$5 headboard

I think the {new} inspiration for my bedroom is going to be kind of creamy gold french flea. 

I picked up this headboard at a garage sale at $5 which kind of started the whole concept:

My furniture was black previously, so I was kind of at a loss as to how to incorporate this curvy femme headboard in with the generic black Haverty's {that I got at a thrift store cause it was scratch and dent} dressers.  Then it came to me after my 6th hour of just sitting there staring at the dressers.  Paint!  Duh. 

I still have the big dresser to do, but this one turned out pretty cute.  I had this paint left over from Annie's furniture and I just sprayed the nickel hardware with some random bronze spray that I had.

In a perfect world, I would get the headboard reupholstered in a rich fabric, but....that's not in the budget, SO I think I'll just spray it with vinyl paint {used for automotive and marine upholstery}.  I've seen good colors online, so hopefully they have as good of a selection at my local auto zone.  I'll let you know.  If it works and looks semi decent...that'll be awesome and save a crap ton of money! 

My inspiration for the headboard frame is this: 

I think I'll use gold leaf and then rub ebony stain over it???

{ps.  I'm now on the hunt for a bust and a wooden rosary, how presh}

And maybe use some sort of dark gray vinyl spray?  Hopefully they have a semi decent color.  I'm sure it won't be quite as chic, but for $5...it'll work!

While I have the gold spray paint out, I think I'll put a coat on the chair at the desk on the other side of the bed.  I'm not sure if that desk can stay that color.  The hardware is in the garage now getting sprayed bronze. 

I need some art and bedding ideas now so I can pull this together.  Maybe I'll run across a fabulous crystal chandelier for a dollar this weekend.  ha. 

Any ideas on bedding or art?  Cheap.  I mean, really cheap.

I would love to mix in some velvet, lace, linen, silk and burlap somehow...

-jd

floor stencil

I just noticed that I named the last post something about floor stenciling, but then got distracted and wrote about something else.  Classic.

It's 8am and I'm freshly showered and shaved...having just got back from a nice run.  This is the life.  Still not missing work or "bored".  Hmmm...

Anyhoo, what else would I be doing at 8am cept looking at floor stencils for the front entry and pergola floor.  What do you think of these?



I like that this is an all over pattern and I think that it would be a good choice for the floor.


This one has the same feel, but a little lighter...

There were a ton of cute stencils on Royal Design Studio, but I didn't think any of them were appropriate for an outdoor flooring application. 

I found instructions here on how to do it.  Maybe I can start on this project next week...if I can decide on a stencil ;)

-jd

-jd

Floor Stencil Options

My sweet is sleeping, so I'm going to try to squeeze in a quick post.

Still been busting A trying to make a dent in my long, long, long list of house projects I wanted to get done on maternity leave.  I'm on like #3 of 1,546. 

Since the last post, we added these super cute house numbers on stand offs to our front door purchased from Home Depot.  I'm still trying to figure out what to do (if anything) with that surround part at the door.  Not a fan.  I wish it weren't there.  Should I paint it the house color?  Leave it alone?  Darker {like the paint swatch taped up} or Lighter?  Help!

I found a way to grow my vines up the left side at the entry--a cable trellis!  DIY instructions and pics to come later...when we get around to that project. 

I'm also doing a little research on my stencil for the entry.  It will go in these locations {shown in red}

My concern is that it will look cheap and cheesy here and I should just wait until we can afford pavers, but.....we may never be able to afford pavers???  Thoughts?  On the flip side, it might look cute and add some much needed personality?

What do you think?

Those tall plants on either side of the walkway are being replaced soon and the purple plants are going to be replaced with pink or white....can't decide yet.

In other news, I am also starting on my laundry room mini makeover.  I got this rug at Urban Outfitters and it is SO not me, but I love it.  If you can't have color in your laundry room, where can you have it?  {the tags are still on juuuuuust in case}

I'm thinking a dark gray color on the wall, but only up to the height of the door frame where we will install a chair rail and then do flat white from the chair rail to the ceiling???  Who knows. 

In the meantime, I busted out this cute little chalk board that's hanging on the door to the garage:

I'm also redoing our bedroom by painting our two black dressers white.  Here's the first one in progress:

We play alot in our bedroom now that we have Annie {she loves the Tempurpedic, hehe} and the black was just DRAB...just like the front door.  White is hot to me right now...clean, fresh, and a blank canvas.  I dunno.  Maybe I just have too much time on my hands and spend way too much time staring at my house.  This puppy is next for a fresh coat of white paint:

With the white furniture, I am leaning towards a super light (but not white) plain sheet with some sort of quilt folded at the bottom.  Maybe painting that mirror a coral color and adding a TON of gold accents?

