Design Daydreams-Dining Room Edition Part 1

Tonight I wanted tacos for dinner. Adam wanted Chinese.  I wasn't around so he ordered Chinese and when I fessed up about my yen for tacos tonight he replied "I am sorry baby.  You know I always try to give you what YOU want."  He is and was dead serious. That man lives to please me and I love and appreciate him for it.  Which is how I know even though he says he likes the dining room without a big honkin' piece of china cabinet, I'll be getting one.

This is what I'm thinking about...

I wish this came in brown or black.  For the price I MAY consider painting it.  It doesn't look like much here but in the store they have it lit up on the inside and it really is beautiful.

I have no clue where this came from but I liked the idea of glass on the top and the two drawers.

This is from CSNstores.com. I really know nothing about that website but I've heard a lot about it recently so I did a little search and saw this.

I love the idea of buying an antique dresser from Craig's List and painting it but I don't know if it would be big enough to make the statement that I need.

This of course is Pottery Barn. What would my blog be without Pottery Barn? 

I almost bought this years ago for my dining room.  It has tons of storage and I love the idea of having a little bar in the middle. Because you know, in between play dates and poop I would like to have friends over to drink. Yeaaaah right.

Ok I just love this big RED china cabinet. Crate and Barrel makes it.  I was worried it might look bad in our dining room but the color of the wall it's on is VERY similar to our new wall color so it could be done.

So basically I want something with glass doors because I want to display all of that fun stuff I got for my wedding but have nothing else to do with.  I have also collected a few things myself over the years and I am slowly stealing things I love from my mom.  They all need a home. Drawers would be ideal too because I have lots of table linen but I can always buy some cute baskets to throw that stuff in. I am always open to suggestions (less expensive ones especially). I know so many of you read great design blogs (I just wish I had one) and see cool stuff all the time. So, send it my way!!!

This is probably going to be part of a series.   I need a new rug and some art!

I Was Feeling Crafty...

Before I went on my trip to Isle of Palms this last weekend I thought it would be nice to make the girls a little something.  This is a relatively simple craft and super fun for the summer. 

All you need is...Scissors, a glue stick (I never used it but just in case I guess) and a glue gun...

Sticker letters. I used Glitter ones but they come in all kinds of colors and sizes.  You can usually find them with all things FOAM.

Can koozies. I got mine at Michael's for a $1 each.

Lei's.  Also a $1 at Michael's.  In the past I have used boas or even just ribbon. 

First I laid out everyone's names.   It was much faster this way.

Then one by one, stuck them on the koozies.  It was Jen's birthday so I put Birthday Girl on her's.

This was the tricky part.  The lei's had to be cut and I had to tie them off on the cut ends in order to keep the flowers on the string.  Then I took the glue gun and in several places but a glue dot and stuck the lei to them.

Some of the koozies were warped so I used (go figure) chili sauce to straighten them out because I had no cans in my fridge.

Didn't they turn out so cute??  Everyone loved them! 

They literally cost me less than $3 each to make.   You could make them in different themes for all times of year.  I am thinking about buying some black ones and buying a Fleur de Lis stencil and H stencil and painting them for our guests to use when we have cookouts. Wouldn't they be fun?

Happy Crafting!!!

I am also linking this here!

We Are FINALLY done Painting.

I felt like it may be possible the day would never come.    Adam and I could not decide on a paint color for the "new" living/dining room. I knew I wanted something neutral but nothing too dark.  We thought  we had a color nailed down before I left for the beach this weekend but after painting two walls we decided the color probably belonged in a Miami Vice themed restaurant. For some reason it was almost peach.  I am usually awesome at picking colors so don't judge. Haha.  We finally came to an agreement and chose Oat Bran by Valspar.  I really did plan on helping but I am the worst at cutting in so Adam does that and by the time that is done he's in the zone and just does it all himself.  It helps he worked for a paint company in high school. Here are some before and after pics of our results.  Please excuse the bad shots. I actually let Aidan take some of them.

The wall with the peach color on it.  This picture does not do it justice.

We really need to hang that TV.

The dining room was navy blue with gold and silver metallic stripes under the chair rail.

The doorway to the kitchen.

Adam working hard.

Where the wall used to be.

AFTER!!!!  (I need a new piece of furniture on the far wall)

View from the dining room.

View from farthest corner of the room.  I despise that star with the canvas under it but I was tired of looking at them sit on the floor.  Free to a good home!

I have so far to go with decorating. It's a work in progress. Previously I had such bold colors, I decorated with whites and neutrals. Now that my walls are neutral I will most likely reverse that.  I need some new art work and there are probably some things that will make their way to Craig's List.  I moved the buffet to behind the sofa so now I will be needing a new piece for the wall behind my dining room table.  And of course the chandelier makes me cringe now. Everything I want these days is on back order so it will be a few more weeks until the new one arrives.

I am linking this here and here and here.

