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

Pagoda Pillow

I love a good Pagoda Pillow.

I found this one by Society Social when working on my last One Room Challenge.
It  is perfection.
I love it.

It is $96.00.
I'm sure it's fabulously worth it but not in my budget.


I found this pillow cover on Etsy for about half the price of the one from Society Social.
I love this fabric.

PopOColor on Etsy

TrendyNest on Etsy
 You know we are fans of Neo Toile around here.

And @wheatonwhaleydesigns has quite a few good pagoda pillow options.

I used this fabric (below) on a lampshade in my Black Library ORC!

But that first Pink Pagoda pillow had my heart.
So, I decided to try and make my own reasonable facsimile.
#morecreativitythancash

I had this pillow cover from IKEA.
And more of the Sherwin Williams Ruby Shade paint that I used for my IKEA curtains.
I explain the hand stamping method for the curtains here.

So, I just took a paintbrush and painted a pagoda on my pillow cover. 
And I stamped the same design as the curtains on the back. 
That makes it reversible!

It's not as refined and elegant as the Society Social version
 but I think it adds a lot to the pillow mix on the daybed.
I'm ready to paint a blue one now!
I just have to find a spot for it first.

It was quick and fun - try painting a pillow!

National Thrift Shop Day!

I saw on Instagram earlier that it is #nationalthriftshop day.

That's a holiday I can get behind!

So in honor of the day I decided to post about one of my "newest" vintage finds.

 My husband actually found this wicker couch. 

In perfect condition.

 For $45.00

He sent me a picture and I loved it and then I said don't get it.

 I really didn't have a spot for it. It's big and solid and heavy.

 The cushions needed to be recovered. 

You can't keep buying fabulous vintage wicker if you don't have a place for it - said no one ever. 

But I did. And then I was sorry all night!! I won't do it again. 

#pinkypromise

I told him I made a mistake but it wasn't meant to be because I'm sure its gone. 

Trying to be philosophical and self - soothe. 

(Didn't really help but I was trying to be an adult about it.)

But he went back the next morning, it was there and he got an over 50 discount so- tada!! 

It was mine for under $40.00!!!!!!

Then last week before we had a large group over I decide to stay up half the night 

and make some slipcovers for the cushions 

which were in good shape foam-wise but the fabric covers were not good at all.

Here's a pic taken at 11 p.m. as I was getting started. 

Porch light is all the light to be had for the photo op!

So it was late, last minute and, oh yeah, I don't sew.

I'm a sewing faker. 

#truestory

#confession

However, we have the internet and I found this amazing tutorial and I followed it.

I used a drop cloth from Sherwin Williams that I had on hand - cause, you know, midnight.

I couldn't believe how amazing the tutorial was.

 It was quick

 ( I still have to go back and finish the handstitching on the back. A few still have "temporary" safety pins. It was midnight on Thursday before we had forty people for dinner on Saturday, so... pins) and I think they look amazing.

And worked a lot better for me than the $45.00 plus fabric quote I got per cushion when I started pricing "real slipcovers!" 

And then since I was in a major time crunch I decided to pull down my "stash" and make envelope covers for some IKEA pillow forms I had on hand!

#thisishowiroll

This vintage beauty is big - stretch out and nap big. 

Don't worry- I sprayed the cushions with wrinkle relaxer before everyone came over. :)

#thisishowiroll

Thank you Thrift Shops for existing!!

I'm glad you got your day!!

PS. Can you spy Biscuit in a couple of pics??

He is our porch dog. He loves it out there!!

Reveal: Black Is Back Library One Room Challenge!

I'm late posting and super impressed with the 150+ bloggers who posted bright and early on "reveal day."

I hope you like the quote above and I hope you agree that while the post is late,

The Black Is Back Library did not arrive "ugly!!"

At least we don't think so.

We are #obsessed.

Some things changed, some got dropped, some evolved,

but let's face it, at my house everything is a work in progress... including me!

Enough with the chatting.

Here goes photo overload.
(and this room was tough to photograph - it doesn't get much sunlight and it was pouring rain when I finally got it together to take some pics. 
Oh well, #cozy )

The walls were already black (and it was a Dining Room in it's previous life.)
They have been black for over 10 years. In a house with white walls everywhere else!
But I painted the trim, including window trim,
 the same glossy Sherwin Williams Tricorn black.
#gamechanger

Everything is black including the bookshelves.



The view into the Library from the front door!

There was a plan for a certain art project to hang above the family heirloom desk.
 It didn't happen yet so the big gold frame is going to hang there for a while until art happens.
 It's kind of like the unfinished portrait of George Washington except way less impressive.

Well, the unfinished part is the same :)

We had the books but pretty much everything else was thrifted!! I know, right?

We painted the existing chandelier a fabulous Rustoleum pinky-coral and updated it with round bulbs.

The zebra rug from the original plan was awesome but Mollie and I found this rug a few days ago and she said, "Get it now. It's perfect for the room!!"

 I did not know that the coffee table or the bamboo bench would end up in this room until one week ago today. They just worked and both were currently homeless and needing new spots in the house. Who knew?
#usewhatyouhave

And a little teaser of how cozy it will be to read a good book in front of the fire 

when Winter rolls around again!

 These bookcases are meant to house our books but they also work as my command center to handle all the details and mounds of paper that are part of everyday life. The bamboo office organizer and baskets were bought at thrift and consignment shops to hold all of our "stuff" in an attractive way.
So our shelves aren't just for books or shelfies - they are hard workers.

