It's beginning to look a lot like....

Haloween at Chateau Bellom

Ghoul have to wait for the rest....

The Vintage Exchange

From dream to reality, The Vintage Exchange is born.

Wow, that makes it sound so much more amazing that it really is.

Here are the W's for you...

What is it? 
Well a few weeks ago I was talking to Lisa from Urban Farmhouse and Polly from Sassafras Stuff and we discussed how it would be great to have some sort of vintage Craigslist for those of us in the central Ohio area.  I had been looking for a little vintage ladder for my living room and just happened to comment about it on Lisa's blog.  Polly saw it and said "hey toots, I got you a ladder" (Ok, she didn't say toots) but anyways, the idea was born (and I got my ladder.)

So what's this thingy do?

The list would be to help us find things we were looking for, sell/trade things we wanted to get rid of.

In trying to find ways to build such a site where members could post without passwords to blogs, etc I came up with starting a yahoo group.  This way once you're a member you may post your wants, get-rid-of's, or "hey, if you see a....would you let me know's."

I am not a good name-maker-upper so, The Vintage Exchange is as good as it gets. 

Who can join?
Anyone really, but primarily for those of us in the Central Ohio/Columbus area.  Feel free to join even if you're not from Ohio, but realize unless you'll have to have a seller willing to ship and you be willing to pay shipping if you find something you just can't live without!

Where do I go to join?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintageexchange/

I hope to see lots of posts and lots of goodies finding new homes!

If you have any questions, hit me up at everydaybelllom@yahoo.com

Also, feel free to share the link to group with other bloggers, friends, shop owners, etc.  The more who know the more treasures we'll find!

A dandy chandy

I have started the laundry room revamp....dun..dun...dun..dun....dunnnnnnnn

I forgot how much I hate priming, then painting.  I hate it so much I started priming, got 1/2 way through and haven't picked up a paint brush since. 

I have to get my rear in gear though as tonight I'm going to buy our new front load washer and dryer.

Be still my heart.  I have wanted these forever.  Is it inappropriate to lay awake at night thinking about an appliance?

Anyways.

I scored a rockin' deal on the perfect little chandelier this weekend for the laundry room but I'm at a crossroads on what color to paint it.

My lazy butt hasn't taken before pictures of the chandy yet, so here are some pics of ones somewhat like it from Ebay.



Mine is a three arm and it's currently just silver/rust colored. 

My quandary (ain't that a great word?) is what color to paint it.  Let me give you a run down of how the laundry room is set up.  The top half of the wall is paneling and will be painted in Glidden's Muslin White while the bottom of the wall is dry wall and will be painted Sea Salt by Sherwin Williams.

Muslin White on the left, Sea Salt on the right.  Disclaimer, these colors aren't really "real life" to me, the Muslin White is much lighter, just barely an off white.  The Sea Salt is a moody, green-blue, this just looks brown.

The bottom colors, are what Sherwin Williams has as complimentary colors for the Sea Salt.  I was thinking of going with one of those as the chandelier color.  Right now, I'm not loving any of those suggestions and I'm leaning towards turquoise.  Why?  I love it and I think it would play nicely with the Sea Salt (the real color that is.)  Not to mention it's a great laundry room color and would tie in the den color scheme since the laundry room is off the den.

Here's a picture from The Lettered Cottage.  Layla (whom I adore) has used Sea Salt quite a bit in her home, here it looks like a clean but moody blue.  Nothing at all like the above sample is it?

My initial idea for the chandy was white, but with a true white ceiling and the barely off white of the Muslin White I worried it would look weird and I want a punch of color. 

So, what do you all think?  Turquoise, white, yellow? I did think a bright shiny yellow would be fun as well, but there's NO other yellow in that area of the house, I worry it would stick out in a bad way.

What about silver?

Ohhhh, a dark moody grey?

Maybe like this.

Ugh, I have no idea.  I need your input!!





Idea for Creation thanks to Polly!

It's been awhile since I have done an Idea for Creation post so I thought I would share one with you to bide some time until I have something else worth posting.  Sorry, it just ain't me to troll the net for pictures of great houses and use them as a blog entry just to post for the sake of posting.  Now if that is your game, play on playette.

In the past I've used items from Etsy as my fuel for these posts but this time I thought I would profile a fellow blogger, Polly from Sassafras Stuff. Have you met Polly?  If so you'll know she's a gem, so sweet and bubbly, and fresh she's a little dose of human 7UP!  She's one of those women who makes an adorable black shirt with rosettes and denim capri's look posh and adorable. 

Recently Polly posted her updated-for-fall booth from The Olde Shoe Factory in Lancaster, Ohio.  This is one of my favorite pictures from that post.

I just love the umbrella's and the cards. Whimsical and lighthearted yet artsy.

This photo is where the Idea for Creation comes into play.

