"Pink" The Missing Link

It snuck up on me and I was won in a twink.  Not a hope and never a chance that I'd be caught dead in "pink".  But what was this... there the glimmer...she bent... she broke... slam dunk sinker. 

Never in my wildest dreams would I ever consider pink as part of my color pallet for gardening, decorating or fashion. Even when flesh tone pink came out with a bang,  I still was hesitant...

My poor children have been denied this color all their lives (along with peas) because I always felt that pink was for beautiful blue eyed blonde women.  Then 'SNAP' like that it happened! ALL the intoxicating credit goes to the March 2011 issue of 'House Beautiful'. It was like "love at first sight".  Maybe... because they were really calling 'red' pink and I love red.

I couldn't get enough of this pink stuff and NOWWWW there's a part of me that's saying let's find a space that we can do pink!  So... since we are redoing Ali and Amber's room.  The focal point is a "56x42" head detail glicee of 'Bottecelli's Birth of Venus. THERE IT IS! My chance to sneak pink in. It's just the little hint in her cheeks.

Even the lettering House Beautiful used grabbed me, I felt like 'Frodo' all trapped by the spider and no escape but to succumb to the wishes and 'Power of Pink'.  But I think the thing that made me go in deeper was what was on the cover. It said 'Men Love IT!'  What!? I thought.  How could I be denying this inner most feminine side of myself.  Could this be the missing link that takes Mark and I into Utopian bliss?  I must try it.  I found myself feeling very feminine and beautiful as I imagined myself in a powdery perfect match my skin tone pink.

I found three approaches to pink in this issue; first 'beat around the bush', neutral foundations with little hints of pink.

Second, Pink's mama which is old red. 

Third, 'take the bull by it's horn's pink.  Which is all out, open the flood gates pink.

Well... needless to say I'm sold!  And gladly at that.  It's exciting to know I have another color that I CAN choose and love.

Doctrine and Covenants 59

 18Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the ^abenefit and the ^buse of man, both to please the eye and to ^cgladden the heart;

 19Yea, for ^afood and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to ^bstrengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

 20And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to ^aexcess, neither by extortion.

 

vicki

consider pink
roses in the city

Christopher went to the doctors last week...

He has gone from a 7lb 13oz and 21.5" long skinny new born to a 15 and a half pound 24.5" long two and a half month old. In such a short time he has grown and learned so much.

He can eat, suck on his binki, hold up his head, swat at his toys, smile, and on Saturday he rolled over all by himself for the very first time! All in two months. He is learning new things and absorbing everything around him every day. The best part too is he is going to continue to do this for years!

It got me thinking though... do we learn new things still like little children and babies do? Do I learn something new every day? Am I still progressing the way small children do? Or have I become complacent and don't really try to continue learning? I do realize that my body is not growing anymore and I have learned all the basic things I need to survive in life, but there are so many things out there to still be discovered and to learn about. I should be working to expand my mind each day!

Dawnelle

fabric... fabric... fabric

I absolutely LOVE fabric. I love the textures and the colors and the patterns and everything about it!! I recently read this quote out of a design book (that I would love my house to look like...) I bought at Ikea that I am using as my new motto in life regarding my deep passion for fabric.

"When are you going to have time to make something out of all that?? Never! You don't have to make something just because you like fabrics. They're beautiful just as they are. You can buy fabrics by the yard just because they look good. or have a unique patter. or a fun color combination. or remind you of your granddad. or make you happy. In fact, you can buy fabric by the yard however you want, whenever you want, with no plans whatsoever to make anything out of it at all."

-Beloved Homes! Ikea Family

The funny part though is I have recently been looking at fabric online thinking... "I wish I had a reason to buy that, something to make out of it." Now though I don't! I think I might buy some just BECAUSE!

Here's some of my favorites lately...

Etsy-pallavik, Ikea 

Ikea, Purl Soho-Robert Kaufman

Purl Soho-Kokka Fabrics, Ikea

Anyone know of some other great places to buy amazing fabric online??


Dawnelle

BIG FAT TOE!

