ORC Lucky No 7 - Week 5

I almost titled this post 

"Sheer Panic!”

What the heck - let’s go with it!!!

This has been slow going and there hasn’t been a lot to show up until this point but it was so awful to begin with that I feel like every little thing is great progress!
 Or that’s what I keep telling myself!

 I have painted everything white that needed to be fresh, glossy white including the swinging bed and now I’ve moved on to the gorgeous green floor.

We have had a green porch floor for years but a friend recently gifted me with Amanda Lindroth's book Island Hopping and I'm obsessed. Like, can't put it down. And it confirmed that this fabulous green was just the color we needed for our porch floor!

I have a thrifted, vintage bamboo mirror for the fireplace wall. 

And I’m covering a lampshade.

And that's about it.
Here's hoping I get a lot completed in one week!!

See more ORC participants here.

 

ORC Lucky No 7 - Week 4

As I stated last week, I've been in Charleston SC (lots of pretty porch inspiration!!)

 and the Virginia mountains 

for the last 8 days so nothing much has happened physically.

I used all my travel time to think, visualize, source and plan 

so I can hit the ground running this week.

Time is flying by!!

One thing that did actually happen was my handy husband worked on the "box" for the gas fireplace insert while I was away.

There is still a lot to be done but I'm excited to see progress. 

We salvaged that fireplace mantel from an old house in Marietta GA over 27 years ago that was scheduled for demolition.
Every time my husband mentioned getting rid of it because I hadn't done anything with it yet, I resisted. Then several years ago we added this section onto our screened porch and we "installed" the mantel as a focal point. Then we started looking for a gas insert and one finally showed up at Restore ages ago and now it's close to being a reality.

We certainly took our time on this one!

Things still look pretty rough but there is actually progress. 

I have the floor paint ready to go now that I'm back in town!

Gorgeous green!

I just need good weather so I can roll it on and show y'all some actual progress. 
Please check out everyone else's progress here and if I haven't bored you too much please come back next week and see if I might actually get something done!!

ORC - Lucky No. 7 Week 3

Week 3 arrives so quickly!

I am traveling to Charleston, SC this week so I am the lucky one!!

Not a lot has happened since last week's post except that I painted all of the trim, fireplace surround and the walls shiny, fresh white!

The last big painting push will happen next week when I return from Charleston!

I'm doing this in real time with a week's absence in the schedule so it's a bit boring at this end. Hopefully once the painting is over and the fun part (furniture and accessories) starts it will be more interesting!

So I leave you with some gorgeous porches to drool over and be inspired by!

Bonus points for the blue ceiling and the cute pooch!

via

I've got a little zebra in my inspiration board.

via

This image takes me back to the porches of my Southern childhood. I don't know where it is and cannot find a source but it could literally be one of any porch in the Lowcountry.

This is what I see in my mind's eye when I think of  big, southern porches!

I love a palm on a porch more than anything!

via Pinterest

I would never leave this porch. Ever. 

via Pinterest

This is fun. I'm definitely incorporating stripes into my porch project. 

Any guesses where?

Have a great week and be sure to see what all the other ORC "Challengers" accomplished this week!

ORC- Lucky No. 7 Week 2

This week is all about painting plus my inspiration and direction for this ORC challenge.

The "befores."  It can only get better!
(if you are just joining in you can read here  how this space ended up in such a sad state!)

First up - paint. 

The roof repairs are finished and the ceiling got a coat of blue paint. 

In the South we paint our porch ceilings soft, pale blue.

It's a Southern gal's Southern porch so the ceiling is blue - it's a given with me. 

SW Swimming it is!

I know it doesn't look like much progress but

it's been so messy and overwhelming for so long that this coat of blue paint has really given me hope that this porch will be looking so much better in a few short weeks!!

Next up, last (yes, last) November I found this beauty:

It was sitting in front of my Restore/Habitat for Humanity Store. 

I did not "need" it. The porch was under a layer of tarps.

It was in perfect condition. Perfect. 

It was 50% off furniture day. This wicker lounge was marked $120.00

 (already a great deal - it's huge and beautifully upholstered in this creamy yellow chinoiserie fabric)

 and it was marked through and labeled $60.00.

So I figured that was the 1/2 price already marked. 

Nope!

It was an additional 50% off. 

Yep, it was $30.00.

Okey dokey, coming home with me.

So this chaise is hopefully going to find it's rightful spot on this area of my porch. There is already a swinging bed on one side and it is staying, definitely staying. 

It is the best reading/napping spot ever. 

So we have to make the two work together in the space.

(a picture from before the leak invaded the porch!)

And see the fireplace on the center back wall? And the gas insert just sitting there?

