Hanging Around – Round 2

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! With how much I’ve been doing with him and the civil rights movement at school, I feel kind of guilty that I’m sitting finally writing a blog post while the baby naps rather than going out to honor his memory with some duty-filled action. Well, he’s with me in thought, at least. Is anyone out there filling their karma bucket with all sorts of humanity-oriented activities today?

The last time we hung (hanged?) something on the bathroom walls, there was cursing. There was disappointment. There was anger. Knowing this, my hopes were low and my defenses were up when we finally got around to installing our floating wall shelves.


I was fearful, first, that the shelves would look disproportionate in our tiny potty room. Spoiler alert: They turned out to be the perfect size for our needs. Secondly, when it comes to an item that needs to be level, picture me sweating bullets — especially in this notoriously uneven house. Again, things worked out for the best.

Miracle of miracles!

Here’s how these things work —

1) Hold up the shelf to get an idea of where you’d like it to go. We lightly marked the wall (top and sides) with a pencil. (I erased these marks after we marked for the anchors.)

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2) Mark and drill spots for the support and anchors to go. I love that anchors exist, but Dave HATES them — and with good reason. The directions often say to use a particular size drill bit, but 9 times out of 10 when you start to hammer it in, the hole’s too small. This time, we were missing the bit they suggested to use, so he used a smaller size and kind of hollowed out the hole to make it the right size. While I wouldn’t advise this method, it worked fine.

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3) Hammer anchors into wall. Hold up the support bracket and drill into anchors. There are actually more holes to use than screws, but as long as you don’t put all the screws on one side (um, duh? I know you guys are smarter than that…right?), you’re golden.

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4) Slide the shelf onto the bracket and drill the the two screws in to attach it to the bracket. You can either have the screws facing upward (so nobody sees them) or downward, depending on your need. I did the bottom one downward since no one would really see it, and the top one facing the ceiling since it would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb.

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And, by all means, if you can get a trained professional to oversee, please do.
Ours is named Winston.

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Aaaaahhh!!! Beauteous!


5) Load stuff on and style it to your heart’s content. I’m sure I’ll adjust this a million more times, but for now it’s so nice to have the additional storage back (we used to use a run-of-the-mill over-the-toilet storage unit, but I’d dreamed — yes, literally dreamed — of having something more modern and open like this forever) and fun accessories to play with.

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Thar’s Q-tips in them thar mercury glass.

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Yep, the hubs really and truly uses an old-school double razor thingamabob.
With a boar’s hair brush.

I love that guy!

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I moved in one of my all-time favorite cheap-o DIY art pieces. Old game numbers (antique shop) + unused matted frame + glue (+ burlap, if needed) = vintage-y art.
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More vintage with that turquoise blue side-bottle.

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While we’re at it, I thought I’d show the shower curtain that I finally put up. I kept my previous white one (it’s not in the best of shape thanks to a cat claw or two, but it IS white) in case it’s advised that we tone it down when we one day sell the house. But, for now, the punch of fun, bohemian color makes me happy. Plus, it makes the space go from boring tan-and-white to something more special and “us.” Unfortunately, I also realized that the color in the painting that I made was a tad too pink to coordinate well, so after trying to glaze some deeper orange into it (it’s better…but that’s a hard frickin’ orange to match!), I think I may go with something simpler.

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Hanging Around - Round 2 - image 6fe2c-photo2_4 on https://megactsout.com

I do love it, though!

So, all I really have left in this room is to figure out a window treatment, then attack the shower surround. For now, we’ll just keep the shower curtain drawn and assume it’s finished. *wink*

It’s funny how it has taken so long to git ‘er done, but once I finally picked up steam, it came quickly. That being said, I’ve got some more painting/fixing-up to start in a couple of other rooms soon, too. Is anyone else full-steam-ahead on any projects?

Christmas Decorating, Act Two – SHINY + RUSTIC

I recently told you about our Christmas tree and outdoor decorating. Today, I’m back to share with you the final act of our little saga — or, as I call it, SHINY + RUSTIC (yes, I’m saying that loudly…in a dramatic, humorous Shakespearean tone).

We’re already surrounded by tones of brown and tan, neutrals (and I kept the lighter blues…frosty and wintry, is where my head is). I introduced some greens — lighter, more pea green/puce tones as well as natural evergreens. The only red I used came in the form of accents — through my cute “JOY” pillow ($1 at Target), stockings, and on my “card clothesline.” Otherwise, the dining room boasts more than enough red (ick) on its own. It sounds like a hodgepodge, and maybe it is, but I also sprinkled a handful of clementines around for a traditional nod to the past while throwing in a pop of modern color.

