Kortnei's kitchen consultation -- before and after!

One of the great joys of this blog has been to help some of you with your homes through my consultations. I am so incredibly tickled and proud when you send me pictures of your progress. You should love your home, and it is my goal to make that happen for each and every one of you with these consults. Well...maybe not ALL. How about a bunch?

Take a look at how simple changes transformed Kortnei's kitchen...

My suggestions included lighter bamboo shades in the windows that she could close for privacy and then do some kind of drapes as well, on either side of the windows, instead of hanging in front.

Before:

I liked the white drapes, but I told Kortnei this is a spot she could really add some color and highlight this cool area of the kitchen. I suggested a panel on either side of the larger window, and then one on the outside of each window.

As usual, I suggested she consider finding a fabric she loved to add to the drapes or make her own. LOOK what she did!:

I. adore. those. drapes. Squeal!

Of course, I have to suggest some kind of woodwork SOMEWHERE. And that somewhere was her island/peninsula. It was such a feature between the family room and kitchen:

Kortnei took my advice on the beadboard and corbels and, well...swoon:

I love it!!!

Speaking of that area, I suggested three new black counter height chairs with backs on them instead of the stools, if her budget allowed. Her stools got lost just a bit and the large island could handle something darker and larger:

Because of her high ceilings, Kortnei was doing what we ALL want to do, which was decorating up. I have done it, I understand it. I don't have a problem with it, not one bit. But when you bring the accessories down, you bring the room down and make it a bit cozier.

Before:

She already had a great start with accessories. I suggested some large items because of the space above the cabinets, in little vignettes in the corners so it didn't feel too cluttered.

After:

I loved her table but the chairs seemed a bit dark, so I suggested recovering her chairs with a new lighter fabric. I suggested a fabric that would work with her new drapes.

Before:

She went the extra mile and purchased new, beautiful white chairs with new cushions in colors that work with the walls and drapes:

Didn't she do awesome? I am in LOVE with those chairs!

Here's the full view of her kitchen before:

And the after:

Gorgeous!! I am so proud of you Kortnei, this is fantastic! There were a few changes Kortnei asked about doing that I didn't think she needed to worry about -- and I'm glad she didn't do them. Her wall color worked perfect, the black cabinets were awesome as is. She had a great start to this room.

It didn't happen overnight and it shouldn't...you should take your time to do it the way you want to, and find things that you love for your space.

So there you have it...an idea of what a consultation involves. All it takes is a little bit of work on your part, some trust in moi, and a week or two for me to get back to you. ;) If you are interested in a consultation, they are $30 per room. All you need to do is use the Paypal button on the left of my site and then e-mail your pictures, thoughts and questions.

I'm so glad you love your kitchen Kortnei! If anyone else that has purchased a consult wants to share their room, please let me know!

Taking care of some business.

I so loved reading your comments about NYC! I want to come visit all of you that live there, umkay? I'll just stay at your place next time -- OK with you? I forgot to tell you all the biggest reason I love New York -- we got married there. ;) We couldn't think of a better place to do it and it was one of the best days ever, in the best city ever.

I also forgot to mention something important in my post about blogging last week -- making sure you have an e-mail attached to your Google account. SO OFTEN I want to send you back a quick e-mail when you say something funny, totally get my joke, know who says my TV lines (yesssssss!) or just say something really sweet. Often many of you will ask questions and if I can't reply back to your comment through e-mail, I feel awful.

Keep a girl from not feeling awful if you can. If you don't want your personal e-mail out there, it takes about two minutes to create a free gmail account. Problem is, I can't remember how I did this to my profile. If any of you know how to, can you leave the directions in the comments? Love you forever. Kisses.

I'm super excited about the opening of my new Etsy shop! I have been toying around with the idea with fellow Twitterers for a couple months now and I've got a nice little inventory going. I was hoping to get it up by tomorrow, but it will most likely be next Monday. It will be a mix of antique and thrift store finds. I'm so excited!!

Finally, I will be raising my consultation rates to $30 starting this Wednesday, the 16th. I hate to do that, but I really do spend a good amount of time on each one. I will still be significantly lower than any other site I've seen that offers the same service. I always want to keep it affordable for you all. I believe my past "clients" (hate that word!) will agree it's worth the money.

