I got a blog makeover thanks to Danielle Moss Designs!

My new blog address is

http://www.alamodemaven.blogspot.com

Please go check it out!

xoxo,

Shelli

Craigslist to Chic- Terry Chair

Oh, how I wish I had taken a 'before' pic of this chair. I bought it 2 years ago off of craigslist in Atlanta. I was inspired to recover a chair for the bathroom after seeing a pictorial spread in a magazine of a chair reupholstered in terry cloth for this very purpose. I became OBSESSED! My husband found this chair listed for $35 so we headed 45 min outside the city and bought it. It was U-G-L-Y. We stripped it, re-stained it, and I paid to have it recovered in this really soft, plush, luxe terry cloth (that was a blanket I bought at HomeGoods). I love the scalloped detail at the bottom, and the scale of the chair is perfect. Not too big, not too small. K loves to sit in it because it is so soft. She runs her fingers across it and says 'ooooohhhh.' So sweet.

Here is where this sweet chair was in my old house, where I bought it for...the bathroom. I loved it there. I stained it to match the bathroom console. Now, I have no place for it in my new house. Boo! My Nashville master bath is so much bigger, but yet, there is really no spot for my special chair. So, it sits right outside my bathroom....sigh.

THE FYI:

-You can turn an ugly old chair into something you love! You gotta have vision, people!

-Look at the bones of the chair. Do you love the shape? Do you love the size? If so, you can probably make it work.

-Not all chairs are complicated to reupholster. If only the seat is fabric, I just unscrew the seat from the base of the chair, cover it in my new favorite fabric with a staple gun, and screw the seat back to the chair. Simple as pie.

-You can strip and restain or you can simply spray paint too. I've done both.

-Redoing a random chair is a cheap and easy way to add color and/or texture into a space.

-It also funs up a blank small wall. =)

-Goodwill, junk stores and craigslist are great places to find a chair that needs love.

Pouf!

I'm obsessed with Moroccan poufs. Look how they add so much punch of color in this pretty pink palace and an oasis feel to a room of neutral. Here, they are used as side tables and a footboard of sorts, or 'bench' at the end of the bed. They can function as visual interest, a foot stool, or even a coffee table in a pinch. I think they can be a fun addition in any room- but how fun would a bright one be in a nursery or kids room? I love the colors!!

I have one in my office (that is currently under construction...I'll post before and after pics VERY soon!) It gets moved a lot since it is white and goes with EVERYTHING....it has been in my bedroom, living room, K's nursery and now resides in my sitting room/office). They are the perfect size!!

They are so yummy in these colors it makes me think of bubblegum (I know, I'm strange like that, ha)

These one would be great in a kids room, esp the green for gender neutral nursery for those that have patience, ha ha. I certainly didn't, once it was confirmed they knew K's gender, I HAD to know!
I wish I had this turquoise with green stitching for my newly painted office/sitting room. But...the white one will have to do...
This sweet baby pink one is on sale for $199 at www.e-mosaic.com. If my husband wouldn't shoot me, I could def find a place for this in my home! =)

I love the way they used the poufs in this pic. Lots of things look great in threes! I also liked how they mixed the colors, still reading somewhat neutral, but not boring.

THE FYI:

-Tazi Designs has the BEST color selection, most are $225, $30 to fill them, FREE shipping

www.tazidesigns.com/catalog/pouf

-Mosaic Interiors tends to put some colors on sale which is nice, reg price $249-299

www.e-mosaic.com (baby pink on sale for $199)

-Authentic Morocco has the least selection but the BEST price, some are $158.99

www.authenticmorocco.com

-Sometimes I have seen fabric versions of the pouf at TJMaxx and HGoods and I know that Amy Butler has a pattern to make them. She calls them honeybuns! Sew fun! ha ha (I can't sew to save my life, but I wish I could!) You could do them in any fabrics so you can go modern, simple, girly, etc. Any look you want!

http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/patterns_display.php?id=48

Your Sanctuary at Home

This is my bed. My bedroom is my resting place. My get away. My home within my home. I like it calm, neat, peaceful. I love low lighting and the scent of Archipelago's Madagascar filling the air. And yes, I am having a love affair with my sheets (thats a whole different post, ha ha).

So, as you might have guessed, this room was done on inspiration (mentioned above) and a budget-- my husband's favorite word since I quit my job to stay home with K. I'll detail the finds for you in the FYI below.

I'm pretty excited about this find from a few weeks ago. I mention Serena and Lily a lot. That is because I love everything they make. I mean, I'm obsessed. However, my bank account doesn't love S&L. I noticed that TJMaxx and Marshalls have had some of their bedding lately. Look for it when you are there. A set of their king size sheets retail price will set you back about $250. I found this price at TJMaxx ($69.99) much easier on my budget.