Here’s the dining room —

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Hanging Around - Round 2 - image  on https://megactsout.com

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It’s really a simple variation on what I did for autumn. I kept the gauzy scarf (there’s the 2nd scarf! See the tree post for the first…) as a runner and the antique drawer for the centerpiece, as well as a couple of candles and stuff, but otherwise, I just sprinkled in some greenery, pine cones, clementines, mercury glass…and some Christmas magic, of course.

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I tried to keep it simple with a few smaller vignettes. Here’s my “sweater” vase, an antique creamer with a clementine stuck in (my people were dairy farmers…but, yeah, the orange makes no sense, but ’tis cute), and the musical snow globe my mom bought for Hadley last year. LOVE all the texture just on that thing alone, with its rough-hewn reindeer, cozy soft fabric, and leather and wood accents.

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On the other side is a little woodland vignette. I bought the “tree” on clearance at Target, stood a pine cone up to appear tree-like, and put a couple of bottles and a more bronzy mercury glass candleholder (under a buck at Goodwill!) in a random pattern. Oh, and the bottle with the greenery is from my family’s own dairy farm — just sayin’.

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And for the sideboard, all I really did was put a huge, green hurricane filled with silver bead garland and a candle on a vintage cake stand, a cute (but pitiful) plant and mercury votive on some magazines, and a vintage teacup full of cinnamon sticks throughout the front.

One of these days, I’ll clean everything behind this stuff off, but I like most of it too much — books, old and new; Waterford sugar/creamer set; a McCoy pottery teapot; a very old pewter pitcher; booze in case we’re ever cool enough to have anyone over (along with the mixer)…oh, and Hadley’s first piece of art. What’s not to love?

And here’s the living room —

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Hanging Around - Round 2 - image  on https://megactsout.com

We pick up the white “urchin” whenever our toddler “urchin” gets interested in poking his eyes out with it. Oh, and this is yet another “use whatchya got – decorate with a scarf” instance. (Third. Bam.)

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Hanging Around - Round 2 - image  on https://megactsout.com

Our “landing strip” between the living room and dining room, which houses our “Card Clothesline.” For incoming Christmas cards (and a wayward Santa hat), I strung some twine between two nails, added some clothespins and a couple of stockings, and voila. We’re also putting cards on the opposite side so the dining room doesn’t feel left out. πŸ™‚
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Hanging Around - Round 2 - image  on https://megactsout.com

Simple — Vintage cake stand (from our wedding), twine-wrapped candleholder/vase, mercury glass + gold candleholders (I feel rebellious mixing metals here), and a handful of outdoorsy pieces (greenery, pine cones, cinnamon sticks).

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Across the “strip”, I mimicked the mercury glass, but piled it a bit more. (See below for details.)

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My faux mantle. (No fireplace here — le sigh.) Very understated — just added a sprig from the tree, an orange, and a mercury glass votive, but there’s just enough texture and variation to make it less than boring.
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Just Hadley’s stocking, hung from a shiny silver holder. I threw an orange on each holder for interest, but in the future I’ll put labels or a toy representing the receiver of said stocking (this year, it would be one of his “Little People” — either Superman (which has mysteriously gone missing) or the blond elf who looks suspiciously like Hadman). Or, maybe it’s where we’ll leave our Santa letters. πŸ™‚

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A fun little close-up of the textural variation. Atop a stack of old magazines, I put a very vintage copy of “The Complete Home” (I bought antiquing years ago), a replica of vintage playing cards, a pine cone, a clementine, and a large mercury hurricane (which also has more pine cones and a sprig of green). Oh, and if you look closely you can see me with my red “Keep Calm and Carry On” iPhone case and gray hoodie — the uniform of champions.

The chalkboard on our wall o’ frames had been home to this lovely thought since…maybe Valentine’s Day(?) —

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For the holidays this year, it says this
(and probably will until Valentine’s Day again; I don’t look upward enough) —
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And on that sentimental note, I think we’ll end our little tour. How do you decorate for the holidays? Do you make it a blatant Christmas-centric thing, or do you add a bit of shimmer and “season” (I kind of did both — red and green, and Santa’s hat, of course…but it’ll be easy to transition into a winter theme). Do you do bright modern (think “shiny aluminum Christmas tree”), cozy traditional (reds, greens, evergreen), or a fun hodgepodge of sentimental, hand-made stuff? I love hearing how others choose to deck their halls for the holidays.

Christmas Decorating, Act One – Keeping It Real

Today’s part one (Act I, if you will) of a two-part holiday decor-fest.Β  UPDATE: Here’s Act II, as it were, with living room and dining room decor!)

