Perk Up a Neutral Pallette

I don't know about your home, but the majority of homes that I've been in need to add a punch of color to that "beige" color scheme they've got going. Try some of these simple and easy ideas that will give you the most bang for your buck!


The Approach:


Even adding just small bursts of color―on lamps, pillows―to a more restrained decorating scheme will give it a whole new life.

Designer: Steven Sclaroff, owner of Steven Sclaroff, a home-furnishings shop in Manhattan

"Use a Range of Earthy ColorsFor an eclectic look that still feels composed, intermingle brown, beige, black, cream, and white. Sclaroff chose a sandy paint color, a fluffy white sheepskin rug, a beige upholstered sofa with a mahogany frame, black hexagonal end tables, blanc de Chine table lamps, and black-and-white checkered vases. He also hung some black-and-white photographs and created a grid of 12 framed note cards on the left-hand wall."

*Check out the full article from the link below for more tips & tricks!
from: RealSimple

{Tuesday Thoughts}

"A healthy body and soul come from an unencumbered mind and body."
―Ymber Delecto

This couldn't have come in my inbox at a better time. I have an appointment with my yoga mat at 8 o'clock tonight!

from: real simple

Makeover Monday: Insider tips, tricks & expert advice

Mixing the old with the new and the simple with the luxurious


To spice up a piece of existing furniture or to add a bit of drama to your digs try this trick:

"I draped a Mongolian lamb's wool throw over my lumpy old sofa and suddenly it was luxurious and exotic." -David Mann

from: http://www.housebeautiful.com/syndication/30-makeover-ideas-0209-MSN-synd

As I was reading my "daily news", I saw this coco + kelley image over at CreateGirl

She had the same idea! The luxe Mongolian lamb pillow - $80, the chair - Ikea

Sunday Fun-day!

I've been longing for a tropical getaway. I guess this will have to hold me over!

Mai Tai

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons light rum
• 2 tablespoons orange curaçao
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 dash orgeat
• 1 dash simple syrup
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• Mint, a pineapple slice, and a paper umbrella for garnish

Directions:

1. Fill an 8-oz. glass with ice. Pour in light rum, orange curaçao, orange juice, lime juice, orgeat, and simple syrup.
2. Drizzle dark rum on top. Garnish with mint, pineapple slice, and paper umbrella.

from: myrecipes

Fresh Find Friday!

Pretty, pretty, pretty...

It seems that I'm always attracted to items that organize. I think this is a chic alternative to the traditional bulletin boards that we are used to seeing.

from: PointClickHome
"Bulletin boards are crucial to get your desk space organized, but the typical plywood rectangle tends to be the antithesis of chic. We’ve done all the DIY tricks before—covering one in fabric, painting the frame—but sometimes, you just want a chic, stylish, well-made piece without the work. This lovely pin board from Pottery Barn is just that. It’s got a gorgeous wooden ivory frame, a cork base covered in simple flax linen, and a fabulous circular crest shape. At its original $129, it was a bit steep, but at just $40, here comes our office makeover!"

Eclectic Shaped Wooden Pinboard, $40 from $129; PotteryBarn.com

Shelf Contained

How great is this idea?



"Atlanta designer Jill VanTosh managed to re-purpose an underused closet in her client’s home into a recessed art gallery. Thick, richly stained mahogany shelves fill the six-by-three-foot nook, creating crisp lines on the light walls and a safe display area for colorful objects d’art."

Photographer: Colleen Duffley
from: http://www.pointclickhome.com/image/tid/5097?mag=PointClickHome&page=7&pause=1

Tomato

Yup, not feeling so good today... Very thankful to have my mom here to take care of me!

TOMATO TEA RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of V8 juice
• 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• hot sauce (the more the better!)

Directions:
Mix and heat in a pan or in the microwave. Sip slowly and re-warm as needed to get the full effects of the fumes. Let it sit in the back of your throat to bathe it. Suck the fumes through your sinuses and also down into your lungs. Its all natural and healthy, so drink as much of it as you want or need until you are SURE the infection is gone. This is past the time when you "feel better."
from: http://www.best-natural-health-supplements.com/sinus-infection-remedies.html


Some beautiful images reminding me of tomatoes...

flickr images from: xJavierx, kilgore, t burd, ccliang80

{Tuesday Thoughts}

"I've never let my school interfere with my education."