When I put the new linens on my bed, I changed out the rug beside it to this one below. Its an old fave from Pottery Barn Outlet that I purchased for $49.99. I like how it brings out the persimmon in the new linens.

THE FYI:

-My headboard is from Ballard Designs (natural linen), $559

http://www.ballarddesigns.com/squire-tufted-headboard/10377

-I REALLY wanted the French Wing Upholstered Bed from Restoration Hardware, but at $2495, it wasn't in my budget

-My side tables, lucite lamps and chartreuse velvet chair (Mitchell Gold for SH) are from Storehouse (which is no longer, sniff sniff)

-The bench that I am using as a footboard is from HomeGoods in Atlanta $149.99, I had a seamstress make the down linen cushion for me and the large roll pillow was $20 from TJMaxx that I had recovered in a linen tablecloth (Dwell) that I got on sale.

-My white bee bedding is from Restoration Hardware Outlet in an outlet mall outside of Atlanta.

-The round mirror above my bed is from Overstock.com for $99

-The ikat throw pillows on my bed are from etsy.com ($34 each, Debos shop)

-The pillow on my chartreuse green velvet chair is from a tiny shop from our travels to Chile.

-The water scene print above the chair is from HomeGoods, $49.99

-The drapery panels are from Potterybarn, Peyton Grommet Drape, 108", $109 per panel--I have these in every room of my house on the main floor.

Coveting the CERAMIC timepiece!

Okay, so I have loved the Chanel Ceramic watch since it came out. Um, it'll never happen for me. No problem. I'll find a replacement love in that department. Afterall, as much as I love the double C logo, I really just like the look too. Although the 'rules of white' have been thrown out the window and doesn't really apply to watches, I think I really like the bright white for spring and summer. It's just so crisp and bright and well....white! So....these are my finds.

As a SAHM (stay at home mom), I wear workout clothes a lot. Um, even when I'm not working out, ha ha. I live in casual gear. Therefore, I need a casual look for my watch too! I love this one from Lacoste. It retailed for $195, but I got it at TJMaxx for $79.99. It is SUPER light and sporty and casual. Perfect for my everyday life.

Here is a dressier option! It is heavier and a little pricier, but still a great deal! This is also from TJMaxx (shocker, I know). Retails for $295, but priced at $179.99. Good stuff!

THE FYI:

-Flip through the Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus catalogues. They show the trends, and often have the 'looks' of the season displayed for you. Um, and the catalogues are FREE. Just sign up online.

-Use these and fashion mags like 'Lucky' to see the trends.

-Both can be a template for finding the looks for less.

-Remember that it is not about the brand, it is about the look.

-Wear it like you mean it, and no one will ever question you!

Party *almost* Perfection!

Oh, how I LOVE to plan a party. I love ALL THE DETAILS. I love thinking of a color scheme. I love thinking of a theme. I love finding little things that go perfectly with both.

My sweet baby turned ONE on February 5th. Since we are new to Nashville, we decided it was a good excuse to have people over. Some new friends and some old. It was a great afternoon that turned into evening. I still cannot believe it has been a year. Just where DID the time go?

Laurie Carpenter from Laurie Carpenter Photography was such a doll. She journaled the entire night in pictures and we are so grateful to her. If it weren't for Laurie, I wouldn't have ONE photograph of the evening. She is super talented and blended right in. In fact, she knew some of our guests! Such a small world here in Nashville, I love it!

Even though I started planning this party and ordering custom items off of etsy in early January, I still forgot some things. That bugs me. I forgot to put the topper on the cake. It sat beside the cake all night. Oops. I also forgot to put the mini cake in the cakestand. It sat in the fridge all night so when it came time for K to bite into it, it was pretty cold and hard. Oops. I ordered this ADORABLE party hat that matched K's dress but forgot to put it on her. It hung on the back of her bedroom door all night. Oops.

The upside? K was happy, and we had a great celebration. My baby is now a toddler. And she's happy and smiles and laughs. Thank you God!

Here is my sweet girl in her birthday outfit. She is VERY busy, ha, and won't stand still, so pics are hard to come by these days! She sure did like those pinwheels! Her Mimi is holding onto her and can usually be found at Kendall's side. K LOVES her Mimi (my mom) and so do I!

Here is one of Kendall's party invites. This is the more 'adult' invite, ha ha. I got them at minted.com. Have you ever been to their site? Gorgeous stuff. The paper they use is like butta. Love it! (sorry for the bad pic, it was off of my iphone)

Here is the other invite that went out for the party. We had a mix of people at the party, some guests with children, and some with no children, so we had a mix of invites. This one was a little more kid friendly. (NOTESbyRedLetter on etsy- her stuff is top notch and sooo cute!)

