It's Time For The Truth

Okay, it's time for the truth. While things seem pretty and perfect at my blog, the truth is that I've felt "mostly dead" this entire week. Yes, mostly dead from what is likely a sinus infection from breathing in an over abundance of saw dust and paint fumes from this project. And from the reaction to the drug that is supposed to make me feel better.

Why am I telling you this?

First, because it's good to be reminded that even though all of my projects are done in a "well ventilated area" (outside), it's still good to protect myself, and you should protect yourself too.
Meet my new best friend. I'll look pretty funny. But funny looking is a better choice than mostly dead feeling.
Second, you must see the truth,

the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth.

Sick as could be, I dragged myself out, did a quick, but unfinished paint job on this chair. And an unfinished clean-up of the area, just so I could present a pretty picture to all who care to see.

But I feel bad---not mostly dead bad. I'm actually feeling almost alive again.
But I have been feeling guilty bad. Guilty for adding to the whole notion that we should always give the appearance of pretty and perfect. When the reality for all of us is that

RARELY is life pretty and perfect.

And to be honest, who wants it to be?

It's the messes in our lives that make us
appreciate the pretty.
It's the mostly dead moments that remind us
to embrace every moment of living.

I fear that the blog world
can be one more place where

we compare the worst in ourselves
to the best in others.
So today I will tell the truth.
My life is often a mess
and rarely pretty and perfect.
And I love it that way!

Friendly Bedroom Idea

Earth friendly bedroom idea from the HGTV dream house

Applying eco friendly style in your bedroom is not a trend; in fact, it is the healthiest task to do while decorating home. Do not allow harmful chemicals or toxins affect your health or your home environment. When decorating home in a healthy manner, it is very essential to consider several points to give your bedroom an eco friendly look:

Hgtv Dream House: Your Bedroom

Breathe easier

The quality of the air is essential, as you in your bedroom you spend maximum time during night. The operable panes for proper cross ventilation or natural ventilation are recommended. Purchase a designer fan for circulating cool and hot air, and avoid spending much money on electricity bills. Additionally, it is feasible to select low, no VOC stains and paints for furniture, ceiling and walls. Wash your bedding every week for cutting down on molding, dust mile accretion and mildew.

Hgtv Dream House: Design your Bedroom

If you are allergic to allergies then avoid comforters and down pillows. In fact, look for organic and hypoallergenic pillows filled with cotton, wool, buckwheat, millet hulls, shredded latex or kapok.

Select a green mattress, box spring

Hgtv Dream House: Bedroom for Kids

Do not forget to invest in the most crucial part of the bedroom, the mattress. Almost everything that you get into your house possess a potential to off gas, therefore when you select products to sleep over, always remember to look at the material used to make them.

Hgtv Dream House: Best Bedroom

Pick a mattress that is toxin free as well as does not include polyurethane foam or fire retardants like polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Otherwise, consider green options like cotton and wool filled mattress, which are extremely comfortable like the chemical filled mattress.

I Do Not Sew

I do not sew.

So why do I find myself with
a rather large stash of fabric?
And why is it so difficult for me
to pass by
fabric remnants at the thrift store
or the fabric store?
And why do I even find myself
in a fabric store
when I do not sew?
Perhaps it's because every once in a while
I stumble upon a great deal on some
fantastic fabric.And then I use that fantastic fabric to cover a seat.And I give that spray paint color a second chance.And the result is an outdoor chair
that looked like thisnow looks like this. And, without sewing,
I've made a pretty little spot
by my side door that beckons me
to rest and enjoy my shade garden.

Home Theatre Photos Idea

A Little Outdoor Cutie

Last year I did a makeover on my back patio. My goal was to have it be fun, summery and a bit retro. I painted my collection of vintage metal chairs and other accessories in the colors of red and yellow. My boys teased that it looked like ketchup and mustard, which meant I had accomplished my goal of having it fun and summery. I also chose to decorate the patio so that it connected to the yard and flower garden, with garden accessories galore.In the spring of this year I stood at the back of my yard staring at my patio. I no longer loved what I saw. The bright colors were fun, but they also created visual clutter. So I chose new goals for my patio. I want it calm, classy, and more of an extension of the inside of my home.
One way that I chose to accomplish the home to patio connection was to incorporate another furniture piece. I decided that a china hutch would be the perfect choice. It could provide storage for cushions during the winter, and beauty and a bit of privacy during the summer. I began my search. The hutch had to be a bit on the smaller side. I didn't want it to overwhelm the patio. It had to have character. It had to be free of glass (who wants to continually clean?). And, most of all, it had to be cheap!

After looking through several thrift stores with nothing to be found, I started my search on our local on-line classifieds. I found this hand-made cutie for twenty-five dollars. What? You don't think it's cute? Well, it did have that grandpa's cabin look, and it was a bit short, standing less that five feet tall. But it did have character and it definitely had potential!We added legs and feet using a 4x4 that we'd found in the dumpster, and fence finials from the thrift store at 50 cents each.I gave it a fresh coat of spray paint, but found the color a little too boring, so I sanded it a bit to prepare it for it's next coat. I pulled out a mis-tint that had the wow factor. The paint was beautiful, but I wanted to add back some of that grandpa's cabin character. Out came the sandpaper and the stain.Thanks to the addition of the feet, this cutie now stands at 5'8'' and looks like a piece unearthed from an attic.

I love it!

Linked to Southern Hospitality and Metamorphosis Monday.

Los Angeles Taste Makers

The Los Angeles Time Magazine today has an excellent feature on the up-and-coming taste makers in Los Angeles, primarily in the field of fashion, interior design, architecture, arts and entertainment.

We find it so inspiring...It's so nice to read about people who are so incredibly creative. It's also nice to discover people & names we never heard of.

Featured here is Sally McQuillan:



"She doesn’t like to drop names—McQuillan prefers to let her résumé do the talking. But ask any number of decorating heavyweights, and they’ll tell you the fiercely inventive fabric designer, known for setting trends in color and pattern, is a home-furnishings sensation."-LA Times Magazine

Read on...

Smith & Hawken Closing All Stores

One of our favorite garden stores, Smith + Hawken, announced that it will close all of its 56 stores by the end of the year.

Another victim of this horrible economy....

Sales starts this week at all stores. The online store has been shut down.