Missing My Boys... Sort Of

I have to say it has been a strange 5 days.  Life without kids... all of a sudden the dogs have been getting more attention, I have been able to take an afternoon nap, and the hubs and I have been able to hit up happy hour and the sushi bar!  And, do you know what else happens without kids {and there for no set schedule}?  Confusion!!  I have not been able to focus on anything!! When the kids are home, we are up at a certain time, eating breakfast at a certain time... ect, ect, ect.  Instead I am sitting down to watch random television when I know I would usually be tackling my to-do list!  

However, I digress!

I do miss the boys!  We Skyped with them yesterday and instantly J {my 4 year old} looked thinner and M {20 month old} looked old and was saying 10 more words then he did when he left!  {Mom, I know J is not thinner... he eats way more with you guys then he does with me!!}  

Today I am going to rearrange the kids bedrooms and clean out the playroom.  It will probably make me miss them more!  I have been looking for inspiration in other kid/play rooms.  Here is some fun kids rooms:

I love this idea of cork paneling!

So modern and fresh!

I want these frames... thinking of a DIY...

I love the chalk board wall!  I can't wait to paint a wall chalk board {when I am not renting}!

I need to find some space for a book rail!  Such a good idea and so easy!

How awesome is the mural?  So cool!

  Now I need to get off the couch and start my to-do list... maybe after 1 more hour of TiVO!

 {images: dwell, dwell, dwell, google image search}

Royal Wedding Viewing Party

Are you going to watch the Royal Wedding?  I am {on TiVO at a decent hour}!!  

I was thinking it would be fun to have a wedding viewing party!  

There is two options for a time; watching it live {1 AM on the west coas} and have a late night pub food eats party or in the proper AM and host a brunch with English tea and scones.  For those of us that have kids, I would pick the latter... 1 AM is too late for me to start a party!!  

So here are my ideas for a:

Royal Wedding Viewing Brunch

Menu:

{Click on menu item for recipes}

Bangers & Skillet Potatoes

Brie & Egg Strada  

Mini Meat Pie 

Fresh Scones w. Fruit Jam

Banana Crumb Muffin 

{see muffin papers below}

Lemon Buttermilk Cake w. Strawberries

English Breakfast Tea

English Mimosas 

{Sparkling Rose w. strawberry slices}

 Here are a few things to use as decoration for your party:

1. British Muffin Papers & Decorating Kit

2.  Royal Wedding Viewing Party Invites 

3.  British Flag Bunting

4. British Flag Ballons

5. Blue Rose Petals

6. Mail Order Meat Pie

7. Big Ben Mint Tin Personalized Favors

8.  'Keep Calm and Carry On' Cocktail Napkins

9. Scones

10. English Breakfast Tea

11. Coasters

Dog Eared Pages

 A couple of days ago a friend asked me if I read... I asked "do magazines count?"  I will admit I get WAY too many magazines in the mail... I think I even get a couple duplicates {that 'renew now this is your last issue!' always gets me}.  But I love looking at the 100 pages of design, cool gadgets, yummy recipes, and inspiration!  I fold down the corners of dozens of pages with the thought that I will rip it out, put it in an organized binder, and buy all of the thinks I want... someday I will get around to it!!  I just discovered this thing called pinterest.com.  It is a site that acts as a big catalog for the stuff you love.  If you find it online you and pin it in a folder and it will be there forever. 

Here are some of the things I marked:

 1.  So versatile.. can be modern, nautical, or traditional. 
Striped Rug {Real Simple, April}
2. I {heart} this chandelier!!  Nuff said! Chandelier
{LonnyMag.com, April}
3. An awesome way to keep herbs fresh. Herb Keeper
{LonnyMag.com, April}
4. Order small tastes {half bottles} of wine from your favorite winery for half the cost!
Tastinngroom.com {Sunset, March}
5. These bowls are great for everything: candy, entertaining, candles, soaps, ect
Anthropologie {Cooking Light, March}
6.  I am always for a glass that fit the most wine... and it is plastic!!
Wine Glass {Elle Decor, March}
7.  These trivets add a little pop of color to your table!
Trivets {Cooking Light, May}
8.  How cute are these bird tealight holders!!  The perfect pop of yellow!
Birds {Cooking Light, May}

Craigslist Makeover & Ikea Re-Design

It is amazing how a little bit of paint can make a huge change. 

