Estate Sale Finds and Link Party Reminder

On Friday morning a friend texted me about an estate sale she saw in our area.  I hurried over and this is what I saw:

It was a little overwhelming, in a good way!  It looked like nothing had been thrown away in decades.  There were half-empty jars of Vaseline that looked like they were from the fifties.  There were numerous (at least 50!) complete sets of china and glassware galore.  Those sticks in the front of the picture above are all fishing rods.

There was so much stuff that it was piled on open trailers.  The lady hosting the sale said that they had to much more that they would be continuing to bring stuff out for at least two more weeks!

I got a couple of small things.

These plates would be fun for a tea party or to serve dessert.

Big K picked out this rocking chair.

I've been looking for a little table for my entryway.  As you know, I usually paint most of my furniture, but I kind of like this dark wood "as is."  The brass cranes were from the sale too.

I got a couple of mirrors.

This bookcase was only $3.  I'm thinking about painting it and putting it in one of the kid's rooms or maybe selling it.  All of this, including some books and another mirror came to $50!  I might have to see what they have next weekend.

Speaking of selling, I finished my first piece of furniture since last September.  As soon as I put it on Craigslist, it sold!  I'll show you some pictures later this week.

Did you get lucky finding any treasures at yard sales over the weekend?

Don't forget, tomorrow is the big linky party/blog hop for the end of the Color My World Challenge.  Link up a post showing how you incorporated a new color into your home.  Your post will show up on all of the Color My World participant's blogs and each one of us will be picking a few features.  Link up and YOU could be featured!!!

Guest Posting at the Blooming Hydrangea

You can find me hanging out with my friend Ange at the Blooming Hydrangea today.  Stop by and say "hi" if you have a chance.

Do you have anything exciting in store for the weekend?

This crazy beast is getting her first haircut today.  I think we are going to have her shaved.  I will kind of miss her puppy shagginess, but she's already so hot that I know she will enjoy having a nice short coat for the summer.

There is a mountain bike festival going on in my town this weekend.  There are lots of fun events, such as bands and biking demonstrations that I'm sure we will check out.  On Saturday night, we are planning on biking to our favorite pizza joint which has a huge backyard patio.  A friend's band will be playing outside.  We're looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend! 

Oh, except that I have to run 12-13 miles tomorrow in preparation for my half-marathon in two weeks.  At least I'll be going with a good group of friends.  We usually end up talking and laughing most of the way.  So, the run is not too bad.  :)

Source: Uploaded by user via Swoon on Pinterest

Plus One Party

Have you ever wondered what your husband thought about various design styles and photos?  Jessamie over at Bird and Branch Redesign did a hilarious little experiment with her husband to determine this very thing.


She put together a bunch of photos and asked her husband to comment on them.  She's holding a link party on Thursday.  So grab your husband, put together a some photos, and see what your husband says.  Write up a post and link it to the party.


Here's how my little experiment turned out:

Source: savedbysuzy.blogspot.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Love the blue pillows, funky lamps and baby jaguar benches! The carpet with the same pattern as the border you added to our drapes is really cool. My biggest concern is that just about every accent in this room is tail high and Ty and Emma could destroy this entire room with one pass. The flowers, lamps and those orange thingies wouldn't stand a chance. The unread piles of books may survive, but we have Mary to rearrange those anally organized, exactly the same height, alphabetically organized stacks of books. Is that cat art on the wall? Cat art. Dog art maybe. But not cat art.

Source: martynlawrencebullard.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I'm no world traveler but I'm feelin' it. Kinda Orient meets India and Africa with nuts. Turn off all the lights and light up those candles and I'm in. Can I have those purple crystal things for my nick nack shelf?

Source: Uploaded by user via Suzanne on Pinterest

This is a man kitchen. Black and stainless I like. Ham and cheese omelet coming up! I love everything but the lamp. It's the kind of chandelier I would have to get used to banging my head on. Just give me several rows of ceiling cans and I'm good.

Source: blog.thepinkpagoda.us via Sadie + on Pinterest

I love the silver cup lamps but that's about it, oh the column mantel looks pretty cool. I think that must be a self portrait of the person who decorated. Kind of woman masculine. The naked bronze guy makes me wonder what he's doing behind the roses.

Source: lukerphotography.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Whoa. I'm a little speechless. Can you put ESPN on the little flat screen while I think about how I feel about this kitchen. It is a kitchen right?

Source: sweetlittlesnippets.tumblr.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Those guys we met at the piano bar in Vegas would love this room.

Source: ruemag.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Have you seen my Oakleys? I think you can get a sun burn in this room.