If you are interested in getting in on the $20 rate, feel free to pay with the button on the left of the page before Wednesday, then e-mail me your pictures. I need about five to six pics of each room, as well as any specific items. All I need to know is what you like/don't like, any questions, and budget if you have it. I like to work with what you have and try to make suggestions that are budget-friendly. :)

If you are not ready to send your pictures right now, that's OK. Just use the button to pay for the consult and then e-mail me when you are ready.

Stay tuned tonight for the start of my fall decorating extravaganza!! OK, it's not really an extravaganza, but it's making the house even more warm and cozy and I'm loving it.

This stuff is goooood.

Stay with me till the end for the Bomobob giveaway winner! :)

Speaking of Bob, I had to brag about my advertisers yet again, cause you know -- they RAWK.

My newest advertiser, Amanda at Imperfectly Beautiful, has the caaaaautest Etsy shop you ever did see. When I saw these on her blog, I had to have them. They were even packaged so sweetly when they arrived, I could just die:
Squeal! I did! I squealed! YES, they are Christmas decorations. YES, I am going there. It's only FOUR months away peeps. That's like, only a third of a year. Geez.

The blocks were much bigger than I thought they would be. I love all the details -- some of the paper even has sparkles (hard to see here):

Squeal! Sparkles!

I can't tell you how pleased I was when I opened this up. Amanda does a great job, you must go check her out here. She's working on an upcoming giveaway for you lovely folks too:And at Cara's giveaway post for The Sheet Boutique, I told you how I bought the EzzzySleep fleece sheets.

They came super fast and uh. my. gawd., they are they most amazing sheets we've ever had!:
I know the picture doesn't convey how comfy these are. They are so soft, I'm not even kidding. When I opened them up I was a little worried they would be too hot, but they are so comfortable, even though it is still fairly warm around here. I am SO thrilled with this purchase. Like sleeping in a fluffy cloud.

The winner of Bomobob's fantastic giveaway is (randomly picked) Erin from Home is Where the Heart is! Erin, e-mail me and I'll get you connected with Bob!

Come back tomorrow -- I have some fun little projects to share. :)

Bomobob art giveaway!

Giveaway is now closed!

Well hello there! I'm so happy you love my tile project as much as I do! I'm thrilled that I inspire you -- I've never done any tiling in my life, and I did it in a weekend on a wing and a prayer. I couldn't believe how well it turned out. YOU can do it too! For reals!

To continue the month o' giveaways, my friend and advertiser Bob from Photos by Bomobob has offered one of you another one of his beautiful prints!
Just in case you don't remember, take a look at some of his gorgeous work:
How fun for a playroom? Kid's room? Office? The colors are just beautiful:

Sigh. I love this:

His photography showcases how the simplest subjects are the most beautiful:

Seriously. Amazing.

I love the whimsy of this carousel:

Oh, how fantastic would this look in a cottagey kitchen or bedroom?

Bob is offering one print, (size 8x8 or 8x10, depending on the original dimensions) or one of his 4x6 print sets of your choice! To win one of these beautiful prints, leave a comment here, then go to Bomobob's Etsy site here and pick out the print you want to win. Come back here and let me know which one you would love to have.

That's it! Thanks Bob for this great giveaway! This one ends at 8 a.m. this Monday (the 31st).

A few announcements -- I'm hosting a Before and After bloggy party on Monday, September 7th! It can be anything -- a painted room, a craft project, an organized space, changing out accessories, whatever! All you MUST have is a before picture! :) I hope you can join me!

I did a guest post for Kennesha over at Me and My House this week! Go check out my Goodwill Survival Guide post when you get a chance.

Finally, don't forget to head over to houzz.com to comment on my feature there and get in on a chance to win the large Ballard Designs pear! The entries end at 5 p.m. EST time on Sunday the 30th. (I just saw that even my Stepmom and Dad commented on there! Sniff!)

Oh yeah, and have a GREAT weekend!! :)

Sheet Boutique Giveaway!

(This contest is now closed.)

This is the Month-O-Giveaways here at TDC!! And this one is a great one -- it's all about sleep, which next to decorating, is my my all time favorite thing to do. And eat. Decorate, sleep, eat -- in that order.

Cara at The Sheet Boutique is another one of my advertisers and has graciously agreed to a great giveaway for this weekend!

