Call Me Crazy...A Painted Antler Chandelier

via Decor8

For some reason, I love this kitchen by Don Raney and Jaymes Richardson of Civility Design...which admittedly puts me on the eccentric decorating side o' the fence.  First off, the kelly green subway tiles set with white grout are super cool with the bright white upper cabinets, black lower cabinets, and that huge picture frame window.  And, to address the gorgeous elephant in the room, those bright Hermes orange antler chandeliers are simply fabulous (to me).  Is anyone else with me on this?  

via Spray Paint & Chardonnay

Now, you're wondering where I'M going with this...   How has this quirky cool space inspired me?  You could totally repeat the expensive custom chandelier look in a highly affordable fashion by painting a seemingly cabin-themed chandelier, reinventing it as a sleek, contemporary fixture that merely nods to the great outdoors in a cheeky chic sort of way.

Faux-Antler Chandelier (featured in the Oct/Nov 2012 issue of HGTV Magazine!) - Home Depot ($189); Plasti Dip Matte Black Spray Paint - Lowe's ($6)

Why the Plasti Dip spray paint?  It provides a flexible rubber coating that could be removed in case you want to repaint it in the future.  Also, I think it would give the perfect "thickness" to the chandelier, yielding a nice dipped look - like the custom bright orange chandeliers above.  

A plain matte black spray paint or even glossy black spray paint looks equally as cool.  The glossy black antler chandelier used in the "equation" above was from a wonderfully decorated nursery on a blog called Project Babies.  Visit the site to see their rendition in the nursery {here}.

Oh, my final addition would be some cool modern-looking circular light bulbs, similar to those shown in the kitchen...

(These bulbs from Amazon.com (6 pk/$14) would totally make the chandy look even more custom and modern.)

I'd like to put a painted antler chandelier like this over my kitchen table, to make the space look more hip and contemporary.  Am I brave enough to do it???  The jury is still out...  

So, tell me, is a painted antler chandelier "wack" or "wicked cool"?  Have you ever seen one?

Room-Divider Curtain + Another Book Sling

I've divided my hugely long living room - at last!  I'd never complain about the vast space it offers; however, it was a (welcome) decorating challenge to "visually separate" the office and living room from one great room into two more-distinct areas.  Enter ceiling-mounted curtain panels - an instant room divider!

 (velvet curtain panels and hardware from West Elm)

 See, it's successfully divided the room into my office in the first part...

And, our living room in the second part...

Even better, it hides a little toy area/kid reading nook from immediate view upon entering the space.

Toys?  What toys???

Oh, there you are!

And then, to foster my addition to organization...yet another book sling was made.  It was made out of extra fabric from the DIY cornice box you can see in the living room above.

Simply can't get enough of this large-scale yellow floral print!  So cheery, fresh, and bold.  Step-by-step directions for how to make your own book sling can be found {here}.

What do you think of the ceiling-mounted curtain as a room-divider?  Do you think it works in the space?  Hope you're diggin' the vibe like we are!

Some One Kings Lane Excitement...

I'm excited because I got my first One Kings Lane purchase in the mail yesterday!  I ordered two very usable kitchen items - a set of red-lacquered salad tongs, and a catch-all yellow bamboo bowl.  Wanna see?!?

They arrived exactly when One Kings Lane projected they would come, and came carefully wrapped in lots of bubble wrap.  It was so nice to be "thanked" as soon as I opened the box.  Now that's a way to get repeat customers...

And, here are my new items in use!

Awesome news: All week long, One Kings Lane is offering fantastic deals on their home and kitchen appliances! With the holiday season approaching, this is the perfect sale to make sure you have everything you need for warm gatherings at your home.  If you're new to One Kings Lane, sign up today for a $15 credit for purchases of $30 or more.

I found yet another practical kitchen utensil that I ordered yesterday...