Source: designindulgences.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Banging my head on this chandelier may be fatal. I could sit in those orange chairs and imagine that chandelier as the death star exploding or as a representation of the big bang or fireworks or a porcupine ready to strike or wait the floor is is pretty cool too. I'm not sure of the Charlie Brown pattern but the border tracing the walls is pretty awesome.

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Crys on Pinterest

That is either a really realistic cat statue or that is the cat that destroyed the matching upholstered chairs for the table. The tennis ball on the floor makes me think there may be a dog around and he too may not know if this is a kitchen with a view of the living room or the other way around.

Source: samperton.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

really?

With that ceiling this could be the ultimate Jamie Frasier room instead you get Captain Jack's seceret alternate lifestyle den.

Source: Uploaded by user via Dana on Pinterest

Love it! Sun room me please.

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Suzanne on Pinterest

I really like this room. Is that the plant you've been searching for, but doesn't seem to exist anywhere in Colorado? I want one now too. (That would be the fiddle leaf fig tree that I'm obsessed with!) I love the whatever you call it around the border of the ceiling and the dark green. I would spend a lot of time reading under that tree.

Source: sadieandstella.blogspot.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Twenty Leagues Under the Sea? I'm not cool enough for this room. Shiny walls make me nervous and the round mirror, I don't know, unless there is a safe behind it or if it is a seceret entrence to the bat cave I like it.

Source: la-belle-vie.tumblr.com via House of Fifty Mag on Pinterest

I would be freaking out in this room or on this patio. The stripes are making me dizzy or is it the thought of banging my head on all three chandeliers that's doing it?
This was fun. I hope I didn't insult or offend any of your design BFFs and that you still love me.

Love always,
Big K

Thanks for participating in all of my design madness!  If you want to read more by Big K, aka Andy, check out his blog, Dumb Dumb Daddyo, where he reminiceses about his dad and his own experiences as a father.

Color My World Week 4: Fabric

We are in the home stretch of the Color My World Challenge.  In case you need a little recap, here's what we've been up to in this challenge:

Week 1: Introduction and Color Choice
Week 2: Decor
Week 3:  Paint

This week we were challenged to bring our new color in via fabric.  Remember, next week (May 1st) we are having a blog hop/linky party extravaganza where you can link up a post showing how you brought a new color into your home. 

Back to the fabric.  Not wanting to sew anything, I kind of took the easy way out and ordered new chairs.

They have fabric on them...that's not cheating, right?  I actually ordered these chairs a few weeks ago from Target when they were having a buy one, get one 50% off sale.  I got both of these chairs, including shipping and tax, for about $180 total.  They remind me of the chairs pictured in this room that I like:

I was feeling guilty that I didn't DIY anything with fabric, so I whipped up this fabric-covered box too.

I used an old shoebox and some fabric scraps.  I would show you pictures of the process, but the pics are on my laptop, which is in the shop being repaired.

I basically followed this tutorial from Lori May Interiors.  I used Mod Podge and hot glue to adhere the fabric to the box...pretty simple.  I used a heavy weight, outdoor fabric, so the corners are not as crisp as I would like.  If you try this, I would recommend using a thinner, light weight fabric to reduce the bulk.

Stop by the other Color My World challengers to see how they used fabric this week and be sure to get YOUR posts ready to link up next week!

Ange - The Blooming Hydrangea
Anna - A Newfound Treasure
Carmel - Our 5th House
Cassie - Primitive and Proper
Jadyn - Dutch.British.Love
Jessamie - Bird and Branch Redesign
Julia - Black Tag Diaries
Julia - Pawley's Island Posh
Kristy - Hyphen Interiors
Lisa - Shine Your Light
Lisa - Trapped in North Jersey
Maury - Life on Mars
Shaunna - Perfectly Imperfect
Shelley - Crazy Wonderful
Suzy - Saved by Suzy
Tiffany - Living Savvy
Tiffany - Worthwhile Domicile
Vashti & Jamie - Like me Some...

My New Favorite Food: Green Smoothies

Like all women, I struggle with my weight...especially since having Mary three years ago and the closer I get to *gulp* 40.  I like to exercise and have even done marathons, but still have not lost the baby weight.  I've come to the conclusion that no matter how much I exercise, the weight won't come off without changing my diet.

Needing a little motivation in both the exercise and diet departments, I've signed up for a half-marathon.  The race is on May 12th.  Here's the real reason I like to run:

I have the biggest sweet tooth and could live on dessert.  However, I've been trying not to eat as much junk food as I normally do.  I'm trying to replace it with as many fruits and veggies as possible.  My reasoning is that if I'm full of healthy food, I won't want the junk food.  Sounds reasonable, right?