Here is K after she chowed on her mini cake! Her pinwheel bib and birthday outfit were made by Monica Bellard (took@lusfiber.net) and the fun mustache sticks are from whimzycreations on etsy.

I'm a sucker for personalized napkins. I made them just generic enough to be able to use them for a future birthday party for Kendall but just personal enough to be fun!

Here is a sampling of the cupcakes! They were a mix of Puffy Muffin and Publix Bakery. The pinwheel toppers are from gigglesapu, the penguin toppers and cupcake wrappers from PartyTreats (both etsy) and the black and white candles from The Party Poodle on ebay.

Here is the main cake topper (that never actually made it onto the cake). Isn't she sweet? The balloons and the number are removable so that we can use her again in the future. You just order the new balloon colors and number color and pop them right on her. Maybe next year she will actually make it onto the cake, ha! She is from bthanari on etsy. You should see her wedding cake toppers- INSANELY GORGEOUS!

Here is the birthday cake (with the cake topper NEXT to it, ugh!) It came from Puffy Muffin here in Nashville and it was YUMMO! Even the fondant tasted like marshmallow. The large glass jars were borrowed from my bathroom decor (HomeGoods) and they were filled with ornaments that I got at Michaels, 90% off. The lime green beads were tree garland from the Christmas clearance too. The green silverware buckets were from the $1 bin at you guessed it...Michaels.

Here is Kendall's mini cake topper and friends. How cute are they? Of course I got them off of etsy (peanutbutterbandit and bdbworld)

My dining buffet was adorned with custom pinwheels from etsy that said "Kendall's First Birthday" (polkadotpinwheels on ebay), mini rubber duckies for the baby party favors (mrrmomsattic02 on ebay), an empty container that was supposed to have black and white jelly beans (alas, another fogotten item in the kitchen) and the cake stand for the mini cake with the topper inside (the cake that got left in the fridge all afternoon, sigh....) I bought the chalkboard crowns and the wooden '1' from Michaels and superglued them together.

Here are the other party favors: fun lime green striped socks for kiddos and yummy lime green and silver tubes of 'vanilla frosting' scented body lotion, bubble bath, and shower gels. I got them both at Michaels. The bath products were in the clearance bin for $.88. The socks were in the dollar bin! I just put them in cellophane bags with cute ribbon. All from Micheals too!

I bought the customized fun tags from Expressionary.com

THE FYI:

-You don't need to buy a 'party in a box', use your own creativity!

-With sites like etsy.com, if you can dream it, someone can make it.

-If they don't show the item in the color you want, convo them and ask, they can usually accommodate you.

-Invest in things that you can use for a future party. With my party base colors black and white, I can interchange the lime green from this year for a different color next year.....

-Sometimes I look at the clearance bin to see what is available and draw my color or theme inspiration from there....whatever works, right? It helps the budget too!

-BIG cakes are expensive, get a smaller cake and add cupcakes to help with the number of guests you are feeding.

-Be creative with food options. We did Chic-fil-a and it was a big hit!

-Plan activities for kids. We had penguin coloring books, and animal puppets and masks for the children to decorate. It also helped that we had 2 sweet 16 year old babysitters to corral the kids in the bonus room upstairs.

-Consider hiring a photographer or designate a friend to take pictures so that the pressure is not on YOU!

-Last but not least, wine and beer for the adults never hurts. =)

The dining chair- Weekend Finds!

Just a quick post to show you what I found this weekend. I LOVE an upholstered dining chair. What a great way to give a space some personality and as always, a pop of color in the space. You can buy the cheapest kitchen or dining table, and if you have cute chairs, the table gets swallowed up in the moment of chic!

My parents recently relocated to Nashville, TN (YAY!!) and I am going to help my mom and dad decorate their new digs. I found these dining chairs (2) at TJMaxx yesterday and I think they are going to look so great in their dining room mixed with a few other chairs. What do you think? Isn't the bright yellow so much fun? I love the shape of the chair and the nailhead trim, not to mention the fabulous print!

I saw these fun green ikat dining chairs today at HomeGoods. They would be great to spruce up a space as well! $129.99!

For pricing contrast, here is a fun dining chair from Serena and Lily. I love love love S&L but not so much their prices. (I bought Kendall's nursery bedding from there, but I got it on MAJOR sale, I'll post on that later). This fun dining chair is $895. Yikes.

THE FYI:

-Don't forget you can mix up your chairs! It is fun and unexpected! Don't fall into the trap of matchy matchy.

-The fun yellow dining chairs were from TJMaxx for $129.99 each

-The brand is Couture and Company

-The green ikat dining chairs are from HomeGoods for $129.99 each

-The navy dining chair is from Serena and Lily- www.serenaandlily.com for $895 each

BUBU baby bowls- brilliant!