In my opinion, a down comforter (alternative or real down) is the first step to a great sleep:

We have an alternative down comforter inside our duvet cover and I love it because it's easy to wash at home. I also love it cause it's like being wrapped in a big, fluffy hug every night. This is important. Remember, I know sleep peeps.

Cara's prices rival the cheapest I've seen in the stores -- a down alternative king comforter is only $69.99!

The next step to a good night's sleep -- good sheets. I've been stingy where these are concerned -- but no more!! As my friend Valarie says -- "Life is too short for low-count sheets!" (She put that on Crackbook, so it must be true.)

The Sheet Boutique has a great selection of sheets, including these bamboo sheets!:

Incredibly comfy and eco-friendly to boot.

I have yet to splurge on high count sheets, but they are one of our next big buys. At Cara's prices they are so reasonable!

These EzzzySleep Fleece sheets had me at Hello though:

We looooove us some flannel sheets, and these sound divine. My husband would seriously sleep on flannel in the middle of July -- but when your bedroom is eight degrees hotter than the rest of the house, this doesn't make for a comfortable evening. So come September/October, he's practically begging to put them on the bed. I already ordered these EzzzySleep sheets -- he will love me foreva.

Of course there are beautiful comforter sets, like this one:

This set is $99.99 for any size and you won't believe what is included!! Seriously, that's awesome. I lurve the chocolate color!

These hotel-inspired duvet cover sets are right up my alley:

I love how crisp, clean and classic this set is!

Now -- for YOU Squeezies...The Sheet Boutique is giving away the Dream Mate pillow:

This (standard size) pillow has a value of $46!! The pillow helps to regulate your temp, has a lining that keeps moisture away and is antimicrobial, hypo-allergenic and dust mite resistant. Um, that last part is important. Have you seen what we sleep with? Heebies!!

To win this awesome pillow, you know the drill! Leave a comment here, then go over to The Sheet Boutique, check out the items, and come back and leave another comment with the item you'd love to sleep with. (Uhhh...you know what I mean.) And for a third entry, go to Cara's blog here and become a follower (and let her know by commenting).

We spend so much of our lives in bed -- it should be a comfy sanctuary! Do something for yourself and get a good night sleep -- that's where I'm heading about 2.5 seconds after I hit "publish." My body has had enough due to a couple hours of paint stripping today! ;)

Nighty night. Smooches.

A-thrifting we will go!

So if you follow me on Twitter, I took you along on my trip through a few antique stores today. My friend Jen told me about the great shops in Pendleton, Indiana, and I have been waiting weeks for the right time to take a few hours to head out there.

They did not disappoint! It was so fun, I wish you could all go with me! Well, not all of you. We'd be sure to break something, all thousands of us. (Uh, that's nuts, by the way.)

I wanted to show you some of the stuff I loved. These were toothpick holders:

Oh. my. goodness. gracious, they were adorable. That amber one on the corner to the left, I picked up about eight times. But they were $10 each, and I only use toothpicks when I bake, and I only bake, like, uhhhhh...

Well, let's just say it's not worth the $10.

I loved the color of these Ball jars:

The owner of the shop told me that the Ball jars with the number 13 are worth much more, because in the "olden days" the women would break those with a 13 on them because they were superstitious. Then during prohibition, the men who would drink out of these jars wouldn't use the 13 jars either. I mean, how cool is that? I love hearing the history behind items like these.

I am a sucker for old, chunky corbels:

These were $22 each, but I found one for $9.99. Awwww yeah...

You've probably seen these in the Pottery Barn catalog:

Psssst...they are cheaper at antique stores. You didn't hear it from me. I absolutely LOVE them. I would do the Pepsi case cause I'm a Pepsi girl, but they just don't go with my decor. I really want one for the deck, but until they make one in brown, green and rust, it just isn't going to work for me. Gah. I'm weird like that, I know.

So what did I get?? Squeal! I can't wait to show you! I saw this key tray in the first shop, and I knew it must be mine:

The sides are large keys. I am fairly sure it is not antique, but that's what you get with antique shops -- some "real" stuff, some not, some junk. All I know is I love it! It holds my skeleton keys.

This milk glass compote is the biggest I've seen and I just adore it:

I'm finding myself more and more attracted to these white pretties. And it was only $4! I thought the tag was wrong for sure. For now, I threw in some hydrangeas, but I see many possibilities with this one.