I've been making the most delicious green smoothies to maximize my fruit and vegetable intake.
Choose what you want from these categories:
Liquid
Water
Almond Milk
Coconut Milk
Ice Cubes

Protein
Vanilla Greek Yogurt
Whey Protein Powder
Peanut Butter

Fruits - I like using frozen fruit - either packaged frozen fruit or fresh fruit that I've frozen.
Banana
Pineapple
Berries

Vegetables (I promise you won't be able to taste these!!!)
Spinach
Kale
Avocado

Extras - these add fiber and/or protein
Chia Seeds
Flax Seeds
Whole Oats - AKA "oat groats"

Here are two of my favorite combos:
1.  Almond Milk, Peanut Butter, Ice, Banana, Spinach, Chia Seeds
2.  Coconut Milk, Protein Powder, Banana, Pineapple, Spinach, Avocado, Flax Seeds

If you can look past the green color, these are really delicious!  I'm not sure if it's mental or truly physical, but I feel better when I'm drinking these smoothies too.  They also satisfy my sweet tooth.

What's up with the chia seeds you ask?  No, they are not going to grow a chia pet in your stomach.

They look like this:

I first heard of eating chia seeds in the book "Born to Run."

This book chronicles a tribe of Indians in a remote area of Mexico who are renowned for their ability to run long distances.  Chia seeds are a staple of their diet.  I thought, if it works for them, maybe it'll work for me.  I can use all the help I can get!

Before a long run, I've been eating a piece of toast with peanut butter sprinkled with chia seeds.  It gives me the energy to run 10-miles and feel pretty good.  When I'm eating poorly, running does not feel as good.

The busier I get, the easier it is to skip running.  However, when I don't exercise I definitely pay for it mentally.  Running is the best anti-anxiety drug out there.

Do you have any healthy tips?  Healthy foods?  Healthy smoothies?

Suzy's House Party - What's going on?

Have you missed my House Party the last few weeks?  I have really missed hosting the party.

Unfortunately, I think I have to give up the party for a little while.  I  know we are all busy, but for some reason right now I feel like I'm not doing a good job handling everything.  I've been laying in bed awake all night feeling like I have a huge weight on my chest.  I think it's stress.  The stress is from doing a million things and not doing any of them well right now.  Being somewhat of a perfectionist, it's hard for me to handle when I don't do things as well as I should.  These things include being a wife, mother, friend, daughter, sister, blogger, attorney, DIY-er, volunteer...etc.  I know you all do all of these things and more too!

Something has to give.  I obviously can't, and more importantly don't want, to stop being a mother and wife.  I also like my "real" job and blogging.  Hosting the party was lower down on my list of priorities, so it's the thing that has to go.

This has become our family motto recently:

I say this to my kids a lot, especially when they conquer or achieve something they didn't think they could do.  Rather than this being a venting post about my hard, busy life, I need to remind myself that I know we can all do hard things.  We're faced with them everyday, but by perservering and continuing to try, we can overcome in the end.

Here are a few other inspirational favorites:

Happy Friday friends!!!

Spring Into Action: Week 3

This is the final week of the Spring Into Action challenge, where a group of bloggers committed to finishing a project that we've been dragging our feet on.

I chose to build shelves in my TV nook in my living room.  Here's how this area has evolved over the past year:

Bland and Boring

My first and last attempt at abstract art.

Leftover Christmas decor.

This is what it looked like three weeks ago when the challenge began.

Stencil Madness.



I scavenged my house to find things to fill the shelves.  Here's what it looks like now:

Next, I decided to try adding a gallery wall behind the TV using some art that I found at an estate sale.

This was starting to look a little too busy for me:

Styling is definitely NOT my strong point.  Where's Emily Henderson when I need her???  By the way, did you see that she just redid her office in navy.  It looks amazing.

I took some things out:

Added them back in and moved some things around:

Just as a reminder, here's how it started:


What do you think?  Do you prefer the really full look or the more spare look?  I'm definitely not a stylist, so I truly appreciate all of your comments, suggestions and feedback. 

Thanks to Linda of My Crafty Home Life for putting this challenge together and giving us a kick to finish our projects!

Check out the other challengers completed projects here:
Tiffany – Living Savvy

Kerry – Design du Monde

Laurie – Traditional & Modern

Cathy – Room Rx

Carrie – Hazardous Design

Lisa – A Room with A View

Sam – The Junk House

Becca – from Gardners 2 Bergers

Jean – Flower Hill Design

Nancy – Powell & Brower Home

Linda – My Crafty Home Life