My husband found  the gas insert at Restore at a different time. We want to fit the gas insert into the antique mantel/faux fireplace we have had on the porch for years. 

I will want to orient the wicker lounge chair and the swinging bed toward the fireplace. 

The swinging bed used to hang across the opening but we have moved it to the side of the space to allow for better furniture arrangement. Still plenty of room to gently swing and relax!

And then I'm hoping to add a few of these elements in a variety of ways so stay tuned!

Maybe a little zebra ...

 Some floor paint...

Bamboo, elephants and blue and white are always welcome on my porch! 

And some fabulous fabrics for pillows...

I'm scheming this week!
Follow along on my Instagram and Facebook as well!!

And be sure to see what all of the other ORC Guests are working on here.

One Room Challenge - Lucky No.7

Here we go! 
This is my seventh One Room Challenge since I decided to participate
 in my first ORC in the Spring of 2015.
So, Lucky No. 7 it is!

I have found the ORC to be a great motivator 
and apparently I like the crazy pace and deadlines!

Let's look back in case you haven't been following along through the past ORC's and then we will jump right in with the project for this Fall.

My first One Room Challenge was my guest bedroom. 
Improvements were definitely made but I hadn't quite hit my stride - 
as you will see when we get to the Spring 2017 ORC :)

My second ORC (Fall 2015) was a Mother/Daughter project as Mollie and I redid her bathroom and incorporated all of her favorite things! Literally, we made them all work!

My third ORC (Spring 2016) was the "Black Is Back" Library.
We had morphed our Dining Room into a Library over a decade before and it was time for an update - and more bookshelves!
I painted everything, I mean everything, a glossy black to create an American version of  a cozy British "snug."


My fourth ORC (Fall 2016) was our Master Bathroom where a faux bamboo china cabinet that was a thrifting find of a lifetime became a gorgeous coral linen closet. Yes, we have a china cabinet in our bathroom.

My fifth ORC (Spring 2017) is my first ORC. 
Don't be confused - I never felt like I had really nailed it with my first ORC. I was a newbie and I got bogged down and while the room had been improved it needed a revisit. 
Much better this time!

My sixth ORC (Fall 2017) was our entryway. 
This room was a lot of fun to do, gave us a fresh look in time for the holidays 
and contains some of my greatest thrifting scores of all time! 

So, here we are ...
Lucky No. 7.
(drum roll, please!)

It's going to be our beloved Screened In Porch. 
Yes, I know it's Fall, but in the South there are still porch sitting days to be had. 
And if any spot ever needed ORC love it's this porch in this moment.

Sparing you too many details on an already lengthy post but this porch was once lovely. Then we had some storm damage, a repair was made (we thought) and then sneaky, leaky, hidden damage occurred, insurance did not cover even though it began with storm damage (story of my life!), contractors were backed up for months in our area (and, you know, $$) 
so we took this on ourselves. 
It's been a huge project taking most of our Summer weekends, 
evenings and any spare moment. 
But we have finally arrived at the "fun part!"

It's time to make this porch gorgeous again!
BUT, 
this is the current reality!
Does't look like we have poured a whole Summer of blood, sweat and tears into it to get here but we have. 
It's all the structural, not pretty stuff that had to happen first.

We do remember how pretty this porch can be (proof below!!) and I am dedicated to having this fabulous, much-loved, much-used family favorite back to being the best room "in the house."



I hope you will follow along on the ONE ROOM CHALLENGE 
to see how we revive this porch. 
Next week- more on my inspiration, changes we are going to make and a couple of creative DIY's!
And, as always, in real time and on a "real" (or no) budget!!

Summer Memories

A bamboo shelf.

Blue and White.

Shells.

Coral.

Inherited seascape oil paintings.

Photos of beach vacations through the years.

A glass float purchased in Charleston.

Hand painted bowls from mission trips.

A few of my favorite Summertime memories.

Current Room Crush

I am currently obsessed with this small (800 sq. feet it says) apartment
 located in Charleston SC.

I was born in Charleston and head to the Lowcountry every time my landlocked self gets a chance.
 I consider one of my greatest parenting successes to be that I raised Mollie to be in love with Charleston and everything about the Lowcountry 

(except the extreme Summer heat which I do not mind but she does!)

Anyway - back to this room. It is in the latest issue of House Beautiful.

It belongs to J.P. Horton, a local Charleston decorator.
 He is renting. Doesn't look like the rentals of my past!

There are so many things I love but the first thing that caught my eye was the turquoise curtains.

I have been considering putting these turquoise curtains 

(along with bamboo blinds) at my family room windows for at least a year and a half.
 Yep - I'm speedy on these types of things.

 My curtain choice is obviously the low end of a high/low knock off situation. 

