Signs of addiction

It's official, I need an intervention. I found the following today and realized that yes, I am addict. Is there a 12 step for this?

I found this stuck to the inside of my purse. I have no idea how it got there or for how long it's been there. I do often put things I buy in my purse, after paying for them of course, to cut down on the excessive use of plastic bags, but I have only been carrying this purse for a few days. It's one of the great mysteries of life.

I don't even know what item it may have come off of. Whatever it was, I got a good deal!

White spray paint, I love you.

I will never cease to be amazed at the power a coat of paint holds. Especially white paint. While I'm not a fan of white walls white accents get me every time. White curtains billowing in the breeze...be still my heart. White slipcovered furniture (watch out for that upcoming post) makes me want to do a fat girl summersault (which is just a little hop and lots of emphatic hand clapping.) But the best are high gloss white accents, like this owl from Z Gallerie for a respectable $19.95 and it's a vase!

Want a more economical version? You might get lucky (like I did) and find one at Goodwill. Yep, I found this beauty at Goodwill for $3.99.

Ok so it's not so lovely, yet. Notice also the wood candle sticks, those were .99 each! (I spy with my little eye something black, white and stinky in the background. Lilly Bean, not a skunk.)

A quick coat of primer and two coats of Rustoleum 2x Coat Gloss White and here he is...
I just love him! He's now got a partner in white as I just finished painting a pretty ugly flower pot and planting a Shrek's Ear Jade plant in it. This is the second jade plant I've had in the last 6 months, let's see how long this one lasts.

Edit, here's a pic of the jade plant, see it's not dead....yet.

Kitschy Kitchen

I'm often adding "kitsh" to the kitchen but a few of the newest additions have been under some harsh scrutiny.

The first oddity was a divine silver bell I found at Marshall's. (I HEART Marshall's. Like carve our initial in a tree, matching BFF heart necklace wearing love.) Of course the E in Bellom wasn't as overjoyed with this find as I was, Llom couldn't care less. For a measly $14.99 she was mine. It wasn't until a few days later that I saw I was not the only one crazy for the clank of that beautiful bell when I saw a post on The Lettered Cottage about said bell and another doubtful husband. This only confirmed my suspicion that Layla and I are long lost sisters. (Isn't that what all internet stalkers say though?) You can ring, er see, Layla's bell here. Be warned, it's amazing!

The bell to me is just a lovely chunk of eye candy but it does work and I have tried to train L & O to come back in from frolicing in the yard at the sound of it's ear splitting clang to no avail. So to prevent the heat, the fuzz, the 5-O from being called due to excessive bell ringing it is just for looks.

See the bell to the right of the door?

You may also notice the new pendant lamp in the above picture. It has gotten some really negative reviews. I posted pictures of it on Woofboard (a Boston Terrier forum) and out of 30 or so comments only 2-3 were positive. One woman even said it looked like a hampster cage. I've never seen such a divine hampster cage.

I will say at first I wasn't over the moon with it but you have to live with a change for awhile to know for sure if it's love or hate. It's funny, but seeing these pictures made me fall in love with it. What is it you may ask? It's a vintage locker basket and a reproduction vintage light bulb. I removed the yawn inducing builders grade frosted glass (gag) shade and used the existing hardware. I fashioned a hole in the basket and walllllll-laaaaa!

I love the glow from the reproduction vintage lightbulb and the stainless look of the basket picks up the metal of the bell and the sink. I love it, no, I LURVE it and honestly, I don't give a pickle about what anyone else thinks. Decorating, just like life, is about doing what you love and I love it!

Here's a close up.

Another "oddity" I found was one of my childhood (ok, adulthood as well) obessions; Mary Poppins. I was blog surfing one day and stumbled upon a post where a woman found a Mary Poppins spoon at Goodwill. Now, I have found some fantastical things at Goodwill but never a Mary Poppins spoon, what's a girl to do? Yep, check Ebay! I found one and within two days it was mine. Now that I had it I was a bit perplexed about what to do with it.

Put in a magnificent vintage cup? Display in the cabinet in the kitchen? I just knew I wanted it to be seen. I decided to frame it. I found a black $2.00 frame at Joann fabrics and primed and painted it white, used some left over scrapbook paper as a background and some glue and ta....da.....

So what kitchy, marvelous, or not so great things have you done to your kitchen?

UPDATE: I sent pictures of the shade transformation to Young House Love and got a response email from Sherry. Seriously, this to me is like meeting a celeb! I about piddled down my leg when I got the email and I plan on printing it out and framing it, seriously.

It's taken a year...but we're baaaaccccckkkkkkk!

If the attention or inattention to this blog is any indication that winter was busy between working full time and graduate school. In fact it was project quiet as well. Never fear, spring is here and oh so much has/will be done!!

I have a handful of blogs I follow and I envy their inspiration, motivation, finacialation but I'll do my best to inspire, motivate and well you're on your own for the financing part.

Here's a little list of upcoming projects to hopefully keep you interested.

the reveal of the den overhaul, no demo but lots of paint, lots and lots of paint
a new decorative front porch and sidewalk (which I have nothing to do with besides writing the check, but it's an exciting home improvement)
upstairs bath repaint
laundry room overhaul
kitchen screen door instal
lots of other things I haven't conjured up yet