Who knows. 

Everything I own has no less than 3 coats of paint ;)

Hoping for a productive week,

jd

curb appeal phase 1A: door

I've been thinking about things to do to my front door since this post over a year ago.  My entrance has always felt a little drab and unapproachable with the black door, but that was the only option the builder gave us with the house color I liked.  Guess what I did today {after looking online at front doors with glass only to realize that project is totally NOT in the budget}?
drumroll......

Painted it white!  BAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Here it is before:

 Since then, I've taken down those hanging baskets because as beautiful as they were, they never looked good.  The water POURES off of the roof on the right when it rains, so that poor basket was always drenched and then beat with sun all day :( 

{note the paint swatches taped to the door in that pic}  hehe

BAM!  Wierd lighting in this pic {the house is really darker like shown above}.  It's only about 1/6th of the way finished.  My big plan for the front stoop is.....

Paint that awkward part that surrounds the door a darker gray {darker than the house} so it kind of separates itself from the white trim above and the door.  I wish that wasn't there, but it is what it is and I don't know what else to do with it.

I moved the urns up to the front door in hopes of getting two magnolia topiaries to go underneath the coach lights....we still haven't bought those, lol. 

I love the way the silver hardware pops off of the white and it looks great with my doorbell I got a while back from restoration hardware:

SO, I picked up some silver house numbers at Home Depot that I will put in the middle of the door and I want to paint the urns to look like zinc and take that purple heart out and add something pink!  I'll keep the potato vine cause I LOVEEEEEEEEEE potato vine.

I was obsessed with the look of the hanging baskets, but as stated above, they won't work and I don't think just one will look right.  I really want to grow a vine up the left side that continues over the arc, but I'm not sure how to start that.  Any ideas?  I'm going for this:

  where it trails on one side only.  I thought about a generic lattice, but I'm still not sure how to apply it {size, design, etc} and you will see it for quite some time before the vine covers it, so I don't want it to be totally fugly. 

Last, but not least on phase 1 of my front door curb appeal makeover is the ground.  Thin pavers would be ideal, but who has money for that?  Not. Us.

I had a big rug down which looked nice for about 3 seconds until the sun ate it away and the rain washed out all of the color.  Small regular front door mat here I come.

That brings me to my {hopefully} cute cheap solution: PAINT.

I want to do a fun stencil.

Here's an example of one on hardwood floors.  <3

I am toying with doing a dark background in the same gray that I chose for the surround to the door and then a white design on top.  Something kind of classic though. 


Maybe more like this?

I don't know how long all of this will take, but I'm hoping to get it all complete by next Sunday.  It's pretty much all labor with very low expenses, so it should be feasible!  Then off to phase B: the planter bed in the front and then phase C: a planter bed on the side and the last and final phase is the planter beds in the back by the pergola!

-jd

new 'do

OK, so, sadly, I've had the same hair 'do for about....oh.....3 years.  EWE. 

Here's me in 2008



And here's me last month:



Mama needs a new look.  I mean, I like my hair and all, but....three years!?!?  And I'm sure it's been longer than that...I just don't have photo evidence readily accessible. 

I look at hair inspiration constantly, but never have the balls to do anything I find.  And let's get serious...even the stuff I'm about to post is pretty similar to what I have, but....it is what it is.  I'm super, super, super lazy when it comes to my hair.  I have my current style down to a 15 minute routine, and I'm not about to get some high maintenance 'do that I'll never be able to maintain.  Also, I have freakishly thick hair, so it has to stay long or it will just look big and gross. 

Here goes:


I want something a little more edgy...not so 'soccer mom'.  Obviously, I'm not cutting it this short and I'm sure as hell not getting bangs, but if you look in between....I want that.  That "just came from the beach, rode in my jeep on the way back and all of my bad-ass-ness just comes natural" look.


I'd like to think that I can get mine a little more wavy and less curly...more natural, less iron...but I don't know if that will happen.  I need LAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!

And this is the part that I've been thinking about FOREVER.



While I would love to do this, I don't know that it will ever happen.  But I do love the frosted tips.  Have you seen that move 'Whip It'?  It's a good flick...watch it.  When you do, pay attention to Juliette Lewis' highlights.  I NEED THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That's what I'm going for here.

Kind of like when you have highlights and they are growing out.  Perfect.  Low. Maintenance.

I'm thinking this is {realistically} what it will end up looking like.  I'm hoping it can be a little fresher, but old habits die hard.

Whatya think?  I'm keeping every inch of length, but want it uuber layered including short layers everywhere...even around my face, but not bangs....I don't think.  And then an 80's perfect frosted tip.  YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.  I'm calling to make an appointment now! 