Party Like it's 1988

Yes I know it's supposed to be 1999 but this weekend was all about the 80's.   There was enough neon, scrunchies and sideways ponytails to elicit people screaming "Look! It's Flashdance all over again" as we walked the streets of Charleston, SC.

We should have stuck with "What happens in Isle of Palms, stays in Isle of Palms" but something tells me that's the last thing that was one every one's mind as we all ventured home to our loved ones tonight.  It was an unforgettable weekend. One for the books for sure.  There will be stories to tell for a long time. 

Happy 30th JEN!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

P.S. Aren't we all so glad the 80's are over?

Beach Bound

I have been slacking on my blogging this week but I have a good reason.  Tomorrow I am leaving for a girl's weekend on Isle of Palms and so I have been cleaning and cooking like a mad woman so Adam won't have to worry about anything but hanging out with Aidan this weekend.   Their meals are all made and labeled in the fridge.  The laundry is all caught up.  I grocery shopped and bought them some treats.  There are fresh sheets on the beds.  Aren't I a good wife?  I try at least.

I made a cute little craft to take all the girls (15 of us) at the beach house that I will post about when I return.   I am not bringing my fancy new camera with me on this trip because Adam is afraid I will neglect it and it will get sandy.  Puuuuuuhhhhlease.  I think he wants to use it.   I will make sure that someone takes some pictures of us.  We are doing an 80's theme on Saturday night for Jen's 30th birthday.  We rented a limo too. I'm pumped but I will miss the boys.  I have never gone away alone since Aidan has been born. Crazy!!! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend.   See you when I get back!!! xoxoxo

Peace of Mind. Yeah Right.

Adam and I had a goal for 2010 and it was to pay off all of our debt.  I am one of those people can't sleep at night knowing I owe someone money.  There are some of you that may laugh at me because we were less than $7000 in the hole and I know there are people out there that sleep soundly at night in a lot more debt than that. 

Well here we are six months in to the year and I am $63.15 away from being debt free.  Of course we still have our monthly bills like everyone else but everything outside of that is paid off.  We have never been ones to have credit cards. We actually have a saying around here "If we don't have cash, we don't buy it."   We had debt from an accident Adam was in a few years ago and he had to have extensive surgeries on his hand, we had debt from a loan we took out when Adam started his business and I refused to let Adam pay for his own wedding band so I have been paying that off little by little.  Remember I don't have a job.  I swear next time, I'm going with the band that you can in the $.25 machine.  Just kidding.  He's worth every penny. 

I thought I would feel so much better knowing that we have come so far and don't have this to deal with. WRONG.  Now I lay in bed wondering where the bills are, what is going to happen next catastrophic in our lives that will make me feel like we need to wait ANOTHER year for a baby.   Adam is one of those people that just knows things will work themselves out.  Not me.  I'm a numbers don't lie kinda girl.   I don't know which way is better to be.  We've come really far and lived super tight to get the rest of this debt paid off in just six months.   But seriously where is the peace of mind people?

4th of July Photo Overload

We had a great 4th of July. The parade was so much fun and the competition was fierce.  We lost to a giant home made float! AKA a dad with WAAAAAAYYYY too much time on his hands.  It's OK though.  We know what we are up against for next year.  After the parade we came home and took naps for a couple of hours and then headed out to Red, White and Boom hosted by some of the local radio stations.  It was a great fireworks display and Aidan had the best time.   He sat in my lap and admired the fireworks and I kissed his head with tears in my eyes because I know we are so lucky to be bringing up a child in a free country.   One of my best friends Amanda joined us (and to use AKA again) AKA Our second wife and we always really enjoy her company. Aidan can finally say Amanda so that makes my heart smile.   We had planned on drinking wine when we got back to the house but we were both so exhausted she headed home.   I do miss our sleepovers.  We are continuing our weekend tomorrow on the boat with my parents.  Personally we are thrilled my mom will be joining us. She typically lets all of us have the fun and stays behind so we are happy to report she has agreed to join us for the day.  I can't wait to float around in the sun on the water and chit chat with her.

We hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday. Happy Birthday America and without further adieu...one million 4th of July pictures and two videos of my angel.

You don't have to look at them all but this is my blog and my scrapbook so there. Haha!

PARADE PICTURES

Ready to go. 

We convinced him to wear the patriotic hat by taping it to his fireman hat.

On his way out.

Waiting for the firetruck to arrive to lead the parade.

The float mentioned above.

Isn't he the cutest.

A little pre parade pep talk from Daddy.

Off they go!

He got to climb up on the firetruck afterwards. The best part of his day!

Mr. July

Pedaling Home.

He is always putting his hands in his pocket like my dad so we had to get a picture.

Smooching Amanda.

RED, WHITE AND BOOM PHOTOS

Pockets again.

Aidan and Lug Nut from Lowe's Motor Speedway

Snow Cone

Lovin' on his Auntie Amanda.

Doing the chicken dance.

Some of Charlotte's Skyline.

Fireworks!

Yup so that's all folks.