Last year, I told you all about the slightly irritating (yet charming) Christmas tree escapade we undertook to go from fake tree to real. For 2013, we found one pre-cut at a local-ish tree farm (maybe next year we’ll up the ante and find and cut one OURSELVES! Adventure time, Hadman). We decorated (rather, poor Dave had to chase Hadley around when he’d get distracted as well as the cats when they got mischievous — but Hadley did pick several spaces for some of the ornaments), and are now able to bask around it as a fun-lovin’ family.

*Already stirring the homemade hot chocolate mentally, humming “White Christmas”

Things are getting simpler in some ways, and complicated in others. It seems our decorating this year is more of a daily metamorphosis. Every day that goes by, a little more gets done.

Slowly, slowly, said the sloth.

So, first, up went some new, white bulb lights on our porch — never before had we attempted outside lights, and while I had the idea (all I did was purchase the things from Target, bring them home, and hand them over to Dave — who then had to figure it out), all props go to the hubs for hanging them on a very cold day.

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As days went by, I wound some fake greenery around the perimeter of the porch and down the railings. The final touch this year was a cute little (real) evergreen wreath with a red bow that we picked up along with the tree. Simple and sweet and classic.

(Side note: The cute little wreath is actually quite, um, bushy…so it does get a tad squished between our storm door and red door. Ah, the plight of an upstate New Yorker. Snowy areas can’t do without a storm door, no matter how cute a house looks without one.)

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Speaking of tree, up it went, followed by a tangle of lights. (Let’s just say it’s not perfect this year. I’m usually impeccable about the lights. They’re actually overlapping in different directions. Disgrace!) The next day, Hadley “helped” hang ornaments. We didn’t put up half of what we had. Some are well-made but HUGE for the kind of weak branches we were workin’ with. But, we still put up a few of our quirky cheeseball “so us” ones. Hello, Superman and Yellow Submarine. I swear some year I’m going to get a small tree dedicated just to the weird ones, then have a separate “pristine” tree. But, for now, this is our life — it’s real, it’s messy, but it’s full of joy.

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Oh, and I was also undecided on a topper. We don’t do the angel thing, or even the star thing (there were too many “drunk angel” jokes growing up, and I’m still far too immature to shove a tree up an angel’s dress); normally, I do a cascade of ribbons with a beautiful bunch at the top. I considered this…then considered doing nothing…when I suddenly had an, “Oh, this is different. This is rustic. This is kinda cozy-cute” idea. Scarf. And not just any scarf. It was my dad’s. So, hands off the scarf, buddy. (A longer scarf would allow for an adorable bow-tied effect — go for it if you have one!)

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Just add a top hat and it’s Dickens in tree form.
…gotta find a top hat.

The tree (AKA pine-flavored kitty drinking fountain) is shorter and fatter this year, but that suits us just fine. We don’t use that room except for cat pans and cat stands (I suppose it’s the cat room), and a new-but-old-school radio/record player that we listen to Christmas tunes with. S’all good. It takes up the front room (it’s like the room was MADE for a Christmas tree; I finally listened to my mom and others and stuck it out there last year…they were right).

Oh, and it’s difficult to tell in the pictures, but in order to have a large enough “skirt”, I decided to use two past “skirts” and overlap them to make one — a crimson blanket that has a sweater weave goin’ on, and a piece of faux lambskin. It looks pretty darn cute by the light of day, and I appreciate the detail. One of these days, I’ll finally DIY a skirt that doesn’t look too feminine, nor too plain…and I’ll use the heck out of it year after year.

So, that’s all for today. Stay tuned for Act II, or as I call it SHINY + RUSTIC. In the meantime, feel free to weigh in below: Real or fake? Hodgepodge of ornaments or one streamlined “theme”? Lights outdoor or simple wreath? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

(And if you have kiddos at home, I LOVE reading David Shannon’s “The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza” to my kids at school. Mr. Merriweather loves his simple tree and wreath, but one year decides to add a string of white lights outside. When his grouchy neighbor, Mr. Clack, mocks his dinky display, things get out-of-hand (and, needless to say, the real meaning of Christmas is overshadowed).)

Toodles for now!

TJ to the Maxx

First of all, let me give you a quick update on how our debt diet is going. In a word, great. I actually have been experiencing overlap in the incidental area (which is okay with the holidays coming up; I’m sure it’ll get used!) since I’ve pretty much only purchased “needs” lately. It’ll be a learning process for me to actually allow myself to occasionally do or get something for myself. Like…y’know…a haircut. That, I need.

I was out and about in Utica for a day of developin’ my profession recently, and I stopped for a few necessities at Price Chopper and Pet Smart (yes, cat food is a necessity! Don’t want Kitty Protective Services coming for a visit!). While in the area, I found myself glancing at TJ Maxx. A lot.