Stay tuned ;)

-jd

busy busy bee

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am constantly working on our little home.  I love it.  I thrive on transforming trash and painting furniture.  I feel proud when I improve on a space in my home.  The only downside to this little hobby is that my house is pretty much constantly a hot mess.  At any given time, there is probably a half painted piece of furniture, accessories piled up from where I was trying to style a piece and got fed up and nails on the wall empty from the piece I just switched around.  It works for me though, because I really do have a master plan.  I'm getting there slowly...and even more slowly now that I have Annie.  I try to cram pack as much as humanly possible into her morning nap time which ranges from 2-4 hours.   I have been one  busy lady here recently {hence the lack of blog posts}.  Lemme show you the mess.

So, my first project was this Asian china cabinet.  I bought it a while back and semi liked the teal color it was painted, but whoever did it, did a half ass job, so it eventually needed to be painted anyways.  I chose my new favorite color...white.  bahaha.  It's actually Sherwin Williams SW7008 Alabaster.  I find it the perfect creamy shade of white that still blends with the stark white trim, but doesn't come off as cheap spray paint.  When painting furniture, I always go flat...  it seems so much more cottage-y to me.

Before:























After:

Sadly, I think I might have to get rid of this piece to make room for a desk.  We just got a shiny new puter and as much as I would love to make our 3rd bedroom an office, A. I know we won't use it way back there, and B. that will hopefully be baby #2's room not too far down the road. SO, I'm gonna try it in one spot of the dining room, but will prolly end up putting it on craigslist for $250.  Hit me up if you're interested :)


Since finding my favorite white, I also painted that bookcase in the hallway.  I started stripping it about a year ago trying to get that perfect raw wood 'Restoration Hardware' look, but....yea....that shiz is time consuming and it was too hot.  So inside it sat half done for a year until last week.  I'm really digging the white.  It brightens up my entry hall which was much needed {no windows in there} and will look smashing with my new rug I just ordered from Urban Outfitters!

Before:























After:

{I'm still in the process of accessorizing that beast, so it's just hanging out right now waiting for some more goodies}

Onto the dining room.  I sold the barn table {see ya!} and have big dreams for a diy zinc table, but first....I have to get rid of this table I've had for a bit {Drew has been getting onto me about all of the "spare" furniture I have piled up around the house, hehe} The wood finish was killing me, so I painted it today. 

Before:

{I used it for a split second in my breakfast room until I found my little round one at a garage sale}

After:

I'll sling it in the dining room until it sells {$100}...please buy it.  It's cute now, but too small for my space.  I used Sherwin Williams SW6163 Grassland and then rubbed a little ebony wood stain on top.  I'm going to put it with my slip covered chairs and some mason jars with pink flowers on top to rip this look:

{maybe I'll add a little urethane since my inspiration pic looks a wee bit more shiny}

Let's see what else...Oh, I also sprayed this cutie today:

I haven't got a clue where he will go, but I'm thinking maybe the garden???

Here's the current table in the breakfast room.  It was asking for a round table and I picked this one up at a garage sale for $25 {and refinished it}.  I've been pining over a zebra hide rug for under this bad boy for almost a year, but still can't break down and buy one ;)

What's next on the list you ask?  I gotta spray my bamboo chairs white and cover them in some dark gray burlap-ish fabric I picked up for $1.25/yd

And then repaint my beautiful buffet (seriously one of my favorite pieces) my fav new white!

I know this should have probably been like 10 different posts, but hey...mamas got a baby to tend to.  I need to take my shower for the week {wink} and then wake up my sunshine.  Buy my china cabinet and table.

Ciao!

jd





6 weeks

It's already been 6 weeks since sweet little A. Rae was cut out of me {full birth story to come later}.  I got the okay to start working out, swimming, etc {wink wink} today!!! 

I bought a pair of jeans at the Goodwill for $7 that are hanging out in the living room as a reminder to get my fat ass up every day and do something to get this weight off. 


I can't get these bad boys up even remotely close to my muffin top, but I just know that these jeans are the ones.  They're going to look straight MILF.  I started the 'Couch to 5k' app which I've done before and loved.  I also found free workouts on demand on my TV!!! {cancelled the ol' gym membership on the new budget program so I can go back to work part time in Sept}  My new favorite is the butt bible.  I'm hoping that with the TV workouts and running, my pre-pregnancy body will return.  You know what a full trash bag looks like when you take it out of the trash can?  That's what my naked body looks like from the waist to my knees.  No lie. Front and back.   