While there are lots of things in the picture you could take and run with I'm going to address that

D-I-V-I-N-E dove grey vintage laundry basket.  Just imagine all the things you could do with that baby.  Speaking of babies, wouldn't it be cute in a nursery as toy storage?  Because trust me, if we ever procreate there will never be a Dora or Bob the Builder theme in our home, sorry kiddo, go cry to your friends that you mean evil momma won't let you have a corny themed room.

I digress.

Here's some other options, let's see if I can come up with 10 of them:

1. In the den as a catch-all for blankets and pillows.
2. In the living room as a catch for the decorative pillows on the couch that always get displaced when company comes.
3. Or in the bedroom to store your decorative pillows instead of having to put them in a closet. (Or on the floor, don't lie, you've done it.)
4. For what it was meant to be, a laundry basket.  Seriously, how posh would your dirty under-roos look in this baby? And it's so much better looking than the plastic ones that break on the edges and then pinches your belly fat when you're carrying it.  What?  That doesn't happen to you? Liar.
5. In the guest room to hold towels, extra blankets and pillows.
6. If you have a ranch home, or open concept it would be a great means for your kids to actually help clean up, to transport toys from bedroom to living room. 
7. Or maybe if the kids knew they could wheel their clean clothes from laundry room to bedroom maybe those little booger eaters would actually put them away!
8. Since the basket has some pretty sturdy wheels on it, I was thinking you could use it as a transportation device.  Say you're having a bbq, you could use it to haul your plates, chips, cups, etc to the backyard if you have a ways to walk or if you're like me and lazy and don't want to make 37 trips. 
9. Or during said bbq, put a watertight plastic tub in it, fill it with ice and use it as a cooler. 
10. Let's say you have a garden or orchard, line this baby with plastic bag or tub and you have a bounty basket on wheels!

There, I did it.  10 ideas.  I'm sure if I had a cup of coffee and more time I could think of some more but those 10 should be enough motivation for you to rush out and buy this baby......but wait....you can't....I already bought it!  Yep, I'm a tease like that.  This baby is MINE!

Sticking with my new theme of naming my favorite pieces, I think I will call her Poppin.  As in Mary Poppins, since she wore a glorious grey dress and helped clean up after people.  Yes, I am just that cheesy!

Right now Poppin is doing what she was made to do, holding dirty sheets.  She has saved me from swearing and tripping already.  When I change the bed I just wad up the dirty sheets and usually have a straggler that I end up tripping over, cussing and cursing Eric for not doing this chore for me.  This time, I just wheeled Poppin into the bedroom threw everything in her and wheeled her back down the hall to the bathroom. Easy peasy, laundry basket squeezy!

My plan for Poppin is to use her in the laundry room once it's repainted (which I started last night, that post will hopefully be coming soon.)  I am planning on replacing our washer and dryer with front loaders and thought having a raised basket would be helpful to transition laundry from one to the other, very a la laundromat! Classy, huh? Actually with Poppin, it is sort of classy.

Don't worry, Polly has tons of other great items like this glorious owl cookie jar.

Which I must admit I'd want to paint white.  I can't help it people, it's an obsession. And all of this....cue glittery, magical music....

Just look at all the potential.  Like that little white locker.  How fun would she be in a girls room? Or in the bathroom for extra storage? Or in the laundry room to hold detergent and such.  Uh oh, I might need to run back to Lancaster this weekend now that I thought of that!

Don't try to buy those two little grey planters on the table by the lamp, they too are mine.

This handsome ladder came home with me as well.  I won't go into details, but expect a post about him soon!

I have to admit that I often buy stuff because it's cute or a good deal or a favorite color and then think "crap, what am I going to do with this now?"  That's how you get to be on Hoarders.  I'm trying really hard to change that behavior and when I see something that I like I try to think of three ways I could use it.  Then I think of what I have and try to think of ways to use what I have instead of adding something new.  Yeah, that last part usually doesn't happen, but I am trying!

So, stay tuned to see what I do with that ladder which I think I will name; Beekman.  I'll explain why later.

Become a card carrying member.

I am looking into getting business cards for my blog which will be going high-tech soon!  Eric is buying me my very own website to house ELOB!  Until then I wanted to get some cards to hand out when I'm out and about at shops and maybe to litter them about the upcoming Country Living Fair.  Some of them might end up taped to mirrors in the bathroom at Finders Keepers and Joann Fabrics, you never know. 

I don't want to go all out until the new website is designed in an effort to match the card to the site so these will "do for now."  But, I can't decide.  Even though I know these are temporary I'm having a tough time deciding so please, help me!

Leave a comment stating the letter that corresponds with the design (or designs) you like.  If you have input, suggestions or know someone who does website design, feel free to leave that too! 

Edited to add: In making the pics extra large it screws up the layout of the blog, I apologize but I wanted you to be able to see the cards.  I'm sure this doesn't bother you as much as it bothers me though.