This, like eying Target, can prove fatal. It’s SO easy to spend a kazillion dollars on all the loveliness these places dole out. Must. Stay. Sttrrrrrong.

So, I decided that I’d allow myself to go in, but not buy anything unless it was a Christmas present (which I’ve got money budgeted for). There are some AWESOME gift ideas at a TJ Maxx, folks, just give it a chance. But, guess what. I didn’t leave with one darn thing…and it felt pretty good.

I did, however, lurk around corners waiting for people to clear an aisle for me to take pictures of stuff that I liked. That way, I could chat about what I like without actually taking the stuff home. If I find myself dreaming about something and envisioning where it should live, MAYBE I’ll bring my cash allotment in for a visit. Maybe.

So, here’s some of the stuff I found myself drooling over…

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I have far tooΒ  much glass storage ware cluttering our kitchen shelves…but if you’re on the lookout for some, check out the Maxx. Oh, and The Christmastree Shoppe is good for this, too. πŸ˜‰ Β 
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Β  SILVER!!! And for a closer look…
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I was SO close to buying one or two of these (look at that PRICE!) but realized I didn’t have an immediate place for it. Wop wop.
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The same goes for this round, adorably-patterned box. No purpose, not gonna get it.

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I almost got this awesome blue container/vase (especially considering its size at $10) but eventually decided to walk away. #juststepaway

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Β  And my weakness? Pillows. So proud that I walked away with NADA.

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I always enjoy checking out the furniture they have in hopes of one day replacing my eyesore of an armchair (still didn’t get the Target chair; the quality wasn’t enough for my everyday sittin’). They didn’t have a lot this day, though. This chair came the closest.
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Need baskets?? We’ve got baskets!! And at incredible prices. Needless to say, I didn’t need any…this time.

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Β I know it’s not a homegood, but I was shocked to find some pretty well-priced Melissa and Doug toys. Hadley’s not quite old enough for these yet, but I can’t WAIT to build him a play kitchen (real men cook) in a little while…and fill it with some of these things. (Although that “Fruit cocktail in light syrup” is questionable.)

Speaking of toys…CHRISTMAS!!! Hanging Around - Round 2 - image  on https://megactsout.com

Loving on that deer…and even the huge bronze turkey next door to Mr. Reindeer. Β 
Hanging Around - Round 2 - image  on https://megactsout.com
Β …and wreaths!!! I’m kind of surprised at how real (and well-priced) these looked while standing there. I’m considering heading back to see what they have left. Look at that jingle bell one on the right, and the snow-dappled pine cone one!

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Vintage Santa art!! I totally should’ve gotten one of these to surprise Dave with. He’s all about the vintage these days. However, I couldn’t figure out where I’d put ’em. Isn’t that always the key?

But, yeah. Mr. Red-and-White may come home, if he’s still there.

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Β  Check out the array of trees! Rustic wood, sparkly winterland, and seashell…whuh?? And the pokey shells on those deer? Holy crap. So cool. Way too cool for me. πŸ˜‰

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Last but not least…look at the awesome guy gifts! Dave got himself a couple of these when he got his new job (with his own office) and I’ve been in awe of them ever since. Awesome for the holidays, folks. I’m hoping Santa will bring him one or two more.

I also find boxed work shirts for Dave here, as well as the occasional pair of jeggings (okay, just the one pair) or handbag…um, for me, not Dave. But, on this particular day I finally left after getting a contact high when a fellow patron walked by. WHOA. This is one classy joint, folks. **Side note: The first TJ Maxx I ever went to was down in Westchester County, so needless to say, they’re not all like this.** **Side note #2: I want a Home Goods. And an IKEA. And a Whole Foods. Is that too much to ask?**

So, what about you? Do you do the Maxx? (I will NOT refer to myself as a…you know what they call TJ Maxx shoppers on their commercials. Yeah. I’m not one of those.) By the way, I wasn’t perked by their company to write about this. It’s just an anecdote by a person they don’t know exists. πŸ™‚ Or do you have a different place that you like visit to drool all over stuff then leave? Or is that just me?

Falling Table

I love our dining room table. Every time I look at it, I’m reminded of that July 4th. That week+ before Hadley was born, overdue, when we tried anything and everything to get labor started (ineffectively). That’s when we finally put the table and chairs together, after sitting in a box which the cats thoroughly enjoyed scratching since the prior January.

I get another feeling when I glance at the table set, too, though. A twinge of anxiety because it’s usually piled with mail, with magazines, with gifts I’ve yet to wrap or cards I’ve yet to address or any other number of very random items. This is actually a relatively calm pile compared to the usual.