-Mark Twain

Flickr photo from: Daniel Hurst Photography

Makeover Monday: Insider Tips, Tricks & Expert Advice

Way too cute... now looking for some crates or boxes of some type to use in my bathroom! This is a great way to free up some bathroom closet space and create a darling little vignette!

"Old wooden crates make smart holders for extra toilet paper and rolled bath towels."

from: Real Simple

Sunday Fun-day!

Can't go wrong with this classic:
Vodka + Soda + splash of Cranberry

• Pour 2 oz of Vodka (your favorite) over ice in a highball glass.
• Fill almost to top of glass with club soda or flavored seltzer (preferably lime)
• Top off with a splash of cranberry juice (preferably Ocean Spray Cranraspberry)
• Garnish with lime wedge

flickr photo from: johnboy mitchell

Fresh Find Friday!

Faux Bois Flor

I saw this beautiful flooring on Divine Caroline's site this week and absolutely fell in love! I've been toying with the idea of laying carpet tiles in my living room, but just haven't found one that I really like or could see on my floor. This one might just be it!

You can find the carpet tile at Flor. They are $20.99/tile and come in 4 different colors. You like?

from: http://www.divinecaroline.com/channel/82657

Unexpected New Use for a Common Laundry Room Item

New Uses for Clothespins

• Hold that thought: Use a couple of pins to keep cookbooks open while you follow recipes.
• Track your towels: If you have houseguests, write their names (and yours) on separate clothespins, then attach each clothespin to the appropriate towel to avoid mix-ups when all the towels are hanging in one bathroom.
• Support your stems: Clothespins can support vines and climbing plants in the garden. Just make sure the stems pass through the holes in the pins.
• Make clips for displaying recipes and to-do lists: Glue a magnet to the back of a clothespin and stick it to the refrigerator or stove hood.
• Use as place-card holders: Or use them to keep napkins and plastic utensils together at a backyard barbecue. Spray-paint them bright colors for a fun, summery look.

from: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/new-uses-for-old-things/unexpected-new-uses-laundry-room-10000001204551/page4.html

The 100-square-foot dream home by Simpler Living

How cute are these?! For real, if you don't need a lot of space - this is the way to go! From the daily update of Jetson Green:

"Hot on the heels of our prior coverage of the Rainscreen Shed and the International Shed of the Year comes this solar-powered beauty, the Microhouse. According to Naomi Seldin of Simpler Living, the 100 square-foot tiny house is part of the Human = Landscape exhibit going on in City Hall Park in Burlington, Vermont. The Microhouse was built by Alex Carver and Christopher North of Northern Timbers Construction with the design help of landscape architect and metal artist H. Keith Wagner."

"The Microhouse is off-grid and small -- it's art with a statement about the possibilities for a green future. With the modular design, you could add additional 10'x10' modules to have the right amount of space for your situation (and nothing more). Plus, one module costs less than a small car."

"With the horizontal cladding, simple windows, and corrugate roof, I'd say this is the way to go if you're thinking about life using less than 100 square feet. And just wait until the exterior steel fully weathers: The Microhouse will turn heads."

from: http://www.jetsongreen.com/2009/09/solar-powered-green-microhouse.html

{Tuesday Thoughts}

"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk."

~Doug Larson~

from: http://www.realsimple.com/magazine-more/inside-website/daily-thought/wisdom-00000000008772/page2.html

Makeover Monday: Insider tips, tricks & expert advice

3 ways to transform your closet

before

after!

before

after!

before

after!

I'm thinking about doing something like this in our hall closet which, I realize after seeing these images, is not being used to its fullest potential! Do you have a closet that is begging for a makeover like one of these?

from: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/closets/closet-makeovers-00000000019683/index.html

Sunday Fun-day!

It was really great seeing you this weekend Jen! Thanks for introducing me to "Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea"!
Here are a few recipes from Jeremiah's website:

WEED & LEMONADE
Mix 1 1/2 oz. Jeremiah Weed SweetTea Flavored Vodka with lemonade over ice. Garnish with lemon.

