Suzy's House Party #7 - Link Up!

You might remember that last week I shared this little chevron table and asked for tips on how to get nice crisp lines when painting. 

You readers are the BEST!  I got some great tips.  Flour Blossoms shared the cutest striped laundry room and this tip: tape off your stripes, then take your base color (white, in the case of the table above) and paint right back over the edges of your tape. This way, your base color does all the bleeding through the tape and essentially seals the edges of the tape.  Genius and so easy!

My bloggy friend Vicky from http://decorharmony4290.blogspot.com/2011/08/shes-so-pretty.html from shared this tutorial on painting chevron that she found over at Elizabeth & Co.  Go check it out.

Now, on to the features from last week's party.  I think this was the best party yet and it was so hard to choose just a few favorites. 

First up, is the Red Devil from Life We Live 4.  The detail is amazing and I like her bold color choice.

I also liked this midcentury piece that Vicky did.  It's a little hard to see from the picture, but it has kind of a metallic finish.  Check out how she used Rub 'n' Buff to get this unique look.

Party Time!



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•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...NOW START LINKING!!

Dream House: Jessamie from Bird and Branch Redesign

Hooray!  It's my favorite day of the week...dream home day!  And today I'm so happy to have Jessamie from Bird and Branch Redesign sharing her dream home.  Jessamie is always working on something creative.  She is mommy to an adorable daughter (who has the cutest nursery - you need to check it out), and she also sells restored furniture and vintage decor.

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Hey yall!  I'm so glad Suzy has started this series.  I mean, really, how fun is it to dream about a dream home?!  For me it's about taking all the different aspects of design and bringing them together in away that works for our family.  And since today is all about "dream" home, then I'll just work on a "dream" budget {although that phrase seems to contradict itself}.  And since I spend way to much time on Pinterest, this is going to be a breeze!

One thing I have always wanted {one day} is enough room to host our family and friends in a space that is always comfortable; nothing stuffy.  And everywhere you turn, there is another space to stop and relax.  That's part of what makes it home to me.

I'll start by saying I'm a true southern girl.  I have to have a wrap around porch.  This is not up for negotiation.

Source: eplans.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

Come on in to our rustic-chic home!

Source: housebeautiful.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

Then, you can walk on into our very open living room...

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Jessamie on Pinterest

or if you want something a little more cozy you can visit our lounge room instead...

Source: heirloomphilosophy.blogspot.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

but don't forget to join me in the kitchen for a snack.

Source: brynalexandra.blogspot.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

And when you're done, could you grab some dishes out of the butler's pantry...

Source: calliegrayson.blogspot.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

'Cause we're about to have a big family dinner in our casual dining room.

Source: google.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

And I know you're wondering where those french doors lead, but let me show you my bedroom first.

Source: housebeautiful.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

...and this is the closet...

Source: mydesignchic.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

...and then the master bath, too.

Source: bhg.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

Now you get to choose which bedroom you want...

Source: heirloomphilosophy.blogspot.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

or

Source: closet-shelf.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

...and here is your bathroom.

Source: housetweaking.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

Ok, ok, I'll show you what was waiting outside those french doors...it's our back porch...

Source: traditionalhome.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

that over looks our pool and outdoor party pad!

Source: bhg.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

And now that we're outside I might as well show you another place you could stay...

Source: nowthatsnifty.blogspot.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

Oh, and did I forget to mention that our property backs up to the lake, where we have a killer boat house?!

Source: wideopenspaces.squarespace.com via Jessamie on Pinterest

Wow...I didn't realize how awesome my future dream house really is!  Of course there is an awesome mudroom and playroom for the kid-o's but I won't go into all that.  Thanks for letting me take up a ridiculous amount of space on your blog today, Suzy!  This was a lot of fun!

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For any of your restoration or interior design needs, check out
www.birdandbranchredesign.com

Visit the Bird and Branch Shop for home decor and restored furniture.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/birdandbranchre

Favorite Things in My Town!

Hello! One of my favorite blogs, Centsational Girl, is having a link party called "Favorite Things in My Town."  So, I thought I'd create a little post for you on my favorite things in my little town. 

Most of my life has been spent in a big city, until I moved to my little town of 7,000 five years ago.  If nothing else, small towns have personality and quirks.  One of the quirkiest things about my town are its festivals.  Where else can you celebrate "Mike the Headless Chicken Festival?"  This festival celebrates a chicken that literally lived without a head for 18 months!

Source: roadsideamerica.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

We don't have shopping or dining, but we do have a statue commemorating Mike right on Main Street.

My town is also crazy about dinosaurs.  In 1900 the giant brontosaurus named "Sue" that is housed in the Field Museum in Chicago was found right here.  G-r-r-r-eta greets you as you enter town.  For some reason my kids have always called her "Big Chloe."

Source: examiner.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

We also have a yummy little diner called "Munchies," whose mascot is, of course, a dinosaur.

