redesign {M}

I've been helping my friend M redesign her big and beautiful home. She has a wonderful combination of classic and playful fashion style that I want to help her translate into her own home. Seriously, this girl can pull off this fun outfits. But her home doesn't reflect this seem sense of style. She asked me for some input.

First, we needed to start with some images to help her define how the juxtaposition of classic and playful can be interpreted.

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six with a hook

While we had family in town this week, we went to Bearskin Neck for a little sightseeing and lunch. There were so many cute shops. I came across this darling little shop. I wanted to take some photos, but after asking in my nicest voice, the answer was no. (I always like to ask first -photography etiquette?) Her response was something like photos of her shop showing up on blogs. Hmmm. What's so terrible about that? But I did snap a photo of her shop sign. And although I can't share the cuteness of her store, I can show you what I did pick up for my family room.

inspiration {fouth of july}

We'll be spending the day at our town parade, swimming, hanging out with friends, and then later on roasting s'mores and popping corn, like here, while trying to avoid the pesky mosquitos.

Just in case you need some {really} last minute Independent Day inspiration, here ya go . . .

Print out and frame this patrotic subway art from eighteen25

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These star medallions from Martha Stewart would set the mood for any Fourth of July party backdrop. The instructions call for fabric, but I would try making them out of festive heavy weight scrapbook paper.

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These cute watermelon stars from Hip Hip Hooray! call attention to any fruit platter. Chill thinly sliced the melon and before cutting it with a sharp-edged cookie cutter. Garnish with a handful of freshly washed blueberries and your set!

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If you're really talented and have super {fast} sewing skills, you could whip out a festive romper for your favorite little toddler, like my mother-in-law did a few years back. (Yes, she cooks, posted here, and sews!)  I love the rick rack trim she added to the star small-print fabric and the peek-a-boo diaper cover. Simplicity has lots of easy to sew patterns, like this.

Or you could leave all the planning and work to someone else, and just go get your nails do like this. So much fun and worth showing off at any Independendence Day party!

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What's your Fourth of July style?

practical home accessories

The experts always say shop your home before shopping retail. This is a good suggestion. Except when there's isn't much inventory left in your home.

A few years ago, we started moving around. In preparation for our nomad ways, we really pared down. But now that we're feeling a bit more settled, there's a few practical accessories that I would like in my home . . .

A Clock
I don't own a single clock. Granted, I'm never without the time thanks to surrounding technology, but as a stand alone time piece, I'm clock-less.

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A Telephone

For years we didn't have a land line. We have one again, and it's probably time we got a house phone.

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Binoculars
I would love to have a set of binoculars handy. So many beautiful birds perch right in my own backyard and the surrounding trees. I would love a closer look.

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A Firewood Basket
We use our wood burning fireplace pretty regularly. This would be a pretty permanent addition to that area.

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An Outdoor Rug
My front porch is feeling a little bare. It would be nice to sneak a small rug under the bench I have there already.

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Does your home have any great finds or need just a few prettier practical touches? Share. . .

inspiration

Just in case you needed some inspiration to get you through the rest of this week. Perhaps you'd like to. . .


Update Your Bedroom
or just take a nap . . .

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Spray Paint Something
Use this fancy cork board to display jewelry . . .

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Really Spray Paint Something
This process involves a number of sanding and spraying steps. . .

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Get Organized
I love this printer drawer Ikea hack. . .

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Get Crafty

Maybe for a play space or a child's teacher. . .

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Have you already settled on your weekend project? Or is your weekend already filled with all those "other obligations"?

I'm still trying to decide if I want to jump on the white bedroom trend.

shower curtain

dilemma, dilemma. I want to get a new shower curtain to accompany the new shower,

 but I'm not sure which one to get.

I like this Kate Spade shower curtain from Bed Bath & Beyond, but it is currently sold out.

I also came across this from West Elm.

Or there's this option to make one from a curtain, via.

Which one should I go for?

mantle love

My friend Monica loves her house. She loves the location, the layout, and all the improvements they have made to it. But her house is lacking something -a mantle. She loves mantles, and has had them in her previous homes. When I suggested she just get one, she gave me a quizical look and reminded me that she doesn't have a fireplace. No problem Monica; don't let that little detail deter your mantle love.

Here are some amazing non-fireplace mantle images.* As you can see, mantles add archeitectural interest and definition to any room - a living room, a dining room, a bedroom, and even an outdoor space.

