Tag Archives: home decor

company

Now that I have the space, I love love love having people over. I’m #thankful for my friends who make the trek out to my part of Brooklyn because I really do love sharing my home with them. Last weekend I was lucky enough to convince TWO people to come spend an evening at my place, and we (or at least I) had a really wonderful time. I’m also having company this weekend and I’m thrilled to open my home to them and have a more comfortable place for people to stay. I cleaned last weekend when I had visitors, so I don’t have too much more cleaning to do for this weekend, which is another gift unto itself.

Unfortunately all of you can’t come over, but here are some of my favorite detail shapshots from around the house.

raes days bookshelfraes days ampersandraes days cubbyraes days art wall raes days jewelry holderraes days picture shuttersraes days kitchen

Thanks for taking a peek!

pick-me-up

I, like the rest of the nation, need a pick-me-up. After days of off-and-on tears, and off-and-on news, knowing we can do nothing to ease the always-on pain of the families who have lost someone, I did my best this weekend to stay busy and keep my mind occupied.

So I rearranged my room. (And almost got stuck under my headboard.)

bedroom

Here it is when you walk in. To the right, you’ll see my shoes and my picture frame jewelry holder.

shoes and jewelry

And to the left, you’ll see my repurposed screens. They used to divide my old studio. Now, I think they’ll show off pictures and mail from friends. Jewels, of Oven Lovin, has a similar greeting card garland as part of her Christmas decorations.

picture screens

#fatcat enjoyed my new room.

fatcatQuite a bit.

I also recently filled the space above my tv.

living room raes days

Want to see it closer?

paintings raes days

My dad has painted on and off for many years, and he let me take home some of his paintings. And I snuck in one my mom painted, too. I’d also like to fill the spaces on the bottom left and right, but I’m not sure with what. Maybe a new painting that hasn’t been made yet.

I’ve done a lot of crafting this weekend, to keep my hands busy. I also painted my nails.

essie a cut aboveIt’s Essie’s A Cut Above. I like it because it reminds me of champagne, and I’m excited to see my friends over New Year’s.

I hope you’re excited to see your family and friends over the holidays as well. And I hope we all hug each other a little tighter.

Thinking of you, and thinking of Newtown.

crafty

things I’d like to be:

  • a morning person
  • a runner
  • a good bug squisher
  • buffy-level badass
  • an excellent detective
  • someone who winters on a tropical island

things I am:

  • definitely not a morning person
  • a yoga do-er when i feel like it
  • super grossed out and scared of bugs
  • not really a night owl either
  • kind of crafty

And I guess the things I am are ok, too. And it’s the being kind of crafty that led to this project that was really fun! Remember this picture frame/jewelry holder I saw before? That was my inspiration. I just made it more me.

I started with a giant hot pink picture frame I’ve been carrying from apartment to apartment because I knew it would be good for something even though it’s pretty heavy and difficult to hang because I rent.

And then I got out the paint that I used on my wall in my old place. Yes, I carried that with me to my new apartment, too. It’s a really good color (it’s Disney’s paint called Star Command Blue in an eggshell)

My favorite part of this whole process was stirring the paint. Look how cool the purple and blue swirls are! And then it magically turned the blue I knew so well.

And I started painting. Now, I’m not the best painter, I’ll admit it. Luckily this paint is pretty thick and it only took two coats. Also, I didn’t sand or prep this frame in any way, and that most likely would have made it work a lot better. But I had limited time and no prep materials, so I made do.

I did one coat. And then another. Some tiny pink still shows few in a few places after I was done, but that gives it character, right? This was after the first coat.

And then I found my ribbons and my hot glue gun and got to gluing. And then I ran out of each color of ribbon, which is why my design is so…unique. But that gives it even more character, right? Then all that’s left to do is add my jewelry to my new jewelry display holder.

One ribbon did come down last night, so I’ll reglue it and add some reinforcements maybe in the form of a nail or tack. But I just love the final product! I’ve been putting off decorating my room because company usually doesn’t see it, but this is a really great start that makes me excited to do more.

(plans for) a home sweet home

I’ve been talking more about my apartment lately, and that’s because I’ve been dressing up less and spending more time at home (blame Hurricane Sandy, I sure do). But I have big plans, you guys. BIG PLANS. Unfortunately, big plans cost big bucks, and I’m just not sure how to work this all into my budget.

Here’s a few shots of my kitchen and living rooms. (My bedroom is still too undone)

Here’s what I’d like to do:

for the living room/kitchen

  • get a cowhide rug for the living room, poking out from under the couch [$199]
  • buy (or make!) some giant, round crocheted round rugs for under the table and desk [$804 for total yarn, hopefully less to buy two rugs]
  • find a cool umbrella stand for next to my front door [?]
  • place a tiny table or shelf on the wall next to my front door, and maybe a home sweet home artwork or something of the sort [?]
  • print this gunslinger-inspired print for above my bookshelf [$30?]
  • buy and paint some crown molding to frame my full length mirrors [$20?]
  • get a chair for my kitchen table [$79.99]
  • and some folding chairs for guests [$67.96]
  • get more magnets to keep putting photo on my fridge/front door [$10]

for the bedroom

  • this handy craft to make a jewelry holder (i already have the frame) [free]
  • I’ve fallen in love with this duvet cover [$129]
  • paint screens to use as a headboard [maybe free, maybe about $30]
  • yet another round rug for next to the bed [?]

So, for my dream apartment so far, the grand total of things I still would like to get would be $1,369.95. Not including tax. Without the $800 rugs I am obviously not getting but including an estimate for real rugs, it is $765.95.

Oof. This will take some time. In the meantime, I’d like to make some purchases and keep shopping around. I’ll keep you posted.

art

I am trying to do a lot of things for my home this weekend, since I found out my office will be closed for a while and I’ll be working from home A LOT. (Sandy flooded my office, you guys. womp womp.)

I will share more apartment pictures soon so I can show you what it looks like now and the things I’d still like to do. But I have some wall space above a bookshelf where I put my TV, and I know I’d like to fill it up with a large piece of art. And I’d like to make that art, have it printed really large somewhere, and hang it up. Easy enough, right? (In theory.)

These two are my favorite designs so far, both simple, colorful, and based on books that have taken up a lot of my love and imagination. The first is based on the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. This refrain is repeated throughout the books, and the ka-tet group of friends travel through many of the worlds. The hat on the “r” is for the Gunslinger, one of the coolest men I’ve had the pleasure of reading about.

And this guy, I think you know.

I like these designs even if I don’t end up putting them on my wall, and I think I’ll play around with some more to see what else I can do.

What do you think?