Chloe's Zebra Sleep Over Birthday Party

My sweet daughter Chloe is turning seven this week, so we had a zebra-themed slumber party to celebrate.  Here are some photos to commemorate the event.

Chloe raced  home from school and changed into this zebra outfit to match the decor.  I wish I had some of her style and fashion sense!

 I made my first cake using fondant.  It was made from a marshmallow and powdered sugar mixture that was very easy to work with.  If you have been scared to try fondant, you should try it.  It's surprisingly easy!

The girls got to choose their own toppings to put on the pizza.  In the morning, they had smiley face pancakes with scrambled eggs for hair.

I made little "raquets" out of paper plates and craft sticks that the girls used to bat balloons around to each other.  We also decorated pillowcases and did freeze dancing in the dark with glow sticks.  The girls also just had fun playing their own silly games...until 1 AM!

Happy Birthday Chloe!

We love you.

Linked here:
http://www.serenitynowblog.com/

Suzy's House Party #27 - Link Up!

It's Thursday and that means it's time for another party!  I had a lot of great links last week and some new blogs.  It's always fun for me to discover new blogs.  I apologize that I was not able to comment on all of the links.  I'm still having commenting issues. 

The first feature is from a new-to-me blog called Make/Do.  If you haven't been to this blog, I suggest you hop over there.  Lots of great photos and projects.  Check out this beautiful dresser that she sanded down and restored.   The faceting on the drawers is so unique.  As you know, I usually make and feature painted furniture, but sometimes a piece looks best in its natural state.  This would be one of those times.

Clicking on the link to Make/Do will bring you directly to her blog.  Just scroll down a few posts and you will find the dresser.  My computer is having issues with Blogger.

Dumped and Discovered is another new-to-me blog.  Check out this beautiful china cabinet she saved from outside of a thrift store.  The pop of blue is so pretty.

Here's a great way to repurpose an old and unwanted piece of furniture...turn it into a play kitchen.  Remodelaholic did just that and then some.  She used an old cabinet and built more kitchen space to add to it.  This is so much more fun than the flimsy plastic play kitchens at Walmart.

<div align="center"><a href="http://savedbysuzy.blogspot.com" title="Saved by Suzy"><img src="http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/Savedbysuzypartyblogbuttonchevron-1.png" alt="Saved by Suzy" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

•Link up your home decor project. Pretty much anything to do with you house is fine.

•Please provide a link back to my blog. A text link is fine, or feel free to grab my "Saved by Suzy" party button from the sidebar. The more people that know about the party and participate the better for all of us.

•Be sure to share the love and leave comments for others.

•That's it.

The One Room Challenge: Week One: COLOR

I have something really exciting to share today!  A group of bloggers, including me, are participating in a challenge to redo a room in six weeks.  We are calling this the "One Room Challenge."

 For six weeks, starting today, we will post progress on our rooms every Wednesday.  Hopefully, we will all have "reveals" of our room transformations on the sixth Wednesday.  I hope you'll follow me and the other super-talented ladies as we each makeover one room.  Some of the participants are professional designers doing rooms for clients, while others are DIY'ers like me.

I immediately knew that I wanted to do my daughter, Mary's, room.  She is transitioning from a nursery and crib to a "big-girl" room.  Like all of my makeovers, I will be trying to do this one on a tight budget.  This means I'll repurpose things that I already own as well as craft some new things.  Of course, I will have to make some purchases too.

Over Christmas we removed Mary's crib and purchased a twin bed.  Here are some before pictures. 

Right now it's a mishmash of stuff, with LOTS of toys.  Poor girl doesn't even have bedding!  (Actually, Mary doesn't mind at all.  I think it only bothers her mother!)

We all know that Tangerine Tango is the color of the year.  Mary is a strong-willed little firecracker.  So, the bright, fun hue of orange is perfect for her.  A room of dreamy pastels is definitely NOT her style.

Another project I've been wanting to try is upholstering a headboard.  This image from Lonny has been a favorite of mine for some time.

Source: caitlincreer.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I also like designer Caitlin Creer's interpretation of this room.

Source: caitlincreer.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Pale pink walls and some sort of orange upholstered headboard are my starting points.  So, this week I took all of the junk out of her room and painted it Martha Stewart's Ballet Slipper.