Ahhh.. isn't this such a cute picture of Albert...?  But, wait, what's that over there to the left?  Is that someones foot?  Yes... it is!  This is not out of the norm for us when looking through our family photos.  So many of them have someones BIG FAT TOE  in it!  In this picture Dawnelle, Ali, and Amber have been debating who's it is?  Some are saying it's Ali's feet. I actually think they are MINE!  Why does it happen that so many of our pictures look this way?  Well, it's because our family loves ottomans.

To me there is nothing more relaxing than to be able to put your feet up when you sit down.  So for this reason we have incorporated ottomans in our conversation seating.  Having an ottoman is the next best thing to sleeping in your bed, but your still awake and you can share that relaxed feeling with other people without having them all climb into bed with you.  Which is what often happens at our house.

Here is an ottoman that I had custom made at the Smyrna Delaware prison.

Let me give you a walk through of what to expect if you do go to the prison to have furniture reupholstered.  First, you have to call and make an appointment.  Then you will need a truck or trailer to hall off your furniture.  Once you get there you will need to go into the main part of the prison where most people go if they have come to visit someone.  The officers look at you through the glass doors. Tell them your going to the prison industries. They buzz you in and give you a special pass to put on the dash board of your car.  Then they ask if you need an escort.  You probably will since you don't know where your going, so you say "yes".  You then get into your car and follow the officer in his car through the compound.  You will pass the barbed wire fencing that encloses basket ball courts and grass with picnic benches and the actual prison cells. On occasion you may ride by when all the prisoners are out.  Then you'll pull up to a small warehouse...go inside. There may be caged barking dogs as you get out of your car, ignore them.  Once your in the warehouse you'll be met by a man who is in charge of taking your furniture, he will have a couple of prisoners to unload your stuff.  At this point you need to know exactly what your having done.  DO NOT rely on them for design tips.  They are there to do exactly what you specify. 

The prison I go to has fantastic tapestries, fabrics, leather, and cowhides. They will help you know exactly how much you will need for your project.  If you go that route plan on being there for hours trying to pick out what you want in company with with the prisoner's watching you.  They will let you take the sample books home, however I think it is best if you can make up your mind while your there.  Depending on the work that they have to do, you might find that your project could take one months to a year to complete.

 I wanted something very happy, bright, large and functional for this ottoman. So I brought in my own fabric along with pictures of ottomans that I love. I specified exactly where I wanted the fabric applied. There is usually a $10 up charge if you bring your own fabric.  This piece measures 19"h x 30.5"w x 54.5" L and cost me $375.  

The top lifts up and the entire ottoman opens to a large storage area.

The men are so GOOD!  The craftsmanship is EXCELLENT! 

Let me give you a little advice if you want to reupholster something.  Think of how it will be used.  Decide if you want a pattern.  Tear pictures out magazine of what you want your piece to look like.  They can completely change the look of a couch or settee buy adding tufting, or cushions.  Remember if you have small children use a fabric that is durable and wears beautifully.  Then 'GO FOR IT'!  Don't be afraid of your choice or your ability.  Have fun and enjoy the process. 

Vicki

yesterday...

Look what I got yesterday...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

vicki

STeMIK

When I saw this picture and how it serves so well as inspiration for the room below it made me think of Dawnelle's post this week. It makes me want to paint Albert and Hyrums room green.  I'm seriously considering it.  There is something about this room that feels ideal for young boys.

I Love STeMIK furniture.

See the rest of this room.
Check out teenage rooms too.
Nature picture

vicki

Sticks, Stones & Domes

I swore that I'd never be the kind of mother that you could tell had a lot of kids.  You'd never see bicycles and toys strewn all over my front yard, and my house would NEVER smell of diapers or sour milk.  You wouldn't see finger prints, and stains all over. But life with children is a bit of a trade off.  I have learned that you can have children and not entirely loose your swagger.

One of the things about children is they "LOVE" giving.  It is one of their greatest pleasures. They don't think about how much something is worth, or how much it costs, or what kind of name is on it. They give without any compensation in mind and with all their hearts.  They wait and watch with great anticipation as you unwrap, open, or view what they give.  Children are so genuine...

