While I've Been waiting ...

Throughout a remodel, the homeowner has no choice but to learn patience.

Ugh. Not always a fun lesson.

Our carpenter came to install the hardware yesterday,

but the screws included with the drawer pulls weren't long enough ... so he drilled the holes and now it's up to us to buy the screws & finish installing. So now it's another item on my ever growing to-do-list...Hopefully to be completed by this weekend because I am dying to share pictures!!

So while I've been waiting for that project to wrap up ... 

I completed the "seems like it will never be completed gallery wall"

I was so excited to show my sailboat loving Hubby!
Couldn't wait for him to get home so I could show him the completed gallery wall.

When he left for work that AM it looked like this...

a few missing frames, our framed "save the date" that hung in our first apt, and at least 4 empty frames.

Upon returning home it was completed and looked like this. So much better.

Sweet guy had been super patient with me.

He probably thought I'd never really finish.

I mean let's get real, it had been a year since we hung those frames

I am not going to lie, it was pretty frustrating.

I kept trying to find pictures and images to fit the matte sizes in the frames, until I read this post from Pam where I learned they can cut custom mattes for you at Hob Lob!

Here are some sources for the images I used::

I ordered this image from One King's Lane, planned on cutting it to fit, but was so glad that I didn't have to.

Quite a while ago, Emily shared her source for free images at NYPL and Vintage Printables. I have printed many a free image from those sites since then.

Including these for the wall in Hubby's Nautical Office:

 "dungeness lighthouse"

"the sea horse"

"America's Cup presented in 1977"

The other images (Tall Ship, Eagle, and Sailboat Masts) along the top row were purchased by my dad for Hubby when we were dating. Dad knew how much he loved sailing.  My Dad is so thoughtful like that. I loved getting to use them in this collection.

And the large ocean chart was used by Hubby when he was completing his Captain's courses.

To my sweet Hubby, I hope you smile each time you look up at this wall I hope that you are reminded of all your accomplishments on the ocean and those to come. You are so talented and I was so blessed to design this space just. for. you.

The gallery wall frames were the finishing touch on this room.

So the Office reveal will be coming soon, right along with the Kitchen Remodel.

Nothing Like a Sale for a Little Motivation

I just have to say that sometimes I get Design ADD.

I will start on projects in one room and before you know it,

I have ideas for another and kind of abandon ship...

Knowing that I'll get back to it one day.

The project that has been halfway completed that longest is this

gallery wall in my hubby's office.

Every month or so he'll nicely ask when I plan to getting around to it again...

poor little abandoned frames.

This past week I had a nice bit of motivation with some help from

a Typography and Letterpress sale at One Kings Lane.

A couple of frames are on the larger side of things,

so I have had some trouble filling them.

This one was actually larger than I needed, but I figured I could trim it to size.

It's going in the large frame, top left.

I knew Hubby would love this one.  No doubt.
Perfect for his nautical office.

Can't wait for it to arrive.

Now it's time to find two more 5x7 images, two 2x3 images (that might be a little tough),

pick up a matte or two from Hob Lob, pop a sailboat image in another frame, and la-tee-da.

 This wall will finally be complete!

If you've never shopped a One Kings Lane sale, you're missing out!

Sign up here and get shopping!

Come back and let me know what you find.

project::office eclectic wall, done!

This past weekend we checked two BIG items off of our 2011 to-do-list,

the first one is 95% completing the eclectic wall!

Hubby's eclectic wall is finished!

well, the frames are hung.

but the pics are the easy part!

(and we're just two small steps away from completing the whole project) 

This might seem like not a big deal, but for some reason that wall intimidated me.

I was so worried that we'd hang all the frames and I'd hate it.

Worse even, I'd hate it and Hubs would love it!

I will admit that even though we followed what we thought was a fool proof plan,

we changed our minds a few times along the road...ha

::before::

::pondering in my pjs::

::1st attempt at positioning the "frames"::

see this post for why we chose butcher paper

::hung the picture we had planned on using in the middle::

eh.

::then scrapped the 1st plan and added a shelf with a boat"

blah. blah. blah.

::starting over the next morning:

::finally, loving the progress::

:: FINISHED:: 

more paparazzi pics of the wall...

The images that I used were from NYPL.

I believe I searched "nautical"

Hubby, his brother Dan, and his dad all traveled to Spain

a few years ago for the America's Cup race. 

The largest sailing race in the world, 

and we're already looking forward to the next one in 2013!