Source: examiner.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I love the trails around town.  We live right at the base of the Colorado National Monument.  Unlike the Washington Monument and other statue-type monuments, "the monument," as it's known locally, is a huge mesa - perfect for biking and hiking.

Source: en.wikipedia.org via Suzanne on Pinterest

Source: en.wikipedia.org via Suzanne on Pinterest

Source: americansouthwest.net via Suzanne on Pinterest

We also have world-class mountain biking.  I'm too much of a scaredy cat to be a mountain biker, but I love to run on the trails, most of which are on cliffs overlooking the Colorado River.

Source: 2pedal.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I hope you've enjoyed learning about a few of my favorite things in my quirky little town.  I would love to know more about your towns and cities too.  Link up your posts to Centsational Girl's party that starts on Wednesday August 31st.

Feeling Great in Eight

I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour conducted by Clever Girls on behalf of Dannon. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program but my opinions are my own.


For more information and recipe ideas, visit www.oikosyogurt.com or www.Facebook.com/oikos. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.


I hope you don't hate me for doing a sponsored post.  I promise I won't do a ton of these and when I do, I will include content that is interesting to me and I hope will be interesting to you.

Anyways,  I am participating in a challenge called "Feeling Great in Eight,"  which has nothing to do with yogurt or sponsorhip.  The point of the challenge is to live a healthier lifestyle and to feel better by doing so.  There are about 100 people participating and I am on a team with three of my friends.  Each person pays $5 to participate and there are prizes at the end.  Each week, I get points for doing healthy things, such as exercising, eating 5 fruits and/or vegetables, eating 10 healthy foods, drinking a certain amount of water, not eating after 8PM, etc.  I also get points taken away (LOTS of points in my case!) for eating "bad" foods. 

Each week we report our points to our team leader and all of the teams' scores are averaged.  It's fun and a good motivater to try to be healthier, especially since I am accountable to my team members.  I did this same challenge in the spring and lost 10 pounds.  More importantly, I really did feel "great."  I had so much more energy and felt happier.

Here's a pic of me running my last marathon with my baby running up to great me as I ran by.  I generally live a pretty healthy lifestyle.  I have always been a runner and have competed in marathons and half-marathons.  However, after I had my third child and approached my mid-thirties, I started to notice that as much as I exercised, I couldn't get back to my pre-baby weight.  I was also super-tired all of the time.  This is when I noticed that what I ate, particularly the large amounts of sugar I was consuming, had a HUGE impact on my body and how I felt.

Source: slide.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

As part of Feeling Great in Eight, we have to do different daily tasks to earn points.  One of the daily tasks was to try a new lowfat dairy item.  I decided to try Dannon Oikos yogurt.  I am squeamish about yogurt and very particular about texture and taste.  I like Greek yogurt because it is higher in protein than regular yogurt.  Protein keeps you full.  That means I'll be less likely to crave sugary snacks.  In fact, Dannon® Oikos® Plain and Fruit on the Bottom contains 0% fat, while the Dannon® Oikos® traditional blended varieties contains about 3% fat. Both are an excellent source of protein, twice that of most regular lowfat yogurts.

I really liked the taste and texture of Dannon Oikos.  And, because Dannon® Oikos® 0% varieties contain active yogurt cultures and range from 80 calories (Plain) to 130 calories (Fruit on the Bottom) per 5.3 oz. cup, it is a perfect lowfat and lowcal snack that I can eat as part of my Feeling Great in Eight diet.  I like to mix the yogurt with Kashi Go Lean cereal for breakfast and this kept me full all the way till lunch.

I encourage you to add Greek yogurt to your diet.  It is good for you and tastes great.  Eat this when you are craving something sweet and you won't have the sugar crash that comes from eating sugary snacks.
Also, if any of you are interested in participating in a Feeling Great in Eight challenge, I would be happy to email you the information.


I have partnered with Dannon to help promote the Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt Series. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program, which includes writing about the promotion and product. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

Purchasing Power

I have been thinking about these metal barstools for the island in my kitchen.

Source: homedecorators.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

They can be found at the Home Decorator's Collection.  (Has anyone else noticed that Home Decorator's has had some really cute things lately?  I hadn't seen the catalog in a few years and I was really impressed).  They would replace the clunky wood ones that I now have.

However, I have been thinking about money and how I spend it a lot lately.  This all stems from an email my husband got several weeks ago from his employer instructing him to stay home on a certain day and wait to receive a phone call telling him if he would be laid off or would keep his job.

Waiting for that phone call was sooooo stressful.  In the time leading up to the big call, I had a million thoughts going through my head.  Would I have to get a "real" job?  Would we have to move?  Could the kids continue to attend all of the activities they enjoy? Etc., etc.