  

Mother Nature loves children and she she offers them all her beauty and wealth.  Most children don't have monetary resources, so Mother Nature becomes children's method for giving. 

So they will pick a flower from your well planted garden, or they will bring in a feather from a bird, or they will pick up seashells, acorns or sticks (which I can relate to). 

And since their discoveries are unique and one of a kind, you might find yourself with a whole collection of rocks from the driveway.

So after having so many children, I've had to think of creative ways to handle and display all that they bring in and resist the temptation of tucking it under the junk mail in the trash.

A cloche or dome jar lid is such a chic way of displaying these little treasures.  Visitors are naturally drawn to them and they set the perfect stage for our children's loving tokens. I picked mine up at Down East Outfitters for $9.  It's small.  But perfect for the nest that we found behind Albert's dresser last week and all the wonders my two little boys keep bringing in.  For them it takes the excitement to a whole new level.

You could use sparkling clean mason jars or jelly jars and have one for each child then run them down the center of your table, buffet, cabinet, or shelf.

Somehow capturing this passion that children have for nature and life is worth the time.

vicki

I Often Go Walking

Thoughtfully listen

1. I often go walking in meadows of clover,
And I gather armfuls of blossoms of blue.
I gather the blossoms the whole meadow over;
Dear mother, all flowers remind me of you.

2. O mother, I give you my love with each flower
To give forth sweet fragrance a whole lifetime through;
For if I love blossoms and meadows and walking,
I learn how to love them, dear mother, from you.

Words: Phyllis Luch, 1937–1995. © 1969 IRI
Music: Jeanne P. Lawler, b. 1924. © 1969 IRI

 One of my favorite books.

images 1 2a 3a 5
homevestures.blogspot.com

don't you just love free stuff??

Isn't he adorable?

I have become a big fan of baby slings recently... partly because I just recently had a baby and partly because well I think they're great! You can use them for babies up to typically about 35lbs, which is quite a lot compared to other baby carriers.

My sister got me a wonderful sling when I had my little boy and I have recently discovered that he absolutely LOVES it! It's adorable...

Then my sister in law shared this with me the other day and I thought I would pass it on to you!! There is a relatively new company out there called Seven Slings that has a promo code out there that will allow you to get a sling for only the shipping and handling. Check it out!

http://www.sevenslings.com

Promo Code: candie

my little boy's room part 1... finding inspiration

One of the first things that I learned in my design classes in school is always start with inspiration. There is no need to completely reinvent the wheel! Find some spaces, rooms, homes, images that reflect the type of space you want to create.

There are so many places you can go to find inspiration images! We have a world full of beautiful things. You don't even have to find an actual room. Your inspiration could be a flower, a rug, a picture you took on your last vacation, or a piece of artwork you absolutely love. You don't even really need to look at design books or magazines. I've found some fantastic inspiration images in nature and science books before.

These were a few of my inspiration images for my little boy's room, my latest project!

Final pictures will be posted soon! Cross my heart...

Dawnelle

I'm sorry I don't have links to where these images came from... I've had them for quite awhile! They aren't mine though... Just my inspiration!

Half Bloomed...

It is most definitely spring... and I am SO excited! It happens to be my favorite season. Well, spring and fall. But spring is just so exciting to finally get to after a long winter where everything is all brown for what always seems like forever and ever. I love when everything starts turning green again!

I was trying to decide the other day if I like when all the trees are in full bloom or all green better. That is when I decided that really I like them half way between both, you know half bloomed, half green. That way you get the best of both worlds, you get to experience a full tree of little flowers as well as a little green leaf!

That got me thinking though about other things that I like half way... like chocolate chip cookies half baked so they're warm and a little crispy and gooey at the same time, ice cream a little melted, the sun half way set, and bananas when they're just starting to get the little brown spots.

I also realized that there are a lot of things that I don't like half way. For example, in life, when you stand for something you believe in, you must be all in. The time has come in our world where there is no half way anymore. There is simply black and white, right and wrong, following Christ or not.

Just a little food for thought on a beautiful spring day!

Dawnelle