Color Me?

I have that type of style that my friends can pinpoint. Whenever I am with a group of friends the phrase "that looks like Molly" inevitably gets said. I am usually flattered because the thing they are speaking of actually do look like something I would like.

You all know I am constantly tweaking my house.

My dining room is the most recent evidence of that. I am constantly getting new ideas from magazines and fellow bloggers.

I love the styles of some bloggers out there. They use neutrals to perfection and the photographs are amazing. I've even noticed a style shift in some of them from the use of color to a more subdued style.

These images are from Country Living and there are so many elements that I love in each of these pictures, but I never really thought this style was for me until a fellow blogger said this to me:

"I love that you're not afraid to use color."

I think it was meant as a compliment, but it is a prime example of

"you said, but I heard."

You know you said "I love that you're not afraid to use color," but I heard

"your house looks like a clown house."

It has me rethinking my style and my choices, but really who am I decorating for?

I love to look at houses like the ones above,

but I couldn't see myself living in that kind of house.

I love color.

I have a red couch for crying out loud.

You can't have a red couch and not love some color. It's against the law and hubby is a cop so that wouldn't be good for me to break the law.

So because I'm keeping the couch, I going to continue to use color. I'm too far in to stop now.

By the way, I'm on spring break this week so I'm planning on posting at least two more posts. One small project and my spring decor stuff.

Come back to the clown house, fun awaits!

Chalk It Up!

I told you hubby gave me a decorating closet make-over for Christmas.

I'm going to show you all about it when I think it is at its cutest.

Piece-by-piece.

Step-by-step I'm getting there.

Here is one of those steps.

I am trying to utilize every possible inch of storage in this fairly decent sized closet.

If you are like me, you get ideas in the middle of the night, while stalking your favorite blogs and looking through magazines. Some of those ideas will actually see the light of day but, alas, many get forgotten about.

I also have lists and lists of things to do. Sometimes they get done, sometimes they get shoved into oblivion.

Here is the back of above mentioned closet door.

Perfect spot for something inspirational.

I thought about hanging cork, but I decided that would look really messy (have-to-make-it-cute-itis) and I had a better spot to put the cork for all my magazine inspiration pictures.

Then I remembered my chalkboard paint.

Door taped off.

Those are my front door decorations for spring hanging above. Remember every. possible. inch. Really no rocket science here.

I used a level and drew out a rectangle with just eyeballing for size.

I still have lots of chalkboard paint from this project and this project.

Here's a tip when painting on a vertical surface with this paint.

Use light coats.

I am impatient and thought one thick coat would be better than a bunch of thin ones, but after repainting over runs and drips, I learned my lesson-for now.

Just because this is the back of a door in my decorating closet doesn't mean it has to be utilitarian.

Of course a simple chalkboard rectangle wouldn't be enough for me.

When I was looking for the chalkboard paint in the garage I ran across a quart of Crabby Apple! (from my front door and Scarlett) It was begging for me to take it off the shelf and of course my Cricut was feeling loney and wanted to play so...

I found a branch I liked, used the fancy corner option and put one on each corner of the chalkboard.

Next I broke out the Crabby Apple and brushed it on using an artist's brush.

I waited an excrutiatingly long 5 minutes and removed the stencil.

Then I waited another excruciatingly long 10 minutes and then I added my To Do's and Ideas! Now maybe some of those ideas will actually make it to fruition!

Gotta go get cracking on that list!

V is for Views

This is an old post, but since I fit the requirements for Debbies "Newbies" party, I thought I would link it up. I picked this one because I think it gives you a good view of my house and my "take" on decorating.

I am obsessed with "Designed to Sell" and "Get It Sold."

I like to stalk my own house at twilight (the time of day, not the movie)
to see what other people see when they can see in the windows.

Self-disclosure:
I love to walk in my neighborhood (or random neighborhoods) at twilight and look in people's windows and see how their houses are decorated.

That being said, I started to think about who am I decorating for?
Myself or Tom the Peeper?
I really learned this lesson in my last house when I redid my bedroom.
From the hallway the room looked lovely. The bed was placed on the wall opposite the door so it was definitely the focal point of the room.
However, when I was sitting in bed the view I got was of the door wall. I didn't get to enjoy much of the prettiness of my room, I really only saw the three doors opposite the bed.

Thus the subject of "V" week is "Views."
Or also titled "What do you see when you are sitting in your favorite spot?"
Or "Are you truly enjoying your decorating by actually looking at it?"