Thankfully, he kept his job.  But this made me realize that his income is not stable and could be taken away almost immediately.  Sometimes decorating can be expensive and purchases can be frivolous.  I want to concentrate on living with what I have and adding small things (hello Craigslist!) that I can makeover myself and that are meaningful to my family and me.

So, as much as I love them, I probably will not be purchasing those bar stools.  Darn!  I can already tell that frugal living is not going to be easy!!!

Anyone have any frugal living tips? 

Suzy's House Party Thursday #6 - Link Up!

I have been so impressed with my guest posters and their dream homes.  It's so fun to dream!

As you know, I've been on vacation and busy, busy, busy with back-to-school and my real job.  I did have time to get a tiny, but cute little project done.  This might be my last piece of furniture for a week or so because work is crazy!

I started off with a little ugly brown telephone-table thing.  Bad blogger forgot to take before pics.  Anyways, I started off priming the whole thing and painting it white.  Then I taped a chevron pattern on top.

Once the chevron pattern was on, I rolled some "oops" pink paint over the top.  I was so excited to peel the table off to see the pattern that I could hardly wait for the paint to dry.  Ugh, I pulled the tape off and my lines weren't as crisp as I would have liked.  No problem...I just did some sanding and touched it up.  Does anyone have any tips on how to get nice, crisp lines using tape?

Here's the final reveal.  I think this would be cute as a little bedside table or as a table to put beside a rocker in a baby girl's nursery. 

You can't get away without seeing some back-to-school pics.  K started 4th grade (gulp!), C is in first grade, and baby M is in preschool two half-days per week.



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Let's party:

•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...NOW START LINKING!!





Linking up to some of these great sites:
Today's Creative Blog, Sugar Bee Crafts, Not Just a Housewife, Reasons to Skip the Housework, Bella Before and After, Primitive and Proper, Home Stories of A to Z, Savvy Southern Style, DIY by Design, Tip Junkie, Type A Decorating, http://sistersstuff.blogspot.com/, The Thrifty Home, Domestically Speaking, Primp,
A Diamond in the Stuff, Restore Interiors, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Somewhat Simple, Beyond the Picket Fence, Fireflies and Jellybeans,My Simple Home Life,
Addicted 2 Decorating, Just a Girl, Remodelaholic, Miss Mustard Seed, Finding Fabulous, Tatertots and Jello, Under the Table and Dreaming, Thrifty Decor Chick, Coastal Charm, Junker Newbie

Dream House: Oksana from Order Matters

Today I'm excited to share Oksana's dream house with you.  Oksana's blog is called Order Matters.  She is a busy mother of three small children, as am I.  I love her blog because she has great tips on how to bring order to all areas of your life.  This week she has had some great posts on back-to-school issues, including packing the dreaded (to me, at least) lunch.  She also designs beautiful and organized spaces.  Go visit Order Matters and say "hi" to Oksana.

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Thank you so much for hosting me today on your blog, Suzy! This is such a fun feature, I am delighted to share some of my dreams.

This post is truly just a guilty pleasure because I am so blessed to have a home and, most importantly, a loving family with whom to share it. It is fun to imagine having more space, more customization, or impeccable decor.

This pale-yellow shingle-style home with black shutters and fun roof lines grabbed my attention some time ago. It is traditional, but not stuffy. It would be quite cozy inside.



The kitchen is and always will be the centre of my home. So, it would be spacious and well lit. It would have an island (never ever had one!) and plentiful storage. I would love a breakfast nook in a light-filled space like this kitchen:

We entertain a lot. It would be nice to have a large dining room with enough seating for everyone in our extended family. Don't you love these chairs?

 

And to help with all the entertianing, one needs a butler's kitchen, right?! :) What would it be like to have a room like this? All this extra storage space for china, crystal, silver, and linens.

Wouldn't it be amazing to have a home theatre? Movie night, anyone?



Perhaps, a little pool in the back of the house. I can see some kids' birthday parties here and smell the BBQ.

A cozy living room, welcoming to all:



It would be nice to have an office to myself, a place where I can quietly do my work.

I adore Sarah Richardson's design work. Since I am dreaming, it might as well be Sarah decorating my master bedroom.



And the master bathroom while we are at it.

Given my obsession with organization and closets, I can't help but include a dreamy walk-in closet. I am totally swooning over these scalloped light fixtures.

I am dreaming of a very special laundry room! Like this one. Holy moly! It makes me smile.

And maybe a little craft room. Imagine the possibilities: my kids and I doing a project or wrapping holiday gifts here.

My kids don't have a playroom. I think they could put this space to good use with some friends:



And again, the organized one in me craves a proper mudroom. It would have dedicated cubbies and hooks for the kids and their gear. And plenty of additional storage.

Who wouldn't like an outdoor room with a fireplace?

My dream house would have a beautiful garden. Something from the pages of Martha Stewart Living.

Thanks for coming on the dreaming journey with me. It has been loads of fun.

For organizing tips and inspiration, visit Order Matters and LIKE us on Facebook.