Most of you might not know, but I was a big gurl when I first met my husband.  A BUCK EIGHTY!  I whittled myself down to 135 by working out like a crazy, eating lean cuisines, and taking trim spa.   Now, I realize I'll probably never be there again, but I'm just looking forward to being somewhat toned and in shape!  I love working out and it makes me feel so good physically and emotionally.  I'm not going to put a weight target on myself, buuuuuuuuuut if I got back to 140, I'd be one happy lady ;)

I've randomly been writing down stuff throughout these new days of mommy hood and what a better time to post it than at this 6 week mile stone, right?  This really is random and in order of how I wrote it (chronological).

1. Will I ever walk again?
2. I can't stop staring at my baby. 
3. Showering is exhausting.
4. Is it normal to have a fat pocket that hangs over your incision?
5. My nipples hurt.
6. Stop crying, please.
7. I love when people tell me my daughter is beautiful.
8. Holy porn star boobs.  I need to take pictures of these bad boys.
9. I. Need. Sleep.
10. Annie's poop shot across the room onto the bed skirt today and it made me laugh out loud.
11. Maybe I will have another one.
12. I don't think my tots have ever been this small.
13. Annie's smile lights up my life. 
14. I wish it weren't so hot outside.
15. I can't go back to work.
16. sleep.
17. Holy bottle washing batman.
18. STOP RAINING.
19. Running with a stroller is hard, but makes me feel like a bad ass mother.
20. Being a mommy rocks.

Off to figure out how to work a paint sprayer that Drew bought a while back and JUST NOW TOLD ME ABOUT (-5 points).  Hoping to get a dining room table and some chairs sprayed before next week.  Will be interesting to see what I actually get done...

Do any of you have any work out moves to pass along to a new mommy? 

-jd

dining room inspiration

I got a wild hair up my ass yesterday and put our dining room table on craigslist.  I bought it in a haste to fill the space when we first moved in and have never been 100% satisfied.  I mean, it was okay, but not anything to write home about...

The rounded edges were driving me crazy.  The color of the top was too close to the floors and didn't really do anything for the room and the base was a little too "typical farm table at Rooms to Go".  So, off it went the same night.  WOOP WOOP.  Now I have a clean slate and here's my plan.

1. Attempt a DIY zinc table that looks a little something like this:

I'm kind of digging this base.  Looks easy enough to recreate...right?...Drew?  The one pictured is a wee bit to bulky, but I like the overall design.

I like the Louis style chairs in the picture above too.  They'll go great with my existing buffet that I heart and will never get rid of...but will probably repaint.

If I do two or three chairs like this

one one side, I can do a long bench on the other side and two wing back chairs on the ends.  I want a gaudy brass and crystal chandelier to hang over the table (I currently have NO light fixture in there), a rug, and two big glass lamps for the buffet. 

While I was looking at zinc tables, I came across these lovlies:


Perfect mix of casual, french, zebra {gotta have the animal print}, gold, glass, wood and flowers.  Equation to a perfect space...


Is that my DREAM DESK back there {that I found today on craigslist, called on the second it was listed and that bia was already SOLD}?  What up with that!?!?  My hunt for a desk continues...

-jd

Pinterest

What do you do to unwind after a long day?  I usually try to squeeze in a shower/bath and then once I put the angel to bed, I hop online for a few minutes to remind myself that life exists outside of Red Fern.  My latest online obsession?  Pinterest.  It reminds me of a mini blog where you post pics of things you like.  You can follow member's "pins" and post "pins" of your own.  Check it out!  You can follow mine at jacqueline_d.  I love a good inspiration pic and before Annie, could sit online for hours and look at decor pics.  Now I'm lucky to spend 20 minutes on the computer at one time ;)  Wouldn't trade it for the world...

Here are a few of my Pinterest pins:

We bought a fancy new desktop before A. Rae came and it currently resides on our dining room table.  EWE.  I've been on the mad hunt for a desk like this, but am having absolutely no luck.  Where are you cute writing table/desk? 


I have been dreaming of a gallery wall in my house ever since we bought it, but have not found the right location or enough frames yet.  Maybe I'll post my location options for opinions....


The site is not just home decor, there are pics of fashion, kids, DIY, Photography, Music, etc.  It really is a time warp.  If I had nothing better to do, I could spend all day surfing around.  {ps.  Is that my dream daughter or what?!?!  What a cute friggin kid!}

 
One of my favorite parts is the little sayings like this.  You all know I've certainly been there several times.  I used to be a big gurl ;)  Now that I've been pregnant, I'm rocking a gut bigger than my biggest fat girl days, but I have an excuse...well, for one more week.  I'm hoping to get cleared for sit ups next week.  WOOP WOOP! 

Happy Hump Day to all you worker bee's.  I think I'll go watch TV now.  BAHAHAHHAA. 

JD