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But, since we’re into the throes of fall decorating, I figured I’d jump on the bandwagon and grab any excuse to de-clutter a bit. (Picture Dave doing a happy dance…if he were the type of guy to do a happy dance. I wish he’d get in touch with his inner-David Venable, but gosh darn it, I love him as he is.) So, unlike all the other posts, you get a cluttery before picture of my dining room table…then, a neater, fallified vignette. Now, if only we could keep it (and enjoy it) that way….

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I went with neutrals and monochromatic-yet-cozy accents. For a runner, I just used one of my favorite gauzy scarves, then plopped down an antique box filled with raffia, an antique bottle or two, varying-sized candles, a gourd and a mini-pumpkin (which appears taller because it’s sitting atop an over-turned votive candle holder; use whatchya got!) in the middle of the table. Oh, and the raffia is 100% out of the way of any flames, I promise.

I then added some asymmetry by using a square glass cake stand with a couple of antique bottles (one of which is a pint milk bottle from Homestead Farms — my family’s dairy farm from generations back, where my dad grew up) and a not-too-big white pumpkin. I figured the transparency of most of the items took away from the possible weightiness of the asymmetry. Finally, I strewn varying light or neutrally-colored candles in pairs or threes throughout the table. To add to the laid-back whimsy I used a variety of holders for the votives: a creamy antique teacup, a bubbly mercury glass holder, a creamer.

By the way, our dinners are usually spent at our taller, smaller kitchen table and occasionally in the living room, always with the baby’s “high chair” (dining room chair with his space-saving seat safely attached) pulled up alongside me. We used to feed the monkey in the dining room, and I’m positive we’ll revert someday, but currently this is the most convenient for our needs. We’re not keen on living room eating, so it only happens once a week or less. It is what it is.

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And pay no attention to the hideous red walls (and crappy iPhone pictures). It’s my dream to tone them down. This WILL come true. Oh, yes, it will.

So, how did you decorate for fall? Subdued? Crazy, over-the-top themey (skulls ‘n witches galore)? πŸ™‚

Autumn Decor – A Modern Mismatch

So, my attention had been diverted from any and all thoughts of autumn decor with our little guy’s health scare. Things are getting back to usual around here, though, and it’s nice to have a little mental break, so I’ve decided I need to join a party — a link party!

Today’s post is the mantel zshuzshing theme. Since I’ve only got a fake mantel (actually a relatively small shelf), I did some accessorizing there, as well as on the nearby “awkward places” that separate our living room and dining room. Uuuummm, yeah. The pictures help explain that a lil’ bit.

Since I haven’t been able to hit up the craft stores with going-on two weeks of family illness creating homebodies out of all of us, (and our grocery store only carried cruddy orange pumpkins…some already painted! What’s the fun in that??), I didn’t have the items I wish I had to accessorize. I know. Excuses, excuses.

So, instead I decided to work with what we have BUT to keep it simple…for once. πŸ˜‰ Given that I DID have Clementines on hand (Vitamin C!!!), I did end up with a punch of color.

I did realize that I mixed some metals, in faux mercury glass hurricane vases and some brassy accessories, and I’m surprised that I actually like the effect. I still don’t feel comfortable wearing my white gold ring with my brassy necklaces, but I’m getting over it. Am I the only one??

The “mantel” itself has a mix of textures: the shiny brass on the school bell, shimmering glass of the mini-hurricane and clock, earthiness of old wine corks and wood tones, softness of my gloves (I have another antique pair of leather ones that I’m considering switching out)…and it’s all grounded by the vintage books.

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As far as the “awkward spaces”, I kept it vintage yet clean and unfussy. So, in a weird way, it comes off as modern. Scary. It’s like I planned it or something. Don’t believe it!

The left side has a project that I completed a few years ago — an old skeleton key glued to some nice textured fabric in a frame, easy peasy — as well as a simple vignette of a stack of old mags, an old mustard yellow book, a hurricane vase…and a couple of oranges to finish it off. Simple but nice.

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Hanging Around - Round 2 - image blogger-image-609727900 on https://megactsout.com


The right side has some layering from one of my textured scarves (use whatchya got!), a vintage cake stand, another hurricane vase (to balance both sides from afar), a brassy cup filled with oranges (probably a candle holder), my spiky white urchin, and a tiny antique print. Again, a mix of old and new that somehow comes across as modern. Well, whadya know about that?