Believe me I will post a picture on my IG if I pull the trigger any time soon.

Other things I love that could be pulled from this room on a budget are:

1.The Palm   I love big plants, I cannot lie.
I've never met a palm I didn't love.
The one in his apartment is a Banana Palm. 
I have blogged about my love for them before.
Isn't this botanical of the Banana Palm fabulous?



The palm is elevated on a wooden stand and in a huge glazed pot. 

Palms are currently everywhere in Atlanta and are available for $10.00 to $30.00 depending on size. If you have to go smaller with the palm then you could simply place it on a taller stand to give it more impact. 
Small tables and plant stands can be found in thrift and vintage stores.

Pots are available in every size, color and finish in every price range at discount stores and home stores like Home Goods and At Home.
Of course, I think you could put it in a blue and white chinoiserie planter as well!

2. That Picture centered over the neutral couch! It is a framed piece of hand painted wall paper and I'm sure a bit pricey. One way to have something similar is to find a scene online that is free to the public and can be reprinted without copyright infringement. Then you can upload and print in a large format. I use a site called Poster My Walls. You can quickly design and download a large scale printable. I send it off to my local Walgreen's and have it printed 24 x 36 for under $20.00. If you go with black and white you can do an engineer print for under $6.00. Spray an inexpensive poster frame with gold spray paint like I did here and you've got a pretty good knock-off!

This image is an instant download from an Etsy seller.
Find something you love on Etsy or the many copyright free sights and print it in a large format!

There are lots of options to give you a look similar to the one in the inspiration room.

3. Ghost Chairs  IKEA has some great looking clear chairs for under $100.00. I've seen them in person and they are nice and not flimsy or wobbly.

This chair is only $39.99. I've never seen it in person but what a price for a clear chair!


It is from Classroom Essentials.


I love so many things about this gorgeous, elegant and inviting room. 
There are so many great elements to examine and use for yourself.
I can't stop looking at the room and finding new details to love and use in my own home.
What's your favorite detail?

One Room Challenge. It's A Biggie! Week 6.

Week 6 is Reveal Week. 

I have been missing from the ORC since Week 2.

#insertsadface

Sadly, I had to step away due to situations beyond my control. 

Two different out of town trips, new responsibilities at my "day job" 

and an unexpected hospital stay for Mollie (she's on the mend!)

meant the room had to take a back seat. 

Another challenge with this challenge was that it was not at my house - it's a 30 minute drive. 

On a good Atlanta traffic day!

But I am determined to finish this room for the clients to enjoy.

I have a storage room full of goodies I'm planning to use!

I will post on my Instagram when I get going again and when I complete it!
I hope you will follow along on IG and see how it all finishes up!

My previous, completed ORC's are my entryway,  my guest bedroom (again),  my master bathroom, our library (formerly a dining room), mollie's bathroom - a fun mother/daughter project, and my first ORC, my guestroom - the first time, many lessons learned. 
Six One Room Challenges (excluding this failed attempt).
 Five rooms greatly improved and now functioning beautifully for the way we live. 
I'm still a fan of the ORC - such a great motivator!

And now I'm going to work my way through all the inspiring rooms

 on Calling It Home Blog 

that are completed!!

One Room Challenge - It's A Biggie! Week Two.

My tombstone will probably say: 

"She painted everything white. Everything!"

Luckily Mollie helped. 

We quit counting how many coats of primer and paint.

Sometimes it's better not to know :)

They don't call it a One Room "Challenge" for nothing!

Hopefully we can get all of that red and yellow covered

 with white fresh white paint and move on to the fun stuff.

Please come back and see.

It's going to get better. Promise.

Easy Peasy Valentine's Day Treat for All Ages.

These are so cute and so quick. 

The picture got a lot of "play" on IG so I thought I'd share a few details.

Valentine's Day Candy Skewers!

These are quick and easy. Inexpensive even if you are making quite a few.

Easy to make ahead and transport.   

Cute, fun and pretty in pink!

I bought wooden skewers from Wal Mart. The dollar store often has them. 

One end is flat and the other is pointed. 

They were 97 cents for 50.

The cello bags are inexpensive and available at Wal Mart or Hobby Lobby. 

I had a stash from Nashville Wraps. 

They have every size and shape and I think everything looks better wrapped up in cello.

The prices are good if you need cello in bulk and they ship quickly.

The candy!!

You want any and all soft candy or candy with a hole in the center that you can find 

plus big pink and white marshmallows.

We bought ours at Wal Mart, Dollar General and Dollar Tree. 

There are tons of dollar bag choices. 

We bought fruit chew type candies in multiple shapes and flavors - anything pink, peachy pink or red. 