It's a Thin Apple Slicer that yields 16 slices (vice the 8 huge slices you get with typical apple slicers) - much better for little ones to eat and much better for apple recipes.  Even better, it was discounted down to only $8.  I love it and can't wait to get it in the mail!

Head over to One Kings Lane now before the current kitchen deals are over this Friday!  Any one else a One Kings Lane lover? What have you ordered off the site?  It's a new staple in our house.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

This Kristen-created recipe is super delicious and uber easy to make.  It's a fun one for a family pizza night and perfect for football-watching parties.  Make it...you'll love it!

Ingredients:
1 roll Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Dough
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
Frank's Buffalo Hot Sauce
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup Ranch Salad Dressing
1/4 cup Marie's Blue Cheese Vinaigrette (in refrigerated produce section)
Colby Jack shredded cheese
Crumbled Feta Cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to temp on pizza dough packaging.  Flatten dough and bake on pizza stone or metal baking sheet for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes.  Leave the oven on.

2. While dough is baking: combine cooked & cubed chicken, buffalo hot sauce (as much as desired), melted butter, and garlic.  Set aside. (You can prepare this chicken mix in advance so the flavor sets in even more)

3. Prepare the "sauce" by mixing the Ranch dressing and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette together.  Stir until combined.

4. After pizza crust is cooled a bit, spread sauce around to the edges.  Sprinkle on your first layer of shredded Colby Jack cheese, then sprinkle on the chicken.  Add another layer of shredded Colby Jack cheese, and finish it up by sprinkling the crumbled Feta cheese on top.

5. Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is ooey gooey and melted.

(Serving Suggestion: You can mix up extra sauce for dipping.  Plate with a little celery on the side.  Mmmm!)

This pizza tastes even better as leftovers for the next day.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Happy Birthday Baby!

I can't believe my little girl turned 2 yesterday! My how the time has passed...and oh, how I love her more dearly each day.

We were so very blessed to be able to celebrate with my parents (Nonna and Go-Pa), a dear family friend from Baltimore, and our precious neighbors. And, I couldn't help but share a few Instagram pics with you:

 (My fairy princess - the prettiest one I've ever seen...)

 (She woke up to a "few" balloons in the living room)

 (Frosting is WAY better than cake!)

 (Balloon Cupcakes - ribbon, hot glue, baked cupcakes, frosting - easy peasy!)

(Happy Birthday little one who so enjoys avoiding eye-contact with the camera...)

You can see, we hat a little bit of fun...and, an outfit change or four. :)  I've learned that TuTu's are sooo "in" for two-year-olds.  

Happy Birthday Sweet Pea - from your greatest fan in life!

Thanks, to you all, for indulging in my little pride and joy.  Have a joyous weekend!

Fall Printable and Ribbon Pumpkins

I am anything but decorated for Fall.  No cute pumpkins carved on the porch, no Halloween candy in the house, and almost no costume plans for my little one.  (Thankfully our dear neighbors stepped in and let us borrow a cute ladybug costume!)  October just crept up on me and is keeping us busy each and every weekend.  Hopefully I can breathe (and decorate!) once November rolls around...

On that note, I decided to fix up one small spot in our house for a girls' get-together I hosted last night.  Thanks to some pretty Fall leaves and two easy projects from last year, this one side-table is decorated:

The "Happy Fall Y'all" image can be printed out by clicking on the image below, then saving to your desktop and printing (the resolution is good up to an 8"x10").  Unfortunately, the original source of the image - "It's a Crafty Life" blog - is no longer in commission.

Quickie instructions on the ribbon pumpkins can be found {here}.  Mind you, I originally blogged about them before I broke down craft projects into steps.  They're darling and super easy to make, though.

Anyone else find it difficult to get decorated for Halloween/Fall this year?  I've got to at least get some pumpkins for our porch...time is running out, but I have a cool pumpkin decorating idea I've got to make happen sometime soon!

Kitchen Craving

On this fine Fall day, I thought I'd share an inspiring kitchen with you.  Isn't this the prettiest and most unique kitchen space?!?

via country living

While I love the entire space, here are my favorite highlights for this kitchen...

