Stand By Your Favorites

Moving away from my first home to pursue my husband’s education was a welcomed but difficult change. We parted with most of our furniture and belongings to simplify, but I couldn’t rid myself of my old friend: my antique chair with a built-in stool. While many other things went to the wayside, I clung to this chair and am glad I did. Items that don’t always make sense but carry personal meaning will make your place feel like a home. This particular piece’s true calling at the moment (…true callings always change at my house, because things often get moved around according to my mood…) is to house our phone, key basket and a wedding photo.

About six months after purchasing this chair at a flea market, I found a very similar, yet much shinier version at Target for $45.00. This can only tell me one thing: I had an eye for a good product (because I believe Target has good products). So keep your favorites! You don’t have to decorate for anyone but yourself!

Leave Color to the Professionals


Where I definitely find copying an ENTIRE Pottery Barn catalog spread a total cop-out (give yourself more credit! You are creative!), they are genius with color. AND they’ve teamed up with another great color expert: Benjamin Moore. Check out the Pottery Barn website and take direction from their new collection of color families. Not only does Benjamin Moore have GREAT color selection (you almost can’t go wrong) they have great coverage. Many of their paints require only one coat! And remember – it’s just paint – so try something NEW!

The New Pom-Pom


I recently made these Martha Stewart tissue-paper pom-poms for a wedding. Between the tissue paper, fishing line to hang and floral wire to assemble, these pom-poms ran about fifty cents each. While they looked beautiful hung from a gazebo dedicated to the wedding cake, why can’t we use them for every-day decorating? At such a great price, making a dozen in similar colors and differing sizes would be fun over the dining table, hung above a baby crib, or in the corner in a bedroom. For the original directions see martha.