The following two items are historic images from past America's Cup races.

These handsome ocean creatures add a nice touch as well!

Hubby used the chart (map) on the bottom right when he was studying to 

apply for his Captain's License.

There you have it, the ins and outs of the office wall.

Just need to print some more images before officially checking it off my list!

Check back tomorrow to see what other TO-DO we've accomplished!

Sharing my progress with Blue Cricket Designs and Debbie Doo's



Don't forget to enter the Home Goods giveaway!

project::office recovering the desk chair

We are moving right along on our office project!

With the added expense of the holidays we've put a few things on hold,

like the eclectic wall, but I have been able to make some other small changes with 

items I already had around the house.

I initially purchased this fabric in navy for the drapes, 

but then decided that might be too bold for the windows & not quite my vision for this room.

I have another idea for using most of it, but I was able to give up a bit

for recovering my ballard look-alike chair.

This chair that I constantly admire used to be mom's desk chair in the kitchen...

so it had roosters and stains.  Neither of which are suitable for hubby's office!

I cut a piece of my Ikea fabric & recovered the seat!

In just a few minutes I had a new chair that fits the nautical theme. 

Every little project brings us closer to completion!

project::office i moved in...but not really

so a little while ago i decided that i needed a spot for my desk,

but reluctantly chose its new home to be in hubby's office.

i reallllllly wanted his office to be his man room, 

and was so sad that i couldn't find another spot besides this wall

the other desk moved out

and this adorable desk from jess moved in...

although it fit perfectly there,

it just wasn't working with my vision for the room.

and then i saw this. my once organized closet.

and thought to myself, "hmmm, i wonder if my cute little desk could fit in there?"

as we cleaned out the clutter, my mind was racing with ideas.

i just had a feeling...

that it would fit perfectly! without an inch to spare!

the closet was transformed into my own personal "mom cave"

within hubby's "man cave"

he was prepared to remove the doors in order to make it fit.

but thankfully we didn't need to!

my mom cave/ desk nook!

and when i'm not using it, 

i can just shut the doors and hubby's man cave won't even know that i'm there!

and remember when i shared my inspiration board for hubby's office?

i had my eye on a ballard designs desk chair...

but it's price tag was around $300...

well the other day i was at my mom's house, 

and spotted a nearly identical one in the corner of a guest room!

after i squealed and said how perfectly it would look in the office,

of course she let me bring it home!

and it's perfect!

the chair-back design is soooo similar to the BD one that i'd wanted!

i am just loving my mom cave, and have added some great details to the space 

since these pictures. so, stay tuned!

more pictures soon to come!

and in case you're wondering, we moved the file cabinets to another closet...

and got rid of most of the hubby's junk stuff that was living on those shelves.

project::office backward books

yesterday i posted about the antique show that my mom and i visited last week,

 and how i gained so much inspiration from this display.

today i am going to show you how one display further helped me decorate the shelves

in hubby's office transformation.  

here i showed you how i initially chose to decorate them,

but the following display motivated me to try something a little reversed...

{i apologize for the glare and bad photos...they were taken with my phone}

i instantly fell in love with those backward books.

it's much more eye-catching than just the usual spine.

and of course i came home and tried it.

turning around a handful of books doesn't make the same impact,

but it does give the shelves more visual interest.

just won't be real helpful when i'm looking for a specific read...

antique show inspiration

on friday, my mom and i had a fabulous day together!

our first stop was the kappa alpha theta antique show in downtown.

antique dealers from across the country (even some from europe!) set up their booths,

and we spotted quite a few incredible pieces! the stories behind some were fascinating.

i even spotted this antique royal dalton plate for hubby's office.

it fits in perfectly with the decor and looks ship shape on the transplanted bookshelf

at the entrance to the show some local antique shops had set up displays,

and this one captured my style. exactly.

rustic french decor, fresh white flowers, a touch of animal print, natural jute rug,
gorgeous mirror, pops of orange color, bright greenery, and
the miniature lit Christmas trees on the credenza.
i gained so much inspiration from this display!

however, i'm pretty sure i don't have the $$ to pick it up tomorrow,

so i'll just keep this picture and use it as inspiration!

we spent the rest of the day Christmas shopping-'til-we-dropped & eating delicious food.

it was so refreshing to spend some quality girl time with my mom.

i am so thankful for you, mom. love you.

and while mom and i were having girl time,

this is what my two boys were up to...cruising on da-da's boat.

they just make me melt.