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 This one is really fun the way it incorporates the painted book shelves. That yellow background color certainly pops.

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This is fun -turning a mantle into a headboard.

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And if you're really hung up on having a fireplace for your mantle, here's some sources for installing a ventless fireplace. (The best news, you don't necessarily need a chimney these days for a fireplace!)

• eHow
• Do It Yourself
• This Old House

Do you have a mantle crush? Where's your favorite mantle location?

*I gathered these images long before Pinterest or this blog, for my own personal use. Sadly, I did not keep a record of where I got them, so if any of these images are yours, or know the source, kindly feel free to let me know. Thanks.

popping poufs

The pouf. . .it's popping up everywhere.

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I like it. It's like the more evolved and stylish bean bag cousin. And with little ones, it is the perfect solution to add a little bit more interchangeable seating to any given room.

You can buy them or make your own. I've spied a number of tutorials on Pinterest.

I also found these simple directions from Better Homes & Gardens. BHG includes the cute decorative accent stitching. Almost makes me want to sew. Hmm, we'll see.

BHG's make a pouf

Anybody make a cute custom pouf for your room? Are they as easy as they seem to make?

shoe peeve

One of my biggest pet peeves is the pile of shoes by the door. We are a shoe off-at-the-door-kind of family. It keeps my house cleaner, and with four little ones, we spend a lot of time on the floor -playing, reading, wrestling, hosting stuffed animal & baby doll tea parties, eel hunting -the list goes on forever.

But I just hate that pile of shoes at the door. Even if each person only has one pair of shoes at the door, with six people, it quickly becomes a pile of at least a dozen loose flip flops, sneakers, boots, or sandals -just sitting there.

I don't mind a small basket of shoes, or a few tidy shoe cubbies, but with my crew, even a small basket doesn't really accommodate us.

Not to mention, our little yellow cape doesn't have a proper entryway or a mudroom. Remember, my family room layout here. There's not a coat closet in sight. (We do have a coat closet, but it's past the kitchen and down the hall. Not exactly handy for our frequent comings and goings.)

Enter the best thing I found ever . . .

Ikea's Shoe Cabinet from the Hemnes Collection

The larger one is not only taller, but deeper and includes a drawer. Prior to now I've never been a big Ikea furniture fan. I love all their space saving strategies and their organizational goodies, but their furniture, not so much. But this shoe problem was starting to make me desperate for a solution.

And I love it. The drawers slide open, easily accommodating even my husband's big ole shoes. The taller one has a double row in each compartment. In fact, I loved it so much, I bought two.

How do you solve your shoe problem? Or do you even have one? It's not just us, right?

Other post you may like: family room

Linked up to Miss Mustard Seed, Finding Fabulous

spring mantle

We are finally starting to bloom here in New England, and I just had to take the opportunity to bring some of that spring fresh goodness inside.

I keep seeing forsythia everywhere!

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And since the forsythia is the just about the only thing in bloom in my yard at the moment, that's where I headed. I just clipped some branches and put them in a vase. I love the instant pop of color. Especially since my walls are still a boring cream color.

This is what my mantle usually looks like . . .

covered in letters.

What are you doing to bring spring inside? Share!

Linked to Floral Friday Foto, Project Alicia, Through Photographer's Eyes, Blueberry Craft and Hobby Time

dreaming of summer

that's the title of April's Pottery Barn catalog that just arrived in my mailbox yesterday. Like always, I found lots to drool over.

 It's the wall mount coat rack that I'm pining for in this image. I love the character it brings and the curvy lines, and for a small space, this is the perfect solution for the your guest's belongings.

Hotel Medicine Cabinet, in white.

I need all the storage I can get in my little yellow cape, so this medicine cabinet would fit the bill.

{Eventually we'll need to replace our-bullet proof pink Formica vanity. It's a pretty small space and I like these bath consoles, but I can't find them listed on the website. Maybe someone knows where I can find a PB double?}

 Nothing says summer like stripes. Of course, I'm leaning toward the light blue and yellow ones

 These would be charming in a kitchen nook or over an office space

 I would love a pair of these in my bathroom

 The glass final rod is the one I really want; I think it could be perfect over my sliding glass door

 This little sea grass stool could go anywhere, and it brings in a gesture of nature

 I have just the place for this wall mount clock -right in between my family room and kitchen

 Love the little surprise pop of red inside

A few of these lanterns would be cute in my yard.

All images from Pottery Barn

What are your favorite summer PB items? Or do your tastes lean some where else?