The Painting

Growing up, my parents always had an ocean painting hanging in our house. It moved from house to house, from room to room, but I always admired and loved it so much. For as long as I can remember, I've told them how I would LOVE to have it someday (little stinker).

Now that our living room plan is slowly but surely evolving (with the black doors, etc), I have flat out asked if I could have it. I know, bad kid right? At first they said no... but I sweetly begged (haha) and they said YES!

(I may be jinxing things because I don't actually have the painting yet, but we're working out how to get it to me in NC from Texas.)

I grew up thinking the painting was done by my great-grandmother but I was surprise to hear it was not because 90% of the paintings around me growing up were done by her (or my grandmother).

My great-grandma Sykes was a great painter and my parents have been giving me some of my favorite paintings of hers on milestones. I recently was given this painting for my birthday, it now hangs in my office:



This ballerina painting was given to me on our wedding day. I have always loved her and it was an awesome surprise! My great-grandmother Sykes painted a lot of still life and landscapes but also painted a lot of women, and those are my favorite.

(This is the ballet painting hung in our CA home. It now is in our master bedroom.)

Anyway, back to the original painting I was telling you about. Here is a picture of it:



It's so beautiful! The blues and grays and hints of greens, and the little birds. You just get lost in it. I love it so much. My grandmother purchase this painting in the 60's and I'm interested to hear more about it.

As you saw in the mock up, it will hang above the two black chairs in our living room.



I'll see it and admire it every single day, just like I did growing up. THANK YOU Mom & Dad, I will treasure it forever!!

Taking a $$ Break

As I'm sure everyone reading this blog knows, it's expensive to furnish/fix up/make your home feel like your home. Of course I'm biased, but I think it's a great investment - in your own happiness and (sometimes) in equity!

But sometimes you have to take a break.. and that is so me right now! I'm finishing up our master bedroom and as you know just finished the powder room and laundry room. I did all the rooms on a tight budget, but I'm ready for a break from spending.

Luckily, there are a lot of things that need to be done around the house that are pretty much free. So that's what I'll be working on during the month of July!

Here is my list:

+ Finish black doors (paint already purchased)

+ Paint New TV Stand/Dresser

+ Pinch Pleat and Hem (already purchased) Curtains for Living Room - I will be doing a tutorial on this!

+ Paint Trim: Kitchen, Staircase, Family Room, Upstairs Hallway

+ Make a painting for our family room (with already purchased canvas and paint)

+ Sew Family Room pillows (again, fabric and forms I have on hand already)

Knowing myself, I won't finish everything in the list all at once, but it will keep be busy and spending-free for a while :)

Here are some inspiration pictures I have saved up for the above projects..

Paint detail for a dresser for our TV:

[ via ]

The perfect pinch pleats from Erika:

[ via ]

I have no idea what I want to do for a painting. Something somewhat large and abstract. Perhaps inspired by....

[ siiso ]

[ sally benedict ]

All of these things won't take a lot of money, but you better believe they will be done with a lot of love! :)

Black Doors

Guess what friends. I have started a new project. (I have really bad ADD when it comes to projects around the house. I will start something and then it takes months to finish. Partly because I am blessed with a busy work schedule, but I do think ADD has something to do with it).

However, last week I did start this project and I'm so excited!! I'm in the process of painting the french doors in our living room black.

It all started way back when with this picture from Cottage Living (not sure the issue date):



In process...



If you remember I was going to paint the back of the front door black, but I felt if I did the french doors it would give more balance in the room and be more interesting (with the panes).

The after..



JUST KIDDING! This is the mock up I did in Photoshop. But hopefully it will look similar (better).

The painting I added to the mock up is very special and requires it's own post. I don't have it yet... but stay tuned. I will tell you about it!

(also on my TO DO list are the curtains)