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Hanging Around - Round 2 - image blogger-image--589672549 on https://megactsout.com


Hanging Around - Round 2 - image blogger-image-517047936 on https://megactsout.com


I’m sure I’ll add something here or there when I finally get out to grab the crafty items I was hoping to grab (and as I work on the other projects; rotations happen, people. That’s autumny, right? Substitutions? Football?). So, there we have it! What’re you doing to fall-ify your place?
Linking up at Thrifty Decor Chick (love her!).

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Falling Into Style

While I tend to experience an anxiety spiral at the beginning of every school year (just tellin’ it like it is), the return of fall is still one of my favorite parts of living in upstate New York. It’s by far our favorite season. The colors. The crispness. The apples (and apple products). The corduroy jackets. The comfort food. What’s not to love?

I like to incorporate the different seasons into our home decor, but try to avoid the blatant leaf garlands and what not. Even at Christmastime, I try to use cozy items that will carry us past the holiday and through winter. I’ve even outgrown some earth tones (which I once really liked) and the rusts, golds, and oranges that usually encompass autumn. So, I’ve been on a search for some ways to switch things up a bit without falling prey to the old autumn gimmicks.

Enter Pinterest, stage left. It still takes some searching and sifting, since there is a healthy dose of bedazzled faux pumpkins (I kid you not; I’m all for using fake pumpkins year-to-year, but the sparkles…oh, the sparkles) and ghostly projects, but I did find some ideas that at least get my juices flowing (um, ew).

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Source (original Source)

Wait. Dude. Didn’t I just say no autumn garlands? Yes, yes, I did. You are correct. This, however, isn’t your mother’s fake leaves attached with tiny plastic tubing to attempt the look of nature in the most unnatural of ways. (Actually, I don’t remember my mother attempting this. I clearly didn’t acquire her taste in the gene pool of life.) And, for the record, I used to decorate with those things. πŸ™‚

Plus, while this “garland” technically has some fall colors goin’ on, it’s also able to walk the line into other seasons pretty easily. I’ve also seen several garlands using rustic-looking cloth which I’d love to try.

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Wow, another Etsy find! I could just buy it, but then what would be the fun in that?? I don’t need the rhinestone awesomeness or even the swirly…what is that dusty messy looking stuff? Anyhoo… The decoupaging of book pages seems simple enough, but if I could find a stamp or book with a neat print or image, I’d be all over it. I have enough ancient books hanging around this place, I should be able to find something…right?

Not to mention, the styling of the other products at Cloth and Patina give me gobs of inspiration right there. Knowing that you can attain “AUTUMN” with creams, crystal, porcelain, and paper makes me pretty happy.

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If I did want a splash of color here or there, I’d totally try this. Painters’ tapeΒ + paint + pumpkin (real or fake) = a fun way to add some pattern (and the only chevron in the house is one of the fitted sheets for the baby’s crib…he’s so much hipper than us). If I didn’t want to ruin the neutrality from above, I can see a cream-and-gray tonal one. Can’t you?

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We can’t ignore the table, right? Even though I honestly can’t remember the last time we sat at our dining room table, as a family, to eat a meal. Easter? (We generally eat at our tiny kitchen set-up out of convenience.) And, odds are Thanksgiving will be another year of table hopping at out parents’ houses. But, a girl can dream, right?

The cool thing about this little tableau is that I already have an awesome antique drawer/box thingamajigger that would provide a neat-o replacement for this rustic box. Mix in some white pumpkins (vs. the traditional orange), and I’m a happy camper.

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It saddens me to take down the Beatles quote that’s currently hanging in our living room, but chalkboard art is meant to be enjoyed, then changed. Hey, much like a season! Look at that, being all metaphorical. Anyhoo, I like this Camus quote (although we’re working with a horizontal board, so I’d have to finagle it). Oooorrrr…

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…I could try THIS, or something like it. Hmm. Again, a girl can dream, right?


Here are a few pops of inspiration that only need a few words of explanation:

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Use this idea as a small piece of framed “art”?


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Three words: Mercury “glass” pumpkins. LOVE.

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I adore the simplicity of this one. It’s somehow earthy, textural, warm, monochromatic and modern, all at the same time. I’m on the hunt for some wheat.

So, while I may not implement all of these ideas, or even half of them, they give me a good jumping off point from which to start. And the first step is going through the stuff I have already, big and small, that might work. Goodness knows I have a buttload of candles and cylindrical vases. πŸ˜‰

What do you think? Elegant? Rustic? Or too bland? Do you prefer warmifying your house with the colors of the season? There’s totally nothing wrong with that! After all, after I get past the initial “aw, crap!” of seeing the first leaves change, I get a huge thrill taking a short road trip to a cider mill amidst the colorful rolling hills. Ahh. Now I want cocoa.

