Monday, August 15, 2011

A Beautiful Sewing Studio...

I had the wonderful pleasure of helping to put together this wonderful sewing studio for a very good friend of mine.
She is a very busy mom of 4 children who works full-time and also takes on a full slate of volunteer commitments.
She is truly an amazing mother, wife & friend...always with a smile to greet you.
This sewing studio initally started out with a hodge podge of furniture with the sewing tables being 2 foldable banquet tables....like the kind you buy at Costco.
But a flood in the basement of the home required the room to have new flooring,paint & furniture.
My friend showed me the room when it looked like this....just a coat of pretty blue on the walls.
She asked for some help for this room.
As soon as I saw this room, my mind immediately recalled the beautiful blue studio of Donna Downey as shown below.
This became our "Inspiration Picture" for the room.
And here is the "After".
It is so much better than 2 folding banquet tables!
It is a space that is happy and bright.
A wonderful space for this Mom to relax and quilt and craft to her heart's content.

The trusty Pfaff sewing machine has it's own space with a clipboard above for hanging quilting patterns.
A comfortable chair  and a great light complete the sewing area.
A cheerful collection of artwork & vases with flowers add just the right amount of happy.
A little tea corner for a break from sewing sits here.
A ladder for displaying quilts makes this area interesting & fun.
And the workhouse for storage in this room is an IKEA expidite piece.
It holds books and fabric for future projects.
The IKEA island acts as a cutting surface for quilting projects.
Previously, Mom had been going upstairs to the kitchen to do cutting, but it was my suggestion to add this island to the room so she didn't have to trod upstairs anymore.
Isn't this a beautiful room?
I am so happy that my friend has this little haven for herself.
I think as busy Moms... we all need a happy space for ourselves.


This post is linked to these great parties:



UndertheTableandDreaming











Organize and Decorate Everything



Visit thecsiproject.com


Somewhat Simple


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Sunday, August 14, 2011

Food Rut: Getting Back to Menu Plan Monday...

I am in a bit of a food rut.
Remember that old Dunkin' Donuts commercial.. "Time to make the donuts".
That's me right now..."Time to make supper." {sigh} {double sigh}
Everyday I honestly don't know what to cook for my family.
That's not good!
I think I am still on post-vacation hangover....I was away for 5 weeks staying with my parents and my Mom did all the meal planning.
She is so awesome like that....so good at taking care of other people!

In an attempt to get my mo-jo back, I am going to try new recipes this week.
I am not going to check the freezer to see what I have. {Gasp}
I am going to simply pick 5 'Lookin Good' recipes and go from there.
Anyone else in a food rut?

Monday






Wednesday


Tangy Potato Salad with Ham & Coleslaw

Thursday

 Cobb Salad & Fresh Baguette

Friday

 Grilled New England Seafood Bake from Martha Stewart
{except I will use sausage, shrimp, potato & corn on the cob}

Saturday




And tomorrow I will be visiting one of my favorite blogs, "I'm An Organizing Junkie" to see all the links
for Menu Plan Monday for more inspiration!



Thursday, August 11, 2011

5 Secrets To A Great Bedroom...

With my interest in decorating & home decor, I am often asked by friends & family to look at rooms to offer suggestions & advice. I never get tired of this....I love, love, love helping people make their homes beautiful!

I think bedrooms are so important and they are often the most neglected space.
Bedrooms can provide more than just a place to sleep. They  can be escapes from the stresses & busy-ness of everyday schedules...a wonderful place to read & relax... a place that can make you feel refreshed & at peace.
And I don't think you need to spend oodles of money to achieve
a lovely space.

Here are my tips for creating a bedroom to love!