Throughout this blog I am going to focus on areas of my house where
I spend the most time and the things I see as I am standing/sitting in that location.
I'm going to start as I walk into my house.
I am a big believer in having someplace to rest your eyes when you come in from a long day. As I walk into the door, to my left I see this:

I also spend a lot of time at my kitchen island making lunches, talking to kids, yelling at the dogs, etc. etc. This is the view I see out my kitchen doors onto the screened in porch:

Another place in my kitchen where I find myself is the kitchen sink.
Here are some of the things I can see from this perch:

I can see the foyer and a glimpse of my screen/plate rack.

There are two places I like to sit in my living room.
One is the corner of the couch when my family and I are watching my TV.
This is what I see as I look out the doors to the deck:

I love this view because it makes me feel like I am in a tree house.

The other place I like to sit in the oversized chair.
I sit here when I read blogs or work on my own.
I love that I can see into my kitchen and my roman shades.

Many times I also see this as I sit in my favorite chair and I love it even more:

Yeah I talk about yelling at my dogs, but I am really just a lot of talk.
I love these little guys.

When I have homework to do I retreat to my bedroom, sit on the bed and work on the computer.
(I promise I only spend 5 minutes reading blogs when I should be doing homework, okay, maybe 10)
But as I sit on the bed, this is the view that I see:

So much better than staring at three doors.

How about you guys? What are you looking at from where you are sitting right now?

Linking up to:
Just a Girl Show and Share Day
Alphabe-Thursday

Easy as ABC

After the tree has come down, all I can think about is organizing. I have bought all kinds of cute glass bottle thingys to organize all my junk. However, I am also in need of organizing my blog.

For those of you who have just met me, I am an elementary teacher. Knowing this, most everything I do has to be organized in a way that is easy and not overwhelming for me to follow thru. Blogging is one of those things that I get overwhelmed with. You should see my garage...holy cow, there are projects everywhere. I even have some new projects in the back of my car as I type. Sometimes I get so many ideas I don't know where to start...Decorating ADHD. Can I get a witness??

Anyway, last night I was thinking about which project to post about and which blog was hosting which party that I needed to find something to do for and I decided I can't keep chasing my tail like this.

Thus my idea was born (musical fanfare...)

Decorating A-Z.

Every week I am going to post projects as they match up with the current letter. For example, the first week of January the letter is "A." So all my projects will have something to do with the letter A (start with A, involve using the letter A, etc.) My first post to kick this all off will probably be my "Ode to A's"

I am very excited about this concept and I hope it is something you can get excited about too. I am trying to create a button and link so I can get other people to join in on the fun. If any of you have some tips on creating buttons and adding "mclinky's" as well as any suggestions for hosting a party, I would love to hear it!

P.S. Don't try clicking that button yet, it is a work in progress. But, hey! Let me know if you are interested in joining in! Who knows maybe I'll get "techy" enough to start giveaways and everything!

Meet Me At the Poll

Okay people, I was looking over my last blog post and I have been staring at the entertainment center that I have downstairs. I REALLY want to paint it. I bought that piece of furniture for Christmas in 1998 or '99. I searched high and low for an entertainment center I liked. I ended up ordering this one because it had simple lines and I could display stuff on top. I HATED the color from the minute that the guys brought it in the front door. But I have never admitted that to anyone (until now).

Anyway, I am 10 years older and have 10 years more copy-cat experience. I think I want it a different color, however my dilemma is what color? My walls are a light green--I think a shade or two lighter than Sherwin Williams' Rye Grass. I have those toile curtains down there and a white craft table sitting close to the entertainment center.

So what would you do? Keep in mind, I DO NOT want to have to brush paint this thing. I am thinking spray paint all the way. Any suggestions? I know some popular colors are Heirloom White and Canyon Black. What do you think will look better? Any other options I should consider? Please, fellow bloggers and loyal followers (all 5 of you) cast your votes! I promise I will post a before and after blog about it! You will just have to wait until after the new year...and perhaps into February...

"O Frif-ma-ree"

That is how my youngest daughter used to sing "O Christmas Tree" when she was 2. Precious I'll tell you. For those of you who have kept up with my blogs, two blogs in one week is a major deal. I'll chalk it up to being done with my master's classes for the semester (thank goodness).

I have two big trees in my house and each kid has a tree in his or her room. I have a few favorite ornaments on each tree that I want to share with you.

Here is the "family tree" that is downstairs in the den. On this tree I keep all the cute ornaments that I remind me of the kids and the things they make each year. We have a tradition that I buy an ornament every year that reminds me of something they participated in, did, or said during the past year. Each year when we decorate the tree I tell them the "stories" behind their ornaments.