Good riddance brown!
Be sure to come back next week to see what else is going on in Mary's room for the One Room Challenge!

I'm loving an orange and pink palette right now.  So, before I go, I wanted to share a few more pictures with you.

Source: decorpad.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Isn't that seating area over to the right so cute?  I bet you could make something like that out of an old crib mattress.

Source: blogs.babble.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I think the detail on the roman shade is my favorite thing in this room.

Source: this-is-glamorous.tumblr.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Hmmm, might be time to paint some furniture orange?!?!

Here are links to other bloggers participating in the challenge.  Stop by and see what they are up to as well.  It should be fun watching the rooms take shape!
Dutch.British.Love
Trapped in North Jersey
Nicole Scott Designs
Kim Macumber Interiors
Rue de Emily
The Pink Pagoda
refresheddesigns
Nana Moon Shop
Taylor Morgan Design
Insideways
My Crafty Home Life
House Four
Living Savvy
(A Lifestyle Thing)

DIY Ombre Art

I  had a little "free time" this afternoon.  Instead of doing something useful and productive (like organizing), I decided to create a little ombre artwork in my new favorite color palette, orange and pink.

I recently saw this piece on Pinterest that I really liked and thought I could create something similar.

Source: joeandcheryl.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I used acrylic craft paints and I started by painting the entire background a light pink.  I wanted a more watercolor-ish background, so I added water to the pink paint and then brushed it on heavier at the bottom and lighter at the top of the canvas.

Next, I grabbed some orange paint and painted a few rows of V's along the bottom.   I added some white paint to the orange every few rows to lighten the color as I went up the canvas. 

This was so easy!  It probably took half-an-hour at most.

I like how the V's ended up looking like hearts, perfect for my 3-year old's room.  If you look closely, you might even get a sneak peak on a few other projects I've been working on in her room.  More on that tomorrow....

What's Going On?

I am still sans computer as I wait for a new power cord to arrive from China.  Fortunately, my darling children are kindly letting me use their computer for five minutes here and there (whenever I can pry their sticky fingers from the keyboard!).  Unfortunately, their computer is not letting me comment on blogs.  I can view your blogs in Google Reader, but when I try to click on an actual blog, the screen goes blank and the website never loads.  Grrrr...I love technology, but it can be so frustrating when things don't work like they should.

This semi-lack of technology has given me some extra time to tackle some of my decluttering tasks around the house.  I've decided to take part in this blog challenge.  The goal is to take on a project that seems impossible.  Getting decluttered and organized seems impossible to me right now!  I'm hoping that by January 31st, I will have some nice and tidy spaces to show you.

I spent a good amount of  time today in this lovely closet:

Between this closet and my daughters' rooms, I was able to gather seven huge garbage bags of stuff to take to the thrift store, as well as several bags that went straight into the trash.  I feel better all ready!  This task is starting to look a little less impossible.  The most difficult part of organizing and decluttering for me is getting started, and now I'm over that hump.  Stay tuned for some "after" pictures later this month.

I have a few other things going on this week.  Be sure to check back Wednesday.  I'm taking part in another challenge and I'll tell you all about it then.  I'm very excited about this challenge and I'll give you a little hint: it's much  more fun and exciting than organizing!

In other news, Chloe is turning seven and we're having her first big slumber party on Friday night (say a little prayer for me!).

Source: andbabiesmakefour.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I think that balloon number is so cute!

The girls will be making their own pizzas, decorating pillowcases, freeze dancing in the dark with glowsticks, manicures/pedicures, probably more dancing and watching movies.

We are having a pink/zebra theme.  I think these cookies would be perfect!

Source: dailynibbles.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Fingers crossed that my new power cord arrives soon!

Feature Friday: Lisa from Shine Your Light

I'm so happy to introduce today's guest, Lisa from Shine Your Light.  I've come to consider Lisa a friend over the past few months and I'm continually inspired by her projects.  Check out the transformation of her foyer and stairway.  The black and white is gorgeous and I'm dying over that board and batten.

BEFORE

AFTER

If you like to cook (or just drool over delicious recipes!), visit Lisa's weekly recipe link party, Mangia Mondays.  This busy lady is also hosting a new link party, a "Before and After" party.  Link up your before pictures on the first Friday of the month and your completed project on the final Friday of the month.  That's some great motivation to get things completed in a month!