P.S. Happy 14-month “birthday” to Hadman! Every Friday the 13th I find myself growing nostalgic for that day and sad (yet proud) of what a bright, sweet little person he’s become. *sniff, sniff*

Grandma’s Gold

I’ve been converted. Not in that way. (I’m sure we’re a lost cause. Ha! Kidding.) I’m talking metallics.

See, I’ve always been a silver-toned girl. What little jewelry I own is silver. My wedding band and ring are white gold. And I still love silver in its own classy way.

However, with the resurgence of gold in decor and fashion, I’ve found myself wearing some antiqued, brassy gold necklaces (with awesome bright color accents)…brass studs on my favorite sandals…and swooning over blogs featuring furniture “dipped” in gold. See? I’m a convert.

So, when we were divying up the contents of my grandfather and deceased grandmother‘s house last fall, I was ecstatic to receive their hand-me-down floor lamp. We had been using a wedding gift lamp from Target which we love…

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…but with a toddler and an uneven carpeted floor, it wasn’t practical. We’re keeping it for a future house and more grown-up kids, but when this lamp came along, I fell in love.

Hanging Around - Round 2 - image  on https://megactsout.com

Hanging Around - Round 2 - image  on https://megactsout.com

Hanging Around - Round 2 - image  on https://megactsout.com

She’s not perfect, but she’s twice my age, so what can I expect?

Besides, to think about all she’s seen in the Cunningham house over the years brings so much joy in my heart. It wasn’t put into storage or sold off or donated to someone who didn’t have an underlying appreciation for its history; it would’ve been just one more piece of junk that would get thrown to the curb when a better “new” model came along.

There’s a tiny amount of bittersweetness to the lamp, considering that Grandma was home 85% of the time. Grandpa’s money might have paid for the lamp, but it was hers. It lit her letter-writing, her smoke-filled card games, her lengthy gossipy phone calls. The birthday parties, the Fourth of July’s, the Father’s Days — all the special times, and the not-so-special times, that our family matriarch orchestrated.

But, as with most things in life, it’s easy to take a little sourness when the rest is so sweet. The fact that it’s in line with the direction of current trends makes it even sweeter.

Pinterest in the Dining Room

I’ve been feeling a tad “blah” the past few days, so how’s about indulging me in a little Pinspiration, m’kay? Thanks. I knew you’d understand.

Let me introduce you to Red Riding Hood. Er. Red Dining Room. Our dining room is a small-ish box of a space. We inherited the red walls. Wait, okay, actually we inherited purple-red walls. To see if we could live with them (in a slightly less Barney fashion), we purchased some crimson paint several years back and slapped it up there. It toned down the purple, but the red’s still there in all of its BAM, POW, SMACK glory.

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That iPhone picture makes it look more purple, but it is actually burgundy red. The table set was something we purchased a year and a half ago (and put together last July 4th when we were trying to get the baby to make his arrival). We like it very much, along with the awesome vintage sidebar under the window (which we purchased on our honeymoon; how’s that for a story?) and the ladder-style bookshelf to the right. Can’t even see it, huh?

There’s also a set of windows to the right of this shot, and some large art in a rustic frame to the left. It’s a darn near impossible room to take pictures of thanks to a) its size and b) the weird built-ins (see the white on the left and right of the shot?) which go halfway up the wall and create a doorway into the room.

I know the first step will be to finally paint the walls a color that wasn’t all the rage in 1995. Not that there’s anything wrong with 1995. Okay, there was; colors, patterns, and some fashions were questionable. So, yeah, I’ve been considering greiges (beige + gray = the awesomest neutral at the moment). At the same time, it’s the first time in recollection that Dave disagrees. He likes the red, and encourages friends and family to agree when they visit. Ha. Not gonna work, buddy. There’s no way I’m going to ever sell this house with a red dining room, and if I’m going to paint it for some future owner to enjoy, why can’t I enjoy it while I’m here? Good reasoning, I think.

While we’re at it, the trim needs a coat or two of the bright semi-gloss white the rest of the house has. Why people paint their trim a dirty shade of cream, I’ll never know. I know I’ll be relieved when that procrastinated project is finished. I may be even more relieved when the rug is gone. It was a cheap, on-sale find, but just isn’t our style anymore…if it ever was.

So, while keeping the aforementioned warm, medium-dark furniture (and books and art, at least to see if they work), we will then have a clean slate of greige + white trim. Here are some finds that inspire me enough to want to pick up a paintbrush (whether they’d work in our dining room or not):


My faves? The drum pendant lighting (we actually put in the chandy we currently have, but it’s a tad too traditional; although I have a feeling it would help sell the house down the line better than a drum…we live in a traditional area) and the geometric curtains rock my socks off. I like our current cheap-o white curtains, but the room is asking for a little suntin’ suntin’.


