More on burlap...

Here are the curtains I made during my burlap crazed week! They were all no-sew and took no time at all....

For these small valences I fired up my glue gun and just glued up a hem on the bottom and the two sides (to make neater edges). Then I made a rod pocket for each by folding over the top and securing the fabric together with glue. I bought felt embellishments at the craft store and glued those on too- a very simple, very quick and very cheap way to finish off a window!




For these cafe curtains I bought stitch witchery (which you can find in any fabric store), measured the length and width I wanted, pinned it down and ironed a hem. Then I folded over the top of the fabric to form a pocket for the rods, placed the stitch witchery between the fabric where I wanted it and ironed. Then I added a ribbon border at the bottom - I used blanket binding which made it very easy. Done!

Sack O' Potatoes? I think not!

Everywhere I look people are using burlap..to cover pillows, windows, walls and even showers! Yesterday I was browsing at one of my favorite guilty pleasure stores (Nest, in Dedham) and tucked all throughout the place there were cute something or others made of burlap. And, in my never ending online quest for fun, inexpensive stuff to fill my house with I kept running across pretty burlap things! So yes, I've jumped on that bandwagon. It just looks cool and it fits with the relaxed, casual way I keep house. Not to mention the fact that it's wicked cheap and super easy to work with. So, I went to the fabric store and bought a few yards of the dark brown variety (for just $11!!!) plus some stitch witchery, more glue sticks for my glue gun and some cheap tension rods. And -voila! - after only a few short hours I had a new set of curtains for my living room, and a valance for one of the windows in the barn (just 4 more to go!). Plus, I've got a drum shade and pillow cover in the works too! I'll post a how-to and photos of my finished work (after I add my felt flowers, which is part two of my crafting whirlwind!!), but for now here are some of the photos that inspired the burlap crafting frenzy!

This drum shade is a DIY project just asking to be made

(though I'm sure mine won't look half as good as the one found here from A Lifes Design). And by the way, I love EVERYTHING about this room!

I love the contrast between the burlap and the linen chair

Country Living

Soooo cute table runner from Sweet Cottage Dreams

This curtain from A Simple Yarn

is what got me thinking...

Yes! Burlap for a wedding, why not?

Photo thanks to Heather Espana, via Ruffled

The Pumpkin Patch

I have been woefully neglectful of this blog! But if you check out my work blog (Bella Style) you will understand why! Late summer and early fall went by in a blur of wedding work.. weekend after weekend, flowers upon flowers upon flowers created and delivered north, south east and west! Good thing I love my job! But I also love my family and am happy that busy season has come to an end. We kicked off our fall fun with a trip to beautiful Harvard, MA. We were in search of the perfect pumpkin and I have to say we came back with a few beautiful ones! The kids also had fun eating carmel apples and apple cider donuts, nd Marc and I savored the hot, hot coffee and the smell of burning leaves...ah, the Good Life!

Waiting for the tractor is half the fun!

caramel cure for a loose tooth

my little pumpkin

the boys liked the tractor

nice one!

It's done! It's done! For now..

So, the kids room and upstairs bathroom are FINALLY done, and that means that all of the projects that we set out to do when we bought our house are now complete. That's not to say we don't have a vision for change in the future, but for now we're content and happy in our quirky, comfortable house. I'm including a few before pics (I won't bore you with more because you can get a feel for the state of things from the ones I'm sharing) and then below a few pics of the finished product. Next post, back to dreaming and living vicariously through magazine layouts and style blogs!

the back of the house- BEFORE

Breakfast Room/Den- BEFORE

Attic- BEFORE

back yard- AFTER

new patio, stairs and shingles

upstairs playroom/guestroom..and my son!

breakfast room- AFTER

new sliders to outside, new floor, new paint

upstairs bath (previously a weird, tiny bedroom)

new everything (except the floor!)

stairs to attic

new walls, new stair risers.. new stickers!