 

{New Coffee Table}

 

 {Ikea Re-Design}

 

I picked up an awesome coffee table from Craigslist.  I have had a coffee table from Ikea that was good for the time we bought it, but I think I never really like it!  I just happened to be browsing {well OK... looking everyday} online for the perfect coffee table.  Again, I knew I wanted some color so it needed to be something that I could change for the better.  After a few days of hunting I found this table:

 

 

A little red spray paint and this is my new Deco style coffee table!

 

  

Here is the other new addition to my Family Room: 

 

 

I have had this ikea table for a little over a year.  {It used to be red/orange.. and for the life of me I can not find a before picture from Ikea or from any of my personal pics}.

The piece is simple, has clean lines, and was functional... but nothing to scream about.  I have been wanting to change it up and since I have re-designed my Family Room it was the perfect spot to add some new color and a little design.

I am obsessed with the Greek Key!  Here is how I added the simple graphic to the table:

 

Supplies Needed: 

1. Oil based primer... works great over laminate material

2. Fine Grit Sandpaper

3. Latex Paint in color of choice

4. Painters Tape

5. Decorative paint for Greek Key

After priming the piece and then sanding down some of the brush marks and drips, I applied two coats of latex paint.  Then I measured out the lines for the key.  I used my T-square to measure an even line.

The dots were hard to see so I drew lines... just had to make sure the black was on the paint side of the tape!!

To get a clean tape line I used my T-square and a blade to {very carefully} cut the tape.

Do you notice the tape color changed?  Well I thought I would use the new Frog brand painters tape because it has gotten such good reviews... well I didn't like it.  I don't know if it was because I grabbed the 'medium adhesive' or if it was just bad.  So after my first coat of gold I had to re tape all of the lines!!  Just annoying, but necessary for it to look right!

 

I Am Kid FREE with a New Family Room!!!

I am currently kids free.... not just for a couple hours, or a couple days, but for 8 WHOLE DAYS!!!  8 days with no children!!  My amazing parents took the boys back to Hawaii!  Oh the projects are swirling in my head as I type... so much I can do with out being interrupted every 10 minutes with having to fill up sippy cups or turn on Gabba! 

{I will miss them though... in a couple days!}

Although I am silently loudly jumping up and down, I am a little sad to see my parents leave.  I always have so much fun shopping with my Mom and stirring up new decor ideas when she is here.  It has been a complete whirlwind of fabric shopping, craiglist hunting, and way too many trips to the craft store.  In 2 weeks we were able to change the look of not just my Family Room, but ALSO hers!  {She has really been wanting incorporate a little more beach-y feel into her home, and though one would think you could do that easily when you live in Hawaii... it would surprise you!!}  I am so excited about my Family Room now... It is exactly what the room needed! 

Here are some highlights =)

Almost done... a few more pieces I am working on.  Did you spy my new star burst mirror?  It was only $100!!! 

{Thank you Mom & Dad! xoxo}

Hope everyone is enjoying their Easter Sunday!!

Hosue Tour {Eclectic Brilliance}

I finally found a few minutes yesterday to enjoy the sunshine and catch up on my stack of magazines I can never find time to read.  I came across the most amazing little {1300 sqft} house in April's Sunset.

The home is of Leah Steen, owner of Revival Home and Garden in Seattle WA, and her husband Chad and her two daughters is an amazing mix of high end furnishing {from her amazing store} and low end goodwill and thrift store finds.  I am loving the mix of turquoise and red balanced by pops of yellow, black, and green.  I just want to move into their guest room that was formerly their garage!!

Photo by Thomas J. Story via Sunset {read full artical, here}