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There are parts of this room that I’m not in love with, but for the most part it suits a small space wonderfully. The upholstered chairs flanking each end are pretty darn rad, and a mirror helps broaden the space (I need me some of that), plus the lighting fixture is purdy. Downright purdy.Β 

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Okay, so this isn’t an entire dining room, but it gives me an idea. Check out the gold…and do you see the accent color? Yep, reddy pinky PURPLE. Like the purple monstrosity we began with! Anyone else think it would be a sweet homage — like saying “Let’s still be friends” and actually staying friends? — to the ugliness we started this project with to throw in a few accents of this pretty-in-its-own-way color? I guess I don’t mind it as a hit here and there, but to engulf the walls or rug…ick.

(Oh, and there’s some “Keep Calm and Carry On” art on the wall. Love that.)

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Speaking of rugs…while I’d like to get one a tad more modern (since we’ll be using it in any future dwellings, too), this style would work for a few reasons. a) It’s just modern enough without going crazy, making it a good transitional piece that wouldn’t stick out in our 1925 home, b) the cats SHOULD leave it alone…should, and c) the deep tone (with walls exactly that color) grounds the room superbly. Side note: I SO want to DIY that fixture. I’m also flip-flopping — orchidy purple-ish or fun mustard yellow? Drats.

So, there are just a few ideas for our lovely little dining room. That Pinspiration almost makes me want to pick up some paint…almost. I foresee it being my just-around-Christmas project. (In the past, we tend to take on vast painting projects…you got it…just around that busy time of the year. We so crazy.)

I Put a Bird On It – Chair Makeover

I’ve been sitting on this post for quite awhile…pun intended.

*crickets chirp*

Okay, on with the show. I purchased this chair so long ago that I’m not positive whether it was a Goodwill or a Salvation Army find. (My money’s on SA since our Goodwill rarely has good furniture and even more rarely has “older” pieces like this. It has great decor stuff and Target hand-me-downs, but its furniture is miss…with the infrequent hit here or there.) So, yeah, let’s go with SA, which means it was less than $20…and it may very well have been less than $10. I kid you not.

The cushion was either worn to the foam or just had really strange (also worn) fabric. Either way, there appeared to be holes, quite possibly from someone’s ciggy. This thing was C-L-A-S-S-I-C. I fought with myself whether to paint the wood or not, but it was so dinged here and there that I just had to go with it.

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Hanging Around - Round 2 - image 7caf3-beforecushion on https://megactsout.com
Sexy, amiright?

I won’t get into all the gory details. The “body” of the piece was just a sand, prime, paint deal. Folks often have a hard time with the seat, however, so here’s a quick visual on how I did it. Seriously, easy peasy. I mean, if I can do it, you can do it.

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Figure out where the fabric will look best from the front, then flip it over.
(I also put a layer of batting under the fabric.)
Start by stapling the middle of each side – at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock – pulling taught but not too tight as you go.
(Too tight would mean bunching panty lines, if you know what I mean.)

Β 

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Continue with the edges, then finally the corners.
Ah, the dreaded corners.
There are several ways to do this, but this time I stapled until there was a bunch of fabric leftover, then stapled that down…if that makes sense. You can also do it in a “gift” way or a 90-degree angle, stapling the other side over. Really, there’s no wrong way as long as you can’t tell from the front.

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Here’s the finished look from underneath.
Hot mess, right?
That’s okay, no one will see it.
*wink*
It’s just between us.

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Tada! Nice and taught.


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Sorry for such a harsh shot. Blame it on the atrocious red dining room. Or the blogger. Either works.

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There, that’s a little better. Dappled sun and all.

Hanging Around - Round 2 - image  on https://megactsout.com

Aaaand…a gratuitous cute shot. Winston couldn’t allow a camera to go off without his getting in the shot, and apparently Hadley thought Winston could use a kiss at that very moment. #summerblogging #winstondoeslikehim #noreally

Notice that purdy, purdy fabric? And the birds? See? I finally jumped on the birdie bandwagon (two years after it died, it seems). And to think, I finally got some chevron, and it’s on the baby’s sheets. He’s cooler than Mama.

Whatchya think? Does it work? Oh, and it now lives in our front porch. I’d love to put it in the living room, but I need a comfier “Mom needs a moment” armchair. Especially since the current one has a shredded-to-pieces slipcover (Thank. You. Cats.) which I’m pretty sure has gotten through to the chair underneath. Madness, I tell you.

***Linking up with That DIY Party, Furniture Feature Fridays @ Miss Mustard Seed & Thrifty Decor Chick’s August Before and After.***