Look at the pretty detail!

This little clock was $5, and I just think it's a perfect little accent:

Often I find I will spend more at certain stores that I wouldn't spend at others -- do you do this? Like I doubt I would have paid $5 for this little clock at Goodwill, but because it was at an antique shop, (even though it may not be an antique), I did? I'm an odd bird.

My most fabulous find had me skipping! SKIPPING people. I went back through one shop for a second look, and really took my time. I don't know how I missed this the first time through:

A beautiful, large, cedar chest! For only FORTY BUCKS. I could not believe my eyes. I mean, this is a good deal, right? I have no idea how much these are worth. The stain is lovely, but I will redo the top, just not sure what I'll do:
It is GORG. I thought I knew where I wanted to put it, but I think I may try something move some things around and experiment...stay tuned. How should I clean the cedar? Can I wipe it down with cleaning wipes, or should I use something specific? I am new to cedar. ;)

I treated myself to this excursion today because I am finally caught up on my consultations! So if you have sent pictures and have not heard from me, I didn't get them -- just let me know. I so enjoy working with you all and getting you excited about your homes! I love it!

I will not be taking any new consults until I've finished all of those who have paid for one but haven't sent their info yet -- I'll let ya'll know when I'm ready to start up again! And at that point I'm going to take a certain amount a month, just for my own sanity. ;) I'll let you know the details soon my Squeezies. (If you have e-mailed me about a consult, please go ahead and send your info!)

Fun announcements coming up soon...can't wait to share with you! Squeal! (And again, no, I am not pregnant.) :)

ann

Because you RAWK, a giveaway!

I have the BEST readers, hands down. I mean, if there was reality show for blog readers, I'd give you all a rose. I definitely wouldn't extinguish your torch. And I totally would knock you down and pull your hair in a reality-star girl fight. You are that special to me.

When I asked what I should do with my chalk storage for my DIY chalkboard, a few of you mentioned I should do an itty bitty cutie patootie window box like I did here.

So I did. And it's caaaute:

Seriously, I never would have thought of that, and I LOVE it!

So to thank you all for being so freakin' awesome, we're doing another giveaway by one of my advertisers this weekend!

Emily at E.A.D. Designs is one of my latest advertisers and she has graciously decided to share one of her fabulous vinyl items with one of you! Her selection of vinyl lettering and wall art is crazy good.

Check out the eye candy with me -- I love this chandy!


How sweet for a pre-teen or teen girl room. Or even an adult girl (ahem, mine) room -- a dressing room, an office, whatever! And it starts at only EIGHT bucks! See, crazy good!

I love these baroque-inspired frames:

You get all four when you order the set and they would be a bold but simple statement in any room.

For my son, this one would be the bee's knees:

He'd love me forever if I found a spot for these. I have to get them. Even though he'll love me forever anyway. :)

If I was a little girl again, I would SO want these in my room:

I know, they don't look like much now. But they are flower stems -- order them in green, buy some silk gerbera daisies (one of my faves!):
Pop the heads off and stick them on the wall on the vinyl stems for a 3-D look. Custom, cheap, fun. LOVE that! Heck, I'm not little any more and I want those in my room.

Speaking of flowers, I think the dandelion seeds are just simple and pretty:

Um, I guess those are weeds, not flowers, right? Oh well, they are pretty. Just don't tell hubby I think dandelions are pretty. He is not a fan.

And of course, the obligatory beautiful wall words:

I just love how these instantly warm up any home.

So for you lovely squeezies, Emily has agreed to giveaway one of my favorites, the vine wall panels:

I love how these can be used individually throughout a room (they measure 10 by 12 inches) or hung together for a large piece of art. For you rental dwellers out there, these are a great option! A few mdf boards cut at the home improvement store and you are set! Paint them first, let it cure and then stick the vinyl on.

Emily has 34 beautiful colors to pick from -- including some metallics, which I lurrrve for front (and garage!) doors. (Why does my spell check not recognize "lurrrve?")

You have two chances to win -- to be entered, leave me a comment here. Then, go to the E.A.D. Designs site to browse through her items and come back here to leave another comment with your fave.

The giveaway will go until Sunday evening at 8 p.m. Eastern time. A winner will be randomly picked that night.

Enjoy and have a great weekend!!