This ornament is for my youngest daughter. She used to call Winnie the Pooh, "Winnie the Poot." It cracks me up every year!


My step-son is obsessed with Star Wars. This ornament represents him. He also used to call these two characters "Dark Vadar and Soda."


This is probably the ugliest ornament on the tree, but it has the sweetest memories. One year, my oldest daughter spent a day or so at Vanderbilt Childrens' Hospital. She turned out to be fine, but it was a little scary for a few days. At any rate, while she was on the mend, she and I made these bead ornaments. These ornaments remind me of those days with her, but they also remind me of my youngest daughter who managed to shove 8 of these beads up her nose!!


This ornament means a lot to me because it used to hang on my grandmother's tree. My sister-in-law passed it down to me a few years ago (thanks Elise!) and I am so proud to hang it on my tree every year.


I also hang pictures (in frames) and tuck unframed pictures inside the tree.



Like many of you saw yesterday, upstairs in the living room I have my Christopher Radko tree. To see more information about that tree and the rest of my house click here. I kind of become the "Tree Nazi" over this tree. I don't let the kids help hang the ornaments and (depending on the day) they are lucky if they can even look at it (just kidding, sort of :) ).


This is the first Radko I ever got, it was given to me by a dear friend.


Here are some other favorites. I typically like the ornaments that are funky shapes, not necessarily the "themed" ornaments.



Please note the toile ribbon and toile tree skirt. Have I mentioned I love toile, well, red toile??

I love flowers and sticks sprouting from the tops of my trees. I do; however, need to come up with a way to get more light in the top of the tree so my topper is not a big black spot.


Here are more pictures of the trees in the kids' rooms:

Oldest daughter, green and blue tree.




Youngest daughter, pink extravaganza tree. She decorated by herself. Ornament placement makes me laugh.




Little man's room, lego tree. We have some "official" Lego ornaments, but I love the ones hubby made even better.


Official ornament:


Hubby and little man creations:



I just have to share one last picture. You all should appreciate that anything that sits still long enough runs the risk of getting decorated...case in point

Millie and Toto:


Merry Christmas all. Visit these great sites for some wonderful inspiration!

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They're Not Just For Trees Anymore

I love Christmas ornaments.

In July I will look at Christmas ornaments.

I will put the tree up and think "I can't fit another ornament on this tree" then go out the next day and become all googly-eyed over Christmas ornaments.

What is a ornament loving girl to do....I guess she just must find other places to put them of course! We just moved into this house on Halloween, so I don't have as many "extra" ornaments out as usual-or perhaps it just doesn't seem that way because we have more room in our new house.

At any rate, here are some of my favorite things to do with ornaments.....


I LOVE transferware (that is where part of the "toile" in my blogname comes from) and I really love it when I hang these simple red ornaments on the plates.



I bought these little monogrammed cuties when they were 1/2 price last year, with plans to hang them on my dining room chairs, but this light fixture seemed so lonely...



This ornament is one of the many that I hang from my kids' bedroom curtain rods. I love that I can match them to the colors in their rooms. (Actually, that means I can get all excited about the fun, new colors they seem to come out with every year. (Who is "they" anyway? Experts in New York?)



This is another favorite trick, hang ornaments from your lamp switches.


Ooh, ooh, oooh, big ornaments on top of things, that is fun too...



Yet more big ornaments, on top of my kitchen cabinets.



Sometimes the ornaments don't even look like ornaments, this is an example of not being able to resist the cuteness. I haven't found a cure for that illness yet, but I'm not looking that hard for one either.



Here are some ornament (these are actually cheap, plastic ones mind you) I mixed into my fireplace candle thingy (that is a very technical term, use it wisely).



These are tin ornaments hanging from my french doors in my kitchen and dining room. Proof that we moved in just weeks ago...the paper shades. Actually, I shouldn't dis the paper shades, I used the same kind in my bedroom for 8 years, really I did.




More extra ornaments I stuck in a glass terrarium, I have also seen people put them in a glass cloche or simply pile them in a bowl. You can't go wrong with Christmas ornaments, seriously.



These ornaments are a good example of loving the cuteness yet having to find a spot for them. I found these at Cracker Barrell last year and loved the colors and the words (the ceramic rectangle and the cute stocking). I got one of each of the designs and hung them from a cafe rod that I hang my kids' artwork from in the family room.


Finally, ornaments stick in some greenery along with some lights. I love it! If you don't have lots of "stuff," fill your house with greenery and lights, it will be fabulous!