MOAR MOOD BOARDS!

{Polyvore link with source list HERE}

 What's happening in the family room is different that I originally planned, but I'm loving it. Instead of doing a built in entertainment center, we ended up with a dresser in the little nook that's there. It's one I had in our garage from a yard sale last year.

It's not in the best shape, but it really grew on me and I'm just going to go with it.

{Link HERE}

 We needed a new comforter and we still don't have any rugs at all in our bedroom, so I decided to try and take that on this year, instead of finishing anything that's already in the works. (Seriously, what's my problem?) Anyway, I have pretty strong feelings (possibly inappropriate) for the exact quilt in the picture and was heartbroken when I saw Anthropologie didn't have that color in stock anymore. I had a brainwave earlier this week- ebay! I got a great deal and it'll be here soon, I hope.

{Link HERE}

The living room was left pretty blank after we got the lovesac downstairs (hallelujah) and sold our old entertainment center that was too big for the nook downstairs. I want that exact chaise lounge and those curtains, but I hope to find a buffet/dresser on Craig's List and possibly diy a display coffee table like that one.

This was cool

I saw this posted over at Young House Love (excellent blog, you should check it out) and I wanted to share. I love online quizzes like this. (At this point, I would like to point out that this quiz is not of those Facebook ones that are like, "Oh, based on the letters in your name, you're a totally beautiful, super fun, smart, sexy woman who likes to hang out with people you love!!" I hate those and I hate when anyone on my newsfeed takes one.)

So anyway, here's a link to the quiz. You pick the 5 images you like the best and it comes back with a quick little analysis. I took it several (read: a bunch) times and mostly got urban funk. It kind of sounds like a catch-all category, but I like it.

I'll be back later this week with something real! (There's at least an 80% chance of it, at least.)

Thanks for reading!

Big plans

I have a few things I want to make for gifts this Christmas.  The picture above is my plan for a play mat for the little one (from Santa).  I'm going to make it in four sections. 

The first section, the red oval, is going to just be a mirror (one of those child safe ones) propped up on a triangle pillow that will attach to the mat with velcro.  When I say "propped up" I actually mean permanently attached to the triangle pillow.  The reason it will be attached to the mat with velcro is so the mat can be washable.  I'll also put some fabric loops where I can attach toys with those rings you get at the store. 

The second section, with the blue rectangles, will be little flaps that cover pictures that I can remove.  I'm going to make some kind of pocket with clear vinyl so I can just slide them in and out.  This idea, to have pictures of family on the play mat, is pretty much what's driving me to finish it, because I'm pretty sure it'll be a big pain and I'll regret not just buying one.  I'll probably be clinging pretty hard to how cool it will be that the mat is customized with our pictures. 

The third section, the pink square, will be kind of a fabric touch book.  Burlap, fur, minky, fake leather, etc.  I'm not sure if it will be a book, I'll have to see what works.  Whatever happens, that quadrant will be about the sense of touch.

I'm unsure about the green circles right now.  It will be about the sense of sound.  A squeaker, a bell, crinkle flaps, more fabric loops to attach things that will make noise, etc. 

I'm putting the plans up now for a few reasons.  I'm just excited is a big one.  I also want to share with anybody who might be making something similar, and I want to give myself time to incorporate any advice that I might get.  So if you have any, all you have to do is click on "comments." 

ONE WEEK UNTIL THANKSGIVING!! WHAT?!  I wish luck to any of you that are making any of your gifts to give!

Someday...

Someday we will finish the basement, the lovesac will go downstairs, and I will build an imitation one of these for the living room:

(The Townsend Coffee Table from Pottery Barn)

And then I will fill it with geology stuff, like my old rock hammer (that was my dad's), cool minerals, my compass, and geologic maps.

It will be awesome.

Shed treasure

The shed at our house is super creepy- I always feel like there are spiders crawling all over me when I'm in there.  However, I was brave yesterday while I was cleaning out the garage, because I wanted to clear a lot of stuff out into the shed.  Then I ended cleaning a lot of stuff out of the shed.  There's some real potential for some of these, I think.  Look:

I'm going to throw the plastic top away, it just snaps on.  Then I'll attach a new tabletop and paint it an awesome color.

Chairs were a great find.  Patio furniture isn't a priority on the budget, but I would like to have people outside and not have to haul the kitchen chairs out.  I love the old folding kind, they remind me of the 4th of July at my Gramma Harper's house.  I plan on painting the dark green ones some sort of fun color, too.

This old drum is what inspired the rest of the hunt through the shed.  Here's a close-up of the lettering:

1 POT SMOKE FLOATING.  I have no idea.

This thing was so dusty (and full of creepy stuff)- I was delighted when I sprayed it off with the hose.

I made a smaller one of these that I found into a planter (pictured in the previous post), but these are big, wash basin size.  I figured out what to do with one, but I don't know about the other, even bigger one.  You know these?

Now I have my version:

Pardon the lawn.  I can't wait for the sprinkler system to be reinstalled in the front yard, so I won't have to haul a hose clear from the shed to water everything.  I'm also excited that I have such a great place to keep my hose out front now.
What should I do with the other shed finds?  Planters are my first thought, but I want to think through my other options before I just go ahead and punch holes in the bottom of everything.  Any ideas for the pot smoke drum, the wood box, or the even bigger wash basin?