I know a lot of us have made goals to get organized in 2012.  Lisa did just that when she turned an unused space in her home into a great mudroom, wrapping station, dog area, etc.  I'm happy to have Lisa sharing that space with us today!

********************

Hi there, I'm Lisa from Shine Your Light and I'm so glad to be visiting with you today over here at Suzy's!  I'm constantly inspired by Suzy's home improvement and decorating projects and I am particularly in love with her painted piano and the fun gallery wall over it!

In August of 2010 we moved to a house with a funky little utility room built into the garage.  The room was roughed out with built-in shelves and a utility sink, and all I saw when I first laid eyes on it was the potential for a mudroom.

My husband Mark and I have three kids and a very large and furry Saint Bernard, and I have to admit that I was giddy at the thought of having a place for all their belongings!  Mark, on the other hand, wanted to tear this quirky eyesore down and I had to convince him it would add value to our family life.

Since this is the primary entry for our family, the kids' friends, and the dog, the stairs take a lot of abuse as you can see.  A few coats of Kilz stain-blocking primer and resilient deck paint on the unfinished stairs and mudroom floor make these surfaces washable when the inevitable muddy paw prints appear!

I wanted this casual entry to be cheerful place to come home to.

At the top of the stairs I painted the door into the house {Benjamin Moore Fantasty Blue #716} and made a board to hold postcards we've received from family and friends all over the place.  

We also have a fridge up here that is great for popsicles and drinks for the kids in the summer and is a fun place for photos.  

Here's the mudroom in it's unfinished state.  Check out that sweet lighting source - a press-on thingamajig and clip-on light attached to the shelves!

While this space provided ample storage for recycling bins, the dogs' bowls and food, and especially all the gear that comes with a cold New England winter, I wanted it to feel more like a finished part of our home.  After I primed the drywall, plywood walls and shelving, added beadboard wallpaper, trimmed it all out and painted, my husband finally started to see the vision too.

Finally - a place for everything and everything in it's place (Ha!  That'll be the day!)

There are plenty of hooks for our kids' and their friends' jackets and snowpants, with room in the big baskets for sneakers and backpacks.

The pup even has his own little area.

In the middle of the mudroom makeover, I had to wrap a gift for one of my kids to take to a birthday part, and after pulling mangled wrapping paper out from the back of a closet, I suddenly had the inspiration to create a little wrapping station out here as well.  It takes up minimal space on the wall, and all the ribbon, tissue and cards that had been stuffed in drawers found a permanent home.

To give framed pictures of my kids an inexpensive and fresh new look, I recovered the existing mats with wrapping paper.  I also rounded up plastic containers around the house for storing supplies, and hung gift bags so I can see what I have on hand (and stop buying things we already have!)

This little utility room that Mark wanted to demo has turned into one of the most functional areas of our home.  While you may not have a quirky room like this in your house, I hope you are inspired to find some unique storage solutions that work for your family!

Thanks so much for having me, Suzy and have a great day, everyone! -Lisa

Suzy's House Party #26 - Link Up!

Sorry to get the party up a little later than usual.  I've had some computer issues involving a power cord and a puppy.

Fortunately, I can't stay mad at that cute face for long!

Here are the features from last week.

First, check out this amazing craft closet from Cassie at Primitive and Proper.  I think this closet is more beautiful and better organized thanmost rooms!  You definitely need to stop by her blog to see more pictures.  It will get you motivated to tackle those closets!

Aren't the owls adorable?

I'm always a sucker for a chair transformation.  I like the contrast on this wingback chair by Two Thirty-Five Designs.

Thank you to everyone who links to the party and visits the links!

<div align="center"><a href="http://savedbysuzy.blogspot.com" title="Saved by Suzy"><img src="http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/Savedbysuzypartyblogbuttonchevron-1.png" alt="Saved by Suzy" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

•Link up your home decor project. Pretty much anything to do with you house is fine.

•Please provide a link back to my blog. A text link is fine, or feel free to grab my "Saved by Suzy" party button from the sidebar. The more people that know about the party and participate the better for all of us.

•Be sure to share the love and leave comments for others.

•That's it.