1. Get Down With Bedding. Start with something that you adore! Who wants 'ugly' in the bedroom?!  Build your bedroom around colour and bedding as a jump off point. If you are going to paint, pick bedding first & paint colour next, and not the other way around. Drapery should fit into the colour scheme whether it be a neutral scheme or full of colour. I recommend 'black out' drapes to provide the best sleeping comfort. Black out lining can be added to existing curtains or inexpensive options can be found at Zellers & Canadian Tire, for example, & they often go on sale. Besides the many 'bedding in a bag' choices that come as matched sets, consider these other budget friendly options:

Mix & Match. Bedding can be different shades of neutrals if that is what soothes your soul:
 {Style at Home}
A punchy throw or blanket can work as a starting point if that makes your heart go a-flutter:
{Canada's Style At Home}

Or a beautiful handmade or flea market quilt if you adore homey & cozy:
{Sarah Richardson}


2.  Pick A Peck Of Pillows. You may already own bedding you love. However, just adding the right throw pillow can make the bed feel so wonderful & fresh. Tired pillows can be recovered with small amounts of fabrics, or you can pick up pillows marked down to under $15...I've seen tons this week at Home Sense.

You could throw a pillow party if  you like multiple pillows:
{Canadian House & Home}

Or a single 'statement' pillow can do the job just beautifully:
{Canadian House & Home}


3. Now Add Table-rama & Lamp-alooza. Bedside tables & lamps are a must in a bedroom for comfort & convenience. Bedside tables hold drinks, reading glasses & books & telephones, among many other bedside must-haves. Lamps provide light for reading and relaxing without the brightness of the ceiling light. You can re-purpose or paint any small table or chest of drawers to make a fantastic side table. Use Craig's List, Yard Sales & Kijiji as low cost sources. Lamps can be spray-painted to match decor.

Tables & Lamps can be small & functional:
{Style At Home}

Or they can add a pop of colour to the bedroom:
{Style At Home}

Bedside tables can boost storage space:
{Rambling Renovators Blog}
Lamps can be hung on the wall alongside a small bedside tray:
{Canadian House & Home}

Or hung from the ceiling for a wonderful effect:
{Canadian House & Home}

They can also be extremely basic & budget-minded:
{Canadian House & Home}

4. Beautify Behind The Bed. Just like adding a pillow, adding something interesting behind the bed can really make the bedroom sing. Troll yard sales, goodwill stores, and use your imagination to find what makes you happy. Remember that frames and mats are easy to spray paint too!

First there is the traditional artwork option. A grouping of pictures is a classic look:
{Canadian House & Home}

As is a single picture:
{Sarah Richardson}

A round mirror can add a wonderful air of sophistication:
{Style at Home-Peter Fallico}

Popular choices in recent years have included painting the wall behind the bed an accent colour & decorative headboards:
{Sarah Richardson's Bedroom}

And warm wood such as unpainted pine:
{Sarah Richardson's Cottage}

Or something completely funky & interesting:
{Canadian House & Home}

5.  Choose Luscious Lighting. If budgeting allows, adding a ceiling fixture is the final touch of luxury. Although fixtures can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars...it can be done very inexpensively if you comb stores for mark-downs,  search yard sales & online sources and use your imagination to spray paint and refurbish. {For my own bedroom...I waited patiently for years and found a chandelier at Canadian Tire marked down from $149.99 to $49.99 & got it as a Mother's Day present!}


Consider the romantic sparkle of a chandelier:
{Canadian House & Home}

Or a lantern style fixture:
{Sarah Richardson}

A hanging fixture with a textured drum shade:
{Style At Home}

Or any fun-shaped fixture that catches your eye!
{Canadian House & Home}

And just so you know that I practice what I preach, or I walk the walk, or I walk the talk or however the saying goes...here is our bedroom:
   I have a thing for pillows. I like to change them up. You can see the $49.99 chandelier that I patiently waited for 5 years to find...I like pretty...but I'm a frugal girl!

 I hope you find some inspiration in making your sleep space beautiful!
Thank you so much for reading and sharing this post with me...I am so honoured by my readers every day who give me their precious time & attention. Thank you so much!

 And after reading this post, what is the first change that you think you will make to the bedroom, if any?
Inquiring minds want to know!




This post is linked to these terrific parties:





Organize and Decorate Everything





Somewhat Simple

lil luna link party buttonThe Girl Creative




Tip Junkie handmade projects


Sundae Scoop @ I {heart} Naptime

Sunday Showcase @ Under the Table & Dreaming
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