WEED & WATER
Mix 1 1/2 oz. Jeremiah WeedSweet Tea Flavored Vodka withwater over ice. Garnish with lemon.

PEACH WEED AND LEMONADE
Mix 1 1/2 oz Jeremiah Weed CountryPeach Sweet Tea Flavored Vodka withlemonade. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

~ E N J O Y ~

Fresh Find Friday!

Very cool. I love this idea! What a great way to use that frame that may be tucked away in your drawer or closet.

• Original purpose: Displaying your favorite Garry Winogrand print.
• Aha! use: Serving cocktails. Place a double of your favorite photo (so as not to ruin the original in case of condensation) under the glass and set out the drinks.
• Reward: A picture-perfect evening.
  

from: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/decorate-on-cheap-with-everyday-items-10000001116708/page2.html

Do you cook?

“I always cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food."  - W.C. Fields

Ummm, yes I WOULD like this in my kitchen!

When I first saw this last month in Elle Decor, it was love at first sight! I love the industrial and simple look of it and I love how easy clean up would be! And just look at all the storage underneath. I'm in love.

"The Iron/Occasions island by Kohler features an enameled-cast-iron countertop with a built-in trough sink. Shown in basalt, the top measures 63" l. x 39" d. and is available alone ($1,530) or with a stainless-steel base ($3,250). Call 800-4-KOHLER; kohler.com."

from: http://www.pointclickhome.com/image/tid/4952?mag=PointClickHome&page=3&pause=1

Ultimate Modern Bedrooms

Are you tired of that "matchy-matchy" bedroom set that you've had for the past decade or two? Go for something a little out of the ordinary. Here are some ideas & inspiration for your next bedroom makeover:

My personal favorite:

My other fav... it's all working - the bed, the chairs, the wall coverings, the lighting...delicious!

from: http://www.pointclickhome.com/decoration_inspiration/articles/met_home_s_ultimate_modern_bedrooms

"True friendship is like sound health, the value of it is seldom known until it be lost."
~Charles Caleb Colton~

from: http://www.realsimple.com/magazine-more/inside-website/daily-thought/friendship-00000000008844/index.html

Sunday Fun-day!

For those of you who love the sangria...

Sake Sangria Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (750 ml) bottle sake
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, halved lengthwise, then cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces (use the entire stalk)
• ½ lemon, thinly sliced 1 small tangerine or orange, thinly sliced
• 1 large plum or apricot, pitted and cut into thin wedges (optional, if not in season)

Directions
In a large pitcher, combine all the ingredients and stir with a spoon, crushing some of the fruit. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 2 days, to let the flavors marry before serving.

Serve over ice, including some of the fruit in each serving. Makes about 4 cups (6 to 8 servings).

from: http://www.pointclickhome.com/recipes/articles/sake_sangria_recipe

Fresh Find Friday!

Sprinkler Hide-a-Key from: thinkgeek.com
Hide your keys by pushing them into the ground!How clever! Instead of leaving the key under the mat, here is a safer way to leave your key for your guests while you're out. You can order them for only $5.99 each!

"Rather than the old standard under-the-doormat or inside a plastic rock, this fake in ground sprinkler head offers a good place to put a set of spare keys or maybe an emergency USB flash drive. It looks like a regular sprinkler head and the tough water-tight plastic case holds multiple keys."

• Looks like a regular sprinkler head
• Tough water-tight plastic case holds multiple keys
• Screw cap
• Dimensions: 3.5" x 1.3" dia. (8.9 x 3.3cm)
  

You can never go wrong with white!

Ok, ok, ok... I know, I wrote about a beautiful white room last week, but I couldn't help it. Just look at these, they are gorgeous!

My favs are these first five. Especially this bedroom above. I LOVE the headboard. Although, it may be a little wild for my master bedroom, it would look stunning in my guest room. Looks like a great weekend project!

from: Met Home's Best White Rooms; http://www.pointclickhome.com/image/tid/5058?mag=PointClickHome&page=0&pause=1