Gummie Lifesavers and a couple of other chewey candles are ring shaped 

so they just drop right on the skewer. 

The rest of the candy you simply slide down the skewer. 

This is why you want "soft" candy.

I also bought Little Debbie heart shaped cakes for the "topper." 

Spread out all the candy, slide it on the skewer in any order 

(I didn't even try to make them exactly the same but you could), 

pop them in the cello bag and tie them closed. 

We dropped a few Red Hots in each cello bag.

We used a twist tie to get them sealed tightly and then put pink and red grosgrain ribbon (any pink or red ribbon would be fine. I always pick up the cute rolls of "themed" ribbon at the Target Dollar Spot)

 and white curling ribbon over the twist tie to make them frilly and fun!

*Please note: One end of the skewer is pointed. You need the point in order to easily slide the candies on. If you are making these for children you can snip the pointed end of the skewer off with kitchen shears (very easy) and then add the Little Debbie Cake to the end.

Bamboo Friday

I'm not a trend follower per se, but I am intrigued by trends and predictions.

I love reading the design forecasts at the beginning of the year and I love seeing what the "color of the year" is and if I'm going to embrace it at all :) 

I also like it when I'm already "on trend."

You know- I was doing this before it was cool.

(Remember "I was country before country was cool," etc?)

Here's one I'm pretty happy about for more than one reason. 

1. I love using it in every room in the house and 

2. We sell this stuff @elizabethandpayne so this trend is good for business!!

According to more than one source Bamboo and Rattan 

are strong for 2018!!

(In my opinion they were never out but whatevs!)

This article on Quintessence Blog says we will see rattan staying strong in 2018.

And Apartment Therapy said rattan furniture is "super chic" here.

Apartment Therapy

This article talks about "why" bamboo furniture is a good choice and popular as well:
Affordability, Versatility, Durability, and Sustainability. 
Plus, it adds fabulous warmth, texture and if its older - a vintage vibe to a room.

And the trends in this article are all strong for 2018 and bamboo is at the top. 


Coastal Living

The thing about Bamboo is that whether you are just starting to use it in your decor because it's "on trend" or whether you were already embracing it in your house
 (The British have forever!!!), 
I don't think you can go wrong. 

Bamboo furniture and faux bamboo designs are classics 
and used well they will always be a wonderful, textural addition to a room.
So its a win-win. 


See this faux bamboo china cabinet turned linen closet here.


Look at all the wonderful texture subtly added to this room:


Chinoiserie Chic


Less beachy and more formal use of bamboo furniture:


One Kings Lane

I hope your Bamboo Friday includes a touch of bamboo in your own home.

For The Birds and a Budget DIY

Audubon prints are everywhere. 

They are even being billed as a popular new "trend" on some of the trendiest blogs.

I grew up with Audubon prints so I find them neither new or trendy but classic, timeless and, to me, part of Southern decorating. Always.

But it is fun to see my favorite Audubon prints being used on favorite blogs and sites.

#itsthelittlethings

I'm obviously partial to the shore and tropical birds.

I have the Flamingo in my downstairs powder room. 
I've changed things around in there over the years but the big, pink bird stays!

The most recent change in the Powder Room was to paint the mirror and cabinet to match each other and in a fabulous, rich pink. 

SW Grenadine.

It changed the whole room!

The image below was on a favorite blog, Chinoiserie Chic,

 but it is actually in the home of Junell at Seekers Bazaar.

I have the American White Pelican in my Library.

It's a One Room Challenge from a couple of years ago. 

Everything in there is black - the walls, trim, bookcases- and he's the perfect moody guy to watch over things.

Here is Mr. Pelican in a post from a great blog, Forever Cottage.



Designer Holly Mathis uses BIG Audubon bird prints like nobody's business!

(That room plus such a cute pooch!)

And just recently, I redid my Entryway and a favorite Audubon print found its way in!

(Sorry for the reflections in all the pictures. The photo shoot trick is to take the glass out. I'm happy I got it framed the first time so that wasn't in my plans.)

I have always loved this pink bird too. 

This one was a DIY and under $25.00!
Yes, big and gorgeous and under $25.00.
Keep reading!


Audubon prints can be expensive but if you want the look without needing the print to be old or rare then this DIY is for you. 
I first found out from the Painted Hive blog about free high resolution downloads from the Audubon Society.
The Roseate Spoonbill in my entryway is 20x30 and  cost less than $15.00 to print on matte photo paper. I spray painted an IKEA frame gold that cost about $10.00.
I sent the image to Walgreen's photo center, added a coupon code for 40% off (they run online coupons constantly!) and picked it up an hour later. 
I popped it in the frame and it was ready to go!

I'll definitely be doing this again!!
#itsthelittlethings