Frugal Friday: Cardboad Safari

I have decided to start a new weekly post called Frugal Friday. Each week I'll try and focus on inexpensive and stylish decorating and gifting ideas to inspire. This week I found a quirky and creative way to bring a little style to your home, it's called Cardbaord Safari and it's fabulous.

I love the idea of hanging these in a little boy’s room for that little bit of unexpected. At $28 apiece for the medium wall mounts they are definitely easy on the pocketbook. I also think painting them a bright color and adding them to a rec room would be a great conversation piece. The Moose is my personal favorite.

Blog Love

Check out this fun blog called Spearmintbaby.com. It’s stocked full of fun, stylish and creative decorating ideas for kids. I promise it won't disappoint. It's one of my new favorites. Below is a sneak peak at a nursery recently featured. So fabulous!

Design Has Gone to The Dogs!

Here's a peak at a twin bedding set I am delivering tomorrow. The dog print is one of two fabrics we used for a reversible coverlet so we took the dog silhouette and create a custom appliqué/monogram for the pillow sham. Pretty darn cute!

A Little Bit of Loveliness

Hi friends! Sorry for the lack of posts. I am currently a one woman sweat shop working my tail off to get orders out the door. Until I come up for air, I thought I would give you something pretty to admire courtesy of...

Pheobe Howard


Katie Ridder


Palmer Weiss



Can you tell I am loving the cornices and valences? I want to add one to my daughter's room one day.

House Update: A Little Before & After

As promised I'll slowly reveal a few after photos of our house renovation. I'll reveal them slowly because that's the pace this reno is moving-very, very slowly. Life just seems to get in the way.

So, here's are entry hall BEFORE. Boring beige walls, 7 foot ceilings (that's right, you read it correctly 7 feet), brown tile, brown/brass faded hardware and old slab doors with about 8 coats of paint.



And here's the AFTER. We raised the ceiling about 18 inches, laid new hardwood floors, added crown molding, raised paneled doors and nickel finish hardware. Click on the photo to enlarge for detailed shot



If you're interested here are the specs on the new space; wall paint Elmira White from Benjamin Moore, molding and trim Bennington Gray from Benjamin Moore, pendant is Simple Scallop pendant by Barbara Barry from Circa Lighting, table is Ethan Allen, basket is Crate and Barrel, rug is from a local Persian dealer, blue and white vase with flowers is old from Bombay Company, small blue and white vase if Victoria Hagan for Target, large blue and white plate is from ZGallery, blue and white ginger jar is from Home Goodes, floors are wide plank Potomac Plank from Lumber Liquidators, mirror is vintage and dog is a mut from the SPCA. Oh and the blue paint is my bedroom Wedgewood Gray from Benjamin Moore, but more on that later.

I would like to paint three large horizontal tone on tone stripes on the wall with the mirrow, but for now I'll just enjoy the crisp clean new space. There just never seems to be enough time. If I get around to it I'll post an updated photo.

What a Dapper Little Dude

I simply adore these stylish and whimsy ties for boys. They are available at Chloeinstyle.com and made from the popular Amy Butler and Michael Miller fabrics we all love. These trendy ties are the perfect accessory for their Sunday best, an afternoon wedding or school pics. Shopping for your little man just got a lot more fun!

Chic on the Cheap Toddler Beds

Make your own toddler bed; no really make it for only $75. Design Sponge featured this DIY project and I had to share. This is also a great way to make the transition from crib to big bed. Get the step-by-step here.

No Sew Fabulous!

I found this fabulous and easy DIY anyone can make from the Cookie Magazine website. They make beautiful and thoughtful baby gifts for all parents-to-be. See the step-by-step directions here.

Chocolately Peanut Buttery Goodness!

Sunday is my husband’s 45th birthday so tonight we baked cupcakes and a whole cake for the special occasion. Below is the recipe for the most decadent and delicious cake you'll ever make at home.

Think Reese’s Peanut Buttercup transformed into a cake. Delicious right? I can feel my hips growing as I am writing this post.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake (Split this recipe in half if you are going to bake cupcakes)
2 boxes of Duncan Hines Super Moist Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix
2 containers of Duncan Hines Creamy Home Style Vanilla Frosting
1 cup creamy peanut butter
20 Reese’s mini peanut butter cups

Bake the cake as directed on the box and let it cool for at least an hour before frosting. In a mixing bowl combine vanilla frosting and peanut butter until it is creamy smooth. Frost cake in between layers and top only and cut up mini peanut butter cups to decorate the top. Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

It's that simple. You don't even have to know how to bake (lord knows I don't).

Sophisticated Safari Nursery

Here's a little bedding update I promised a long time ago. You can read about the first posting here. Here is the final product. I think it's pretty darn cute!

Somebody Pinch Me Please!

I am in LOVE and OBSESSED with these precious chairs for kids from Target. It is taking every little bit of self control I have to not buy the pink tufted one for my daughter's room. They are only $79.99 plus free shipping!

There has got to be a cheaper way!

Sorry I've been M.I.A. for a few days, work has me chained to the sewing machine lately. Anywho, I was searching for inspiration for my daughter's play area in our game room and I found these for $680!!! Geez!!





I don't know about you all but $680 for a table and two chairs for my kid is too much. So I got to thinking, can this simple Ikea table and chairs below look the same with an artistic eye and paint? $39.99 for a table and two chairs is a lot easier on the pocket book.



I bet my friend Melissa could make this Ikea table look worthy of a $680 price tag. She's an uber talented artists who paints canvas artwork for children. I HOPE you'll be seeing her Etsy shop up soon.

So am I wrong? Is this too much to pay for a play table and chairs?

Playtime for Pennies

How do you go from this...

to this for under $40? Okay, so maybe it costs more than just pennies, but nonetheless it's still a chic-on-the-cheap decorating idea. I can't take credit for this crafty creation, my friend Rachel made this precious playtable and chairs set for a friend's daughter. I thought it was a beautiful and thoughtful gift and one anyone can make for their own kids.




The table and two chairs come as a set from Ikea for $25 and it costs about $15 to jazz it up with paint and fabric. I should mention that I gave Rachel the fabric for this set. I let her rummage through my scrap fabrics, so if you have scrap fabric or a friend that stocks up ask if they will donate some to your project. You can also use any of these gorgeous oilcloth and vinyl coated fabrics below available here.

Step 1: Paint the wood before you assemble and let dry overnight.
Step 2: Cut your fabric pieces to fit the chair seats and table top. You'll need one large cut for the table and two small cuts for the seats.
Step 3: Wrap the chairs' seats and table top with fabric and stable or glue to underside.
Step 4: Assemble chairs and table. Follow the Ikea instructions that come with the set.

It's that easy! If you want to use fabric that is not pretreated like the vinyl coated or oilcloth below, you can iron on a vinyl coating available a most fabric stores and available here. That's what Rachel did for this set and I watched her prep the fabric. It's really easy and all you need is an iron and a pair of scissors.

So there you have it. Now go and make your own adorable set so your kids will stop destroying your expensive furniture. Have a great weekend!

Give Them Fair Warning

I love these whimsy and comical door hangers by artist Paula Prass. They say what so many of us parents are thinking when we have a sleeping child in the house. I think they make great gifts for any parent with little ones.