This chairs' seat fabric was inspired by the "palm leaf trend"
(I'm  always about palm leaf fabric trend or not!) all over One Kings Lane  right now. 
And by the fact that I already had it and have dragged it out for 2 previous ORC's. #usewhatyouhave

The curtains are a Bermuda Triangle type event where bad math done while rushing through a store, IKEA curtains that shrunk unevenly and blue ikat fabric that I already had intersected. Even though the bottoms were supposed to be the coral buffalo check I am very pleased with the post- Bermuda Triangle curtain disaster :)
#usewhatyouhave

I knew I wanted to cram the mantel full of blue and white but since each chair needed good reading light I knew a lamp would have to perch on the mantel as well. It is "camouflaged" with a new chinoiserie shade in blue and white!
#tricky

The chinoiserie pillows are made from fabric that I fell for at a local warehouse.

I wish the pictures really did this glossy black library justice but we love it and can't wait to use it on a regular basis. 
If anyone is interested in sources I'll be happy to post them soon. 
Whew!!!! This ORC is finally finished!

Thank you Linda for such a fun "challenge!!!"

ORC Post 4.0 - Library Progress and New Favorites!!!

This week I am still painting away in the "Black is Back Library."
(I spent the weekend in the yard on Saturday - so.much.mulch.
 and Sunday at the Braves game with my youth group. )
I love it but I am ready to wash the brush and be finished painting.

The mirror is now gold and rather fabulous. Check that off the list :)

I have made a decision about window treatments 
and will be giving an inexpensive pair of IKEA curtains some major love.
 Fingers crossed the trim idea I have works out. Like it's available and on sale :)
And then there's the part where I will be using my limited sewing skills.
 Like I said, "Fingers Crossed!"

Since I am spending hours in the room we call the Library and haven't cracked a book I thought I would share this:
Interesting article about bookshelf style from House Beautiful 
and how it reflects your personality.
 Sometimes I think it's less about my personality and more about my crazy schedule that dictates the state of my home :)   Or it maybe it is all about my crazy :))))

Lampshade size is hard y'all. And yes, those cushions are still awful.

Sorry about the grainy iPhone pics but somewhere under all that plastic dropcloth action and stacked furniture is the SD card for my camera*

(*Please refer to the above comment about my crazy!!! )

In addition to redoing or at least improving a room in your home during the 5 weeks/6 posts of the  One Room Challenge there is another long lasting bonus!

You get to see what 20 designers and a gazillion guest bloggers are doing.

 The ideas are great and there is a period of camaraderie. 

And for me I usually discover a new blog or IG feed that I want to follow.

 This year I have been reunited with a blog I had forgotten about and am now obsessed with and that is Anne Tollet's Hanover Avenue. 

(one of Anne's rooms!)
She is a hoot and those videos are fantastic.

And I have thoroughly stalked Amanda Louise Interior's new blog and IG feed.

 I love her style and her witty posts. (She's adorable, too!)
And she loves her pooch as much as I love my two!!
 She can't get enough on that feed fast enough to suit me.

When I find new blogs or feeds I go back to the beginning and read them like a book.
 I haven't done that in a while but these two are fabulous.

If Amanda Louise was on Hanover Avenue it would be everything!!

They are colorful and original and so refreshing
 after so many homogeneous rooms on Pinterest.
 I loved this article by Lesli DeVito on that subject
 (There's another blog I read from start to finish 
and now Lesli's new adventure is about to begin. I'll be following along!)

Wish me an incredibly productive week, please!!!
Tick, tock on the ORC clock!!

One Room Challenge Inspiration!! (Spring 2016 Edition!) Post 1.5

This is sort of "part 2" of Post 1.*
*Hoping to pull it together soon :)


My focus is on keeping our black walls

 and updating our "Library*."

*Not trying to go all snooty and Downton Abbey on you, as in "Shall we have drinks in the Library before dinner, darling?" but trying to corral all of our books in a way that looks good and add some function and use to a room that got used once a year for years on end when it was the Dining Room!!

And actually other than Christmas week it wasn't the Dining Room it was the "piling stuff on the never used dining table" room.

Below is what it looked like last November/December while we were in the process of moving Mollie the graduate out of her college apartment.
(And some of that still has to be moved, purged, or stored 3 months later!
Oh, to begin with an empty room someday!))
OY!!

Anyway, on to my ORC inspiration pics.

This room isn't black but it is to die for.

There is black and white stripe involved so that is a winner in my book.

The bookshelves are fabulous and the furniture is bamboo.

All kinds of perfect in one room.

Our room is more modest in size so that amount of furniture is not going to happen.

But I love that room.

I like the idea of lights above the bookcase and maybe a bit of construction to create a more "built-in" look and a home for the wiring for the lights... not sure...

And the shelves below are white. I'm not sure if I'm going white and crisp for shelves or black and dramatic. 

Right now we have 50/50 in there. 

#somecohesionplease

I like the swing arm lamps here but our room is a major traffic area and

 we would be whacking into anything that low.

 What a great bedroom, though

And what about this room???

Or this one!!!

Not Elle Decor worthy but we have some of the same elements going on in our room as the room above. Chandelier with black shades, black walls, black bookcases and dark furniture... hmmm..

The lights in this room come out from the wall.

 I like the look and this could probably be pulled off with an IKEA hack.

 It gives a bit of edginess to the classic bookshelf light idea. 

And then there is the whole debate on styling the shelves so perfectly or just shoving those books on there in a brilliant, well-read professor lives here kind of look. 

( I mean, if it makes it on Lonny who am I to call it untidy??)

And I'm thinking about cramming the mantel full of blue and white.

And  there's seating and the floor to think about too.
( We have the dog covered though!!)

And don't I wish I needed a library ladder!!

But first, where do I put tons of books 

for the next 5 weeks???

Follow along on Instagram for the latest.

All images are from my Pinterest Boards Addiction!