1) Circle Window - Circles are my favorite shape, I admit.  Often they suggest a port hole of sorts, but this one doesn't scream nautical at all, and its large size makes it modern in a fresh, inviting way.

2) Vaulted Ceiling - Rarely do you see a vaulted ceiling in a kitchen, and even more rarely in a kitchen that's not over-the-top ostentatious.  This ceiling is a show stopper and I love that they painted the feature color on the ceiling, vice the walls.

3) Wall-Mounted Plates - My husband makes fun of me for this one, because he thinks its "old-fashioned".  I love plates, and I love when you can use them for serving as well as use them for decor on the wall!  And, the plates in this kitchen perfectly complement the window.

4) Industrial Pendants - The metal pendants complement the stainless vent hood - adding that tasteful dose of metallic accents to the space and keeping it from looking too "country".

5) Apron Sink - I'll never get tired of this look!  It's a dash of vintage in a mostly contemporary space.

6) Subway Tile Backsplash - Another classic that will NEVER go out of style, the subway tiles go with any design aesthetic.  I only wish they had carried them all the way over and all the way up the wall the stove sits on in this kitchen (admittedly, not as budget savvy...).

7) Painted Door - I'm big into painted doors lately.  White walls with black trim and doors are a recent favorite of mine.  The green door in this space serves as a major focal point without the major commitment.  Simply repaint when your taste transforms!  Much easier than repainting an entire room...

What are your favorite features in this kitchen?  What would you do differently?  Do you like the circle window?  Please share with us!

Fall Fashion Moment - Yellow!

I have exciting fashion news - pale people can wear yellow too! :)  I was in Ann Taylor Loft last weekend, enjoying their 40% off everything sale, and was so happy to discover that when pairing the below items...

Patch Pocket Long Sleeve Utility Blouse + Cotton Stripe Nautical Sweater Jacket from Loft.com

It even worked for me!  I never get to wear yellow - even thought it's my all-time favorite color EVER. Thank goodness for fall-friendly deep saffron yellow, making yellow possible for even the fairest of those out there.

(a top-notch iPhone through the dressing room mirror pic)

Oh, since I'm on a roll, I have to share my other budget friendly splash-of-yellow fashion requisition with you...

Aren't they super cute?  A friend introduced me to Mod Cloth the other day (she had these very shoes on), so I visited the site immediately and bought my own pair of these "Thanks for the Tiptoe Flats" for only $30. The website is a must-go for affordable fashion, jewelry, and shoes...especially flats!

Anyone out there have any favorite yellow finds?  Or, do you struggle with finding a yellow that works with your skin tone, like me?  Hope this pro-yellow post brightened up your day!

Triptych Art

So, you may be wondering...What is a triptych???  A triptych is a work of art divided into three separate sections.  A traditional triptych involves a continuous work of art, where the three sections form a single picture.  However, with a little creative license, I'd consider any artwork in a grouping of three to be a triptych of sorts.

Lately I've seen a lot of beautiful triptych art work, and I believe it can be the perfect solution for a common decorating dilemma - filling an expansive horizontal space.  You know that wide open space we often have above a couch or TV console, or even above a wide bed or through a long hallway?  It's is a space-filler issue so many of us face, and more often than not it can be very difficult to find a wall-hanging that takes up as much (or more) horizontal space than vertical space.  The triptych may just be your answer!

Here are a few fun options that I fell in love with:

Octopus Triptych via Art.com

Untitled Triptych by Matthias Weischer (I call it the "farmhouse triptych") via ArtNet.com

 Map Triptych via Art House Graffiti on Etsy.com

 Kilim Triptych via OneKingsLane.com

Motorcycle Triptych via Art House Graffiti on Etsy.com

What do you think of the triptych concept?  I always love things in "threes" so I'm a little partial.  Which of the above options would you feature in your house?  And, where would you hang it to fill some horizontal space?