attic- AFTER

new everything (except the floor!)

another view of the attic bedroom

Beachside Bliss

Ok, here's the thing. Rationally, I know that we're absolutely, totally, completely NOT in the market for a beach house. But dreams aren't rational and a girl can always dream can't she? Anyway, so I was looking at potential beach houses (because, well you never know......) and I came across this one. It's in Fairhaven, on West Island and it is absolutely, totally, completely PERFECT. It looks like something out of Coastal Living magazine and the kicker is- it comes fully furnished!! Did you hear me say OMG? OMG!!!!! The decor makes me swooooon. The sad thing is it really isn't THAT expensive- just a BIT out of reach for a family NOT in the market for a beach house. And, given that it is my absolute DREAM vacation house I just had to share....

the totally adorable exterior

yes, I did say it comes FULLY furnished-

all this lovely furniture could be yours (or, mine!!)!!

don't you just want to crawl into this bed and listen

to the ocean waves and island breezes?

perfect for the kiddies!

cooking in here would be a dream!

really, isn't this just the perfect place to curl up with a

good book after a long day at the beach?

I am totally in looooooove.

TOTALLY in love...

We're getting there...

I can see the light! It's week 16 of our 5 week project, and finally the attic is beginning to resemble a livable space. The original floors were salvaged and refinished and look amazing. The walls and collar ties look good, and the barnboard on the sidewalls is really going to help add character. We're painting this week, completing the electrical and heating next week and hopefully moving the kids up there the week after that. I can't wait to set it up!

White is not boring!

The first thing you'd notice if you came to my house is that I LOVE color. I have a pumkin orange accent wall in my hallway, a jalepeno pepper green breakfast room, dark yellow kitchen, blue bathrooms, and the kids new room will have some peach (yep, we're off blue now and onto orange- but that's ok!). It all sounds frightening, but somehow it works- well it works for us at least. No matter what other people think of my personal space, I love to be surrounded by color. But, that being said, I think it would be so refreshing and lovely to decorate using an all white pallet. White is so clean, so crisp. White rooms just naturally seem simple and uncluttered. And I hate, hate, hate clutter. I wish I had the courage to have an all white house, and who knows maybe after the kids are done destroying everything in their wake, I just might try to work towards that. But for now, I'll satisfy my craving but oogling photos of white rooms. Here are a few I've found recently:

White pottery- oooh, j'adore! from The Vintage Rose

from Beach Studios UK

from Stacy Branford Photography


from Jeanne De Arc Living

ok, this isn't technically a room, but as a floral designer

I couldn't resist this, from Martha Stewart

from Domino Magazine

from Beach Studios UK

Beach Studios UK

from Country Living

HGTV Green Home

As an admitted addict of HGTV, lover of all things eco friendly, and person strangely obsessed with winning a sweepstakes (any kind will do!), I was THRILLED to find out that this year's HGTV green house was being built a mere 45 minutes from my home. Yesterday the family (mother -in-law and all!) and I took a ride down to check it out. It's located in the Pinehills in Plymouth. The Pinehills is a planned community with shopping, golf, and all different sorts of housing options- including cottages like the one HGTV built. We were able to drive right up to it, and were so inspired by the lovely setting, beautifully built homes and well manicured property that my husband actually went to the clubhouse and listened to the sales pitch (you know, for when we retire in 30 years). The pitch was fun for him- he even got cookies!!- but no so great for me as I was left waiting, wedged between two hungry and restless kids in the not quite big enough back seat of our car! Anyway- it was a fun little excursion which makes me look forward to kicking off my shoes and spending long summer days down there when we win the house! Ha! You can find lots of photos on the hgtv.com website, but for now here are some teasers (it's a beauty, and definitely worth a look !!!). www.hgtv.com/green-home/index.html

Oh and a ps- we did go look at the blue dresser I was coveting, but my practical side won out and I went home emtpy handed. It was pretty though....