Look at these adorable baby bowls. I found them randomly at this cute little boutique in Atlanta, and I have been obsessed with them ever since K could eat rice cereal. I then used them for baby food, and now I put cheerios in them while she is in her car seat and for meals at the high chair too- green beans, pieces of cheese, the list goes on and on. They are just the perfect size. Truly. The colors and the little animals on them make me happy. Um, oh, and K likes them too, ha ha.

Okay, yes, I have 12 of them. Does that tell you how much I love them? I have to have clean ones at all times so I bought a few more....ha ha

This one is K's fav. We say the animal name over and over when we get them out. She says "llllllll" - that is all she can get out for Lion. Good enough. =)

Here is the logo on the bottom. So stinking cute.

THE FYI:

-The dishes are made of melamine plastic, super sturdy- trust me, K has dropped them, thrown, them, you name it....

-Dishwasher safe, and I have used mine in the microwave no problems...

-The baby dishes are $6 each or $24 for the set of four, and worth every penny!

-You can purchase the BUBU dishes here (or if you live in Atlanta, the boutique is off Howell Mill):

http://www.bbraithwaite.com/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=134&idcategory=0

So I must admit, I also bought this for K. We haven't used it yet, but I think it is adorable and I will let you know how we like it when we break it out of the pantry. The whole set is $42, but you get a lot of pieces!

-If you want to go ahead and buy one too, you can get it here:

http://www.elizabethsembellishments.com/Bubu-Deluxe-Melamine-Meal-Set.html

Here is little K with a sneak peak of another baby dish I will post on next week! (Mandi mentions it in her comment below)

Lipgloss Lover (for less of course)

I LOVE lip gloss. I don't wear a lot of makeup (I am TERRIBLE with the application process) so I try to keep my skin looking good and I invest my beauty time in mascara and LIPGLOSS. In the past, I usually stuck to high end makeup. Trish McEvoy, Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier were my top choices. Their lip glosses run around $25 or so. The problem? I like to have one EVERYWHERE...in my purse, in my car, in my other purse, in my husband's car, in my jacket pocket...you get the idea. Well, that's expensive folks!

So....one day while browsing at CVS pharmacy, I happened upon the Wet n Wild makeup. Lipgloss $1.99. SURELY, there is a good color here for $1.99! I bought a few to try out. I liked Candy Apple (569A). I started to wear it. I kid you not, I have had SO many people ask me

"who makes that lip gloss you are wearing?"

"what color is your lip gloss?"

"that lip gloss looks really good on you"

I'm not kidding. I mean, I have specific memories of this because it happened so frequently. Really random people, like the girl that takes your bra fitting appointment at Intimacy in Phipps Plaza (Atlanta). I thought it was really strange. Why? because NO ONE EVER commented on any other lip gloss I had worn. Ever.

So....I must share. Buy some and let me know if you have the same experience! I mean, its $1.99 people. TWO BUCKS!! Here is the Candy Apple treat that I have been wearing for 3 years....

My high end lipgloss love is Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster in Brighten Pink. It isn't sticky, the color is sheer and slightly pink for a pretty pout. It kind of tastes like mint. I like that. It's $25.

I ALSO found this at CVS just yesterday (below). It is new from WetnWild. It is called Speed gloss energizing lip shine, the color is Untamed (945). It is virtually the same color as the Trish Brighten pink pictured above. It ALSO tastes kinda minty. It's $3.99. SOLD.

I bought this color- Cotton Candy (565c) and haven't tried it yet. I think it might be good. You get one too and tell me if you like it compared to the others.

THE FYI:

-You can buy WetnWild Candy Apple lipgloss ( 569a) or Cotton Candy (565c) at CVS Pharmacy for $1.99 or WetnWild Speed gloss in Untamed (945) for $3.99.

-Some lipgloss is super sticky and I HATE that. These are not.

-It's cheap so you aren't bummed if you lose it, or you forget it somewhere. Besides, at $1.99 or $3.99, you probably have one in your other jacket, purse or car. It's genius =)

-Indulge the make up lady at a department store and see what colors she puts on you. If you like what you see, have her write them down for you. Use it as a template to find some similar drug store colors that look similar.

-Find an inexpensive drug store brand, invest $20 or less in some different colors that you think might look good on you and I bet you'll end up with 1 or 2 colors that you love and can continue to buy in the future.

-It's all about the color people, NOT the brand. What looks good on YOU.

-If you want to try the pricier lip gloss I love- Trish McEvoy, Brighten Pink, $25- you can buy it here:

http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446185904&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574491979139&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474399545537&bmUID=iVU6Wze&ev19=1:21