39:50.902-07:00FLORedWe’re a big fan of FLOR tiles in our house. They’re affordable, versatile and kid-friendly, since you can just pop one up to clean it if need be. When we lived in our condo we didn’t really have an opportunity to use them – our living/dining room and bedrooms were carpeted (mandated by the home owner’s association due to sound) and our kitchen was a bit too small to warrant them. Now we have lotsCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-16230999343975671292010-09-14T05:00:00.000-07:002010-09-14T05:00:07.546-07:00Knock, Knock, It's NateI've been eagerly anticipating the launch of the new Nate Berkus Show for months now, and today was the day! I rushed through dinner clean-up and ran down to the den ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired. I've been a Nate fan for years and love the way he mixes texture, color, old and and new pieces so effortlessly to create beautiful spaces.
Highlights of the premier show for me were the Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-11388878063712365902010-09-13T12:15:00.000-07:002010-09-13T16:19:38.637-07:00Fashion's (and Carly's) Night Out!In Sex and the City 2, Carrie Bradshaw admits that she’s “been cheating on fashion with furniture.” Well, on Friday night, I cheated on furniture with a little fashion.
My talented, funny and chic friend, and E!’s Daily 10 fashion correspondent, Amanda Garrigus, invited me to be her plus one for Los Angeles’ Fashion’s Night Out – a global initiative to celebrate and support the fashion and Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-36467162550052271632010-09-09T09:11:00.000-07:002010-09-09T09:11:05.213-07:00When Life Gives You Limes
While cleaning out our garage last weekend we noticed that our neighbor's lime tree had started growing way over our fence. The limes were much bigger than what you normally find in the produce department, and were weighing down the tree so heavily that it was almost resting on our garbarge bins. We thought about having the gardener prune the tree for about 1/2 a second, then pulled out a bag Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-41028166492217343072010-09-08T08:48:00.000-07:002010-09-08T08:48:27.380-07:00"Improvets" in Progress
I've embarked on a quick, cheap and easy kids bedroom redo that will hopefully freshen up the space for our girls and be a great combination of classic but youthful that can be punched up or down with simple accessories as their tastes grow and change. Their previous bedroom in our condo was smaller and was furnished & decorated when they were a few years younger, so the same space and age Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-67693535595810815012010-09-07T13:10:00.000-07:002010-09-07T13:13:28.544-07:00Cane You Believe It?I've been inspired (mostly by my budget to be honest) to take on more DIY home projects, but since I'm just starting out, I wanted to test the waters with a couple of risk-free, mostly cosmetic ventures. On a thrift store outing during my lunch break last month I spotted two of these dusty, but lovely chairs for quite a bargain at $40 a piece:
I loved the cane sides and the way the fabric went Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-83174477693742992662010-09-03T13:52:00.000-07:002010-09-03T13:52:45.357-07:00Sew Here's The Thing......now that I am well into my adult years, I can honestly say that sewing is an extremely underrated skill. As an adolescent, teen and young adult I was completely reluctant to accept this idea, after all, if I knew how to sew that would make me some kind of domesticated woman who could only cook and clean and mend her husband’s trousers, right? How wrong I was. Thanks to my amazing mother-in-lawCarlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-61379828109968946402010-08-23T14:15:00.000-07:002010-08-29T20:14:06.313-07:00A MadDENing Door MakeoverWhat I love about our den is that it’s big, bright and all the way at the back of the house, which means one person can be watching a movie at full volume while the rest of the house sleeps soundly. Or the kids can play with their most annoying toy and I don’t have to hear a thing! That was not the case in our 1100 sq. foot condo.
I’m guessing this room was used as a bedroom at some point (it Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44436982969879582.post-24587097507935718682010-08-16T13:02:00.000-07:002010-08-16T16:19:38.100-07:00Welcome home!Hello and welcome to my first post “in the heights!” Just a few months ago – June 2nd to be exact – we moved into our beautiful home in the Wilshire Vista Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Our family – me, my husband Leon and our two young daughters – became the proud owners of a three bedroom, 1 ¾ bathroom Spanish-style home built in 1927, and it was one of the most exciting days of my life. Carlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12877987355882866514noreply@blogger.com0