Edited to add again: Card A and E are the same.  I just realized this.  I am too lazy to go and change it and I'm not sure why I felt the need to tell you something you've most likely already realized.  Ok, I'm putting my OCD head to bed!

And I call myself a DIY blogger.

Today's blog theme song would be "Ooops, I did it again." 

Why you may ask?  What I can't just have a hankering for some obnoxious teeny-bopper pop music now and then?

Actually, I forgot to take before pictures.  Again. 

I know, I know, DIY bloggers are supposed to plan, prepare, think things through.  Pity that ain't nothing like who I really am.  I'm impatient and spontaneous (as spontaneous as someone with OCD can be) and I just jump right into projects.

Since I don't have before pictures and I'm not ready for the after pictures yet I'll just tease you with some stock photos and let your imaginations run wild. 

I took some of these from Lowes for $3.99.

And some of this.

And you'll have to wait to see what I did with it.  Who am I kidding, you've already figured it out but I'm still gonna make you wait for the pictures!
 

Puppies and Pillows

Two of my favorite things are puppies and pillows.  Put them together and oh, be still my heart.  If you are a fan of either puppies or pillows I think you'll enjoy this post. 

Our puppies, Lilly Bean and Oliver Von Gustoph are our furkids.  They are not just our pets.  They sleep with us and have their own dresser for their clothes, leashes, etc.  It's a sickness. 

First I'll show you our babies then the pillows.

My beautiful little girl, Lilly Bean.

Don't let the sweet face fool you.  She can have your nostrils lubed before you realize what happened. Seriously though, she is the sweetest, kindest dog you'll ever meet.  Yeah, she'll pee on your shoes when she's excited but she's happy to slurp you until you forget all about it.

Ollie G, my little man.  Small but mighty in heart.  We rescued him because "no one wanted him."  Can you believe it??

He's not feeling great right now.  It was time for shots this week and he had a bad reaction to them.  The drive home from the vet was awful, he was so uncomfortable from the reaction he whined and cried unless he was on my lap and I was singing (poorly) to him.  Makes my heart hurt to think about how sad he looked. I'm pathetic.  I know.

The look of love.

Let me taste your brain sister.

Bean LOVES to have Ollie clean her ears, I do worry he'll reach grey matter one day though.

Enough of that.  On to the pillows.

I once thought I knew how to make grain sack pillows.  OH was I wrong.

What was the tipping point?  On a recent trip to The Olde Shoe Factory I found a great grain sack in Polly's booth and had to make it mine.  I got really lucky and the sack was the exact same size as a king sized pillow! I won't even go into how soft and amazing it is, it's tempting to use it as a bed pillow it's so luxe. 

Best part, no sewing required, just slip the pillow in and ta------da--------- you gots yourself a pillow.  You'd like to see a picture of that wouldn't you? Yeah, I forgot to take one of it and I'm too lazy (and have a lap full of puppy) to go upstairs and take a picture, you'll see it in a minute though.

I do have a close up of the stripe and the great lettering.

Luscious I tell you!

Once I had seen the beauty of that grain sack I knew I had no idea what I was really doing during my first attempt. It was so bad I can't even bring myself to show you pictures. I also found tons of inspiration over at Mustard Seed Creations.  Miss Mustard Seed makes AHHHHHH-MAZING stuff out of canvas painters drop cloths. Including great grain sack "stuff" from pillows, to slipcovers!  Check her out, you won't be disappointed. 

With Miss Mustard Seed as my inspiration I picked up some drop cloths at Lowes and set to work.  Using her tutorial of a dry brush, craft paint and leaving your OCD at the door I got started.  Remember how the real grain sack's stripes show some fo the creaminess of the fabric through.  You forgot already? Sheesh, just scroll up and look at the last picture.  Got it now?  Good. 

Here's what I got when I GENTLY applied some dark red craft paint after using painters tape to make the stripes.

Not bad eh? Yeah, I thought it looked pretty good.  Wanna see the whole thing? Thought so...
One for me.

One for Eric.

Once I had the stripes I thought I'd add some lettering.  Now, Miss Mustard Seed is a rawking painter and can freehand some amazing letters.  I also free handed them but eh, not bad, but NO way as good as hers. 

See.

photo credit: Mustard Seed Creations

Amazing huh?

I also like the numbers on vintage grain sacks, so I decided to add our birthday's to them.

                            

I just winged it, little dots, lines, etc.  I also made the pillow inserts as I couldn't find pre-made ones to fit them once they were done.  I entertained putting a zipper in them but felt that took away from the vintage-ness of it and did an envelope closure so if a puppy horks on it I can easily wash it.

Here they are on the love seat which I also made a slipcover for out of the canvas drop cloth with the vintage grain sack I got from Polly.

The slipcover turned out really well, I even impressed myself!  More to come on that though.

                          

Of course the puppies had to be included, they oh so love that window!

The snot stains on the window sort of proves that.