Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Master Bedroom Plans - Again

Neutral Master Bedroom
So I have another design for my bedroom. This one is all neutrals with a pretty floral for the duvet cover. I've been wanting a quieter room than previous plans. Seriously I just can't get this room right. This is like the 3th or 4th plan. I get half way in and stall because I'm not really in love with the color or it doesn't function well with enough storage or some other reason. I've sold the furniture that I had purchased for my plan from February and have been gathering the furniture needed for this version. It fits into my new cottage / shabby chic design, although its darker/warmer than the look in the rest of the condo. I think its OK for the bedroom to be cozier. I like all the storage I have with this furniture, which is critical in my small condo. Of course I shopped Craigslist instead of stores and saved lots of $$. Guys, that fan is $450! Not sure my budget can take that, but it sure is pretty. The plan is to:
  • Paint the walls SW Latte
  • Paint the ceiling white
  • Paint the trim white
  • Hang the bed crown with lace drapes
  • Decoupage the chest of drawers with vintage sheet music
  • Hand paint the dressing table/chest with a design
  • Paint the jewelry cabinet cream
  • Make cross stitch painted bird art for the wall
  • Purchase a bed skirt, euro shams and decorative pillows
  • Use my Pottery Barn floral duvet cover
  • Purchase some type of decorative window covering. I don't need privacy or light control.
  • In the spring replace the window air conditioner unit
  • Make a cover out of drop clothes for the file cabinet
  • Switch out the closet contents and organizers with the sewing room
  • Change out the current broken ceiling fan
  • Clean up the vintage trunk at the foot of the bed
  • Use the hounds tooth rug that used to be in the living room
I'm trying to work smarter not harder by purchasing ready made bed skirt and euro shams. I also plan on using ready made drapes with the bed crown and windows. So I have eliminated a few potential projects to hopefully make the process go faster.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

All About the Books

As usual I'm a little late to the party. Have you seen this from the Nashville Library? Too fun!

 

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Looking Forward to 2015

I'm not making any resolutions for 2015 or elaborate goals. I've learned this year you just gotta roll with the punches. Sometime what you planned isn't going to happen, despite your best intentions.

But I did like my One Word for 2014, Do, and will continue that. But I think I'll have 2 words for 2015, No Projects.



Because I am capable of DIY-ing, sewing and crafting I sometimes feel like I HAVE to diy it. Like its a requirement or wasteful if I don't. The problem is my time / energy levels don't mesh with my decorate / craft desires and nothing gets done. And the projects pile up and pile up and my anxiety grows and grows. Then I just get pissed off and am unhappy with the general state of things. Time to break the cycle.

So No Projects. I can't go out shopping, find a cute cheese board under a glass cloche and think what a cute vignette this would make. Just a little paint, distressing, some do-dads, hot gluing, maybe some glitter and a bow and voila a little thing for the coffee table. It only took 10 hours and 4 trips to the craft store, $35 in supplies, some of which were never used and now I have to store. If I want an item for a vignette it has to be entirely done when I purchase it. Taking the tag off is as much work as I should spend on it.

I've already started with this new plan. Some examples: I bought a fabric valance for my kitchen window. I COULD have made it easily and cheaper than what I spent on it. But I ordered it from etsy. It came in 4 days. I installed it with a tension rod so no nails or project there. And then it was DONE. Painless.

I purchased burlap Christmas stockings. It kinda pained me a little to pay for something made out of such inexpensive material. Again, I was totally capable of making them. I just knew that I wouldn't drag out my sewing machine, clear off a spot on the dining room table, make a trip to the fabric store for supplies, cut out and then sew them and have it all done so I could enjoy them for a few days this Christmas season. So I paid $6 each when they were 50% off the first and only time I went to the craft store this fall/winter and hung them up.

Now I don't have the money to have all my projects completed by someone else. I would love to have someone paint my condo. But at $1500-$2500 it isn't going to happen. So of course I will DIY this project.

I guess I never realized that I didn't HAVE to ALWAYS do EVERYTHING myself. If I enjoyed doing all these projects I would continue doing them. But it turns out I enjoy having them completed far more than I enjoy actually doing them (most of the time).

So the plan for 2015 is to try to purchase it already done or pay to have someone else to do it.