Striped Pillows
We’ve had boring tan pillows in our family room for years. They provided a bland backdrop to more decorative pillows and I was fine with the blandness for a long time until one day I decided enough was enough and it was time for a change. Bye-bye beige:
All the pillows are regularly thrown on the floor by the kids so I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on them. My first thought was to try a chevron pattern. I tested out the Simply Spray fabric paint knowing that it was a gamble but possibly a fun DIY adventure. Well, it failed. I ended up with weird watery spots on the fabric. I was planning to find a chevron fabric I liked and just make new pillows and was strongly considering this one when I stumbled upon these in the clearance end cap at Target:
That’s right, $1.99! How could I resist? So for $8 plus tax I now have 2 new pillow covers:
Pallet Headboard
I mentioned in another post about how I spent the last day of 2011 and the first day of 2012 working on this headboard. My little boy is not quite so little anymore and it was time to graduate from the toddler bed to a twin. We didn’t want to spend a ton of money on a headboard or bed and decided to go the mattress/boxspring/metal frame route which allows me to have fun with (and change) the headboard. I had seen a couple of boys rooms with headboards made from shipping pallets and I liked the idea.
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| (via Serena & Lily) |
Instead of keeping the wood raw or doing a stain I wanted to add some color. I decided to go with blue and green to match the color scheme of the new bedding I had in mind. First I had to sand it down:
I used blue paint that we already had on hand (purchased for a crib project we never got around to – oops!) and had the green matched to some Ikea boxes I had picked up for toy storage. And here is the finished project:
It works for now. And it cost less than $20 for the pallet, paint and supplies. So I don’t have to feel guilty if/when I decide to change it.
And, no, I didn’t iron the sheets. (Don’t tell AB!)
And, no, I didn’t iron the sheets. (Don’t tell AB!)
Where We’re From
My mom and I have started a tradition in the last couple years of a weekend getaway to the East Bay together. My mom grew up in Berkeley and Piedmont (I spent a fair amount of my younger years there, too) and there are so many amazing memories. We always stay at the Claremont Hotel, which is so gorgeous in a big, grand, traditional way. In addition to its beauty, the hotel has a place in our family lore. My mom ran around on the roof of the hotel with her good friend Wendy at age 4 or 5 while my grandmother had her hair done at the salon inside. And my mom and her sisters used to slide down the tube-like fire escapes they had on the outside of the hotel until they were caught by the manager who locked them in at the bottom and ran a hose from the top to teach them a lesson. There is even a photograph inside the hotel showing these old fire escapes and explaining how they had to be taken down because of the neighborhood children. Ahem.
This trip we went by my grandparents old house in Piedmont, which I remember very well. I love old houses. And the ones in Piedmont are truly gorgeous.
The front door of my grandparents house:
The house across the street:
The Claremont Country Club, a popular family gathering spot:
Wendy’s house:
The bear statue in the park down the street from my grandparent’s house:
And, just because, tulips. In early February.
Three for the Playlist
I feel so out of touch with music lately. It used to be super important to me and take up so much focus – but then I got old. Sigh. There are a few songs I’ve stumbled upon lately that grabbed me. I know nothing about these bands, just happened upon them on the one cool local radio station. It’s not like when I spent all those hours pouring over Spin’s Alternative Music Guide. Back before the internet really got going. Can anyone relate? Anyone?
Phoenix, 1901. Not necessarily the whole album but this song is awesome.
Goyte, Somebody That I Used to Know.
Of Monsters and Men, Little Talks.
Design Board
I’ve been plugging away on my course work to become a Certified Interior Decorator. One of the assignments was to put together fabric, paint, flooring, etc. selections for a family room. Overachiever that I am – and just because it’s fun – I decided to assemble a design board with my ideas. I was definitely trying to please the instructor and what I imagine are his more traditional tastes. Also, trying to stick with a basic primary color/complimentary accent color model. It is school after all.
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