hold the spices!

I would really love to do this to my pantry this weekend.

Pencil holders as spice racks? I think so! I'm going to head to the dollar store and see what I can find. I would really love for my spices to have a better home.

Check out this entire pantry reveal HERE. How's that for some organization motivation?

framed wallpaper

I walked into the playhouse I'm decorating to get the measurements and check out the space for the last time until I go back to Utah to do the install. And...my heart sank. I knew it was the end for my first wallpaper project. The walls are textured. Super textured actually. I would need to hire out a professional to come flatten it. I didn't want to give up my frame wallpaper. So it looks like now I am going to frame my frame wallpaper. 

It's not so bad actually. I can do it at home and it will save me hours of time in Utah. And if I play my cards right I can pick up some sweet bamboo frames I saw at the wholesale frame shop. I'm going for tall and skinny. The bummer is that the wallpaper is currently sitting inside the playhouse waiting for me. I'll get it back :)

Look at these lovely framed wallpapers that have me inspired.

effortless style

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hgtv

house of fifty

Spirit lifted! I think it will be the perfect solution.

can't sleep

This morning I woke up at 5:20 and couldn't go back to sleep for my last 40 minutes because I was OBSESSING. Do you ever do that? I wasn't worried about finances, my to do list or anything normal. I was thinking about this light fixture I saw on Bryn Alexandra yesterday. She was obsessed herself and passed it on to me.

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That's right. 

 

I think I've almost figured out how I can turn a beloved Ikea Maskros into one. Almost, hence the lack of sleep. I can't get to an Ikea for at least 6 weeks so hopefully by then I can finalize my plans and be ready. I think it would be the perfect thing to replace the boob light in my front room. I have so, so many boob lights to replace....I think this will be a good one to start with.

What are you obsessing over these days?

new baby

This weekend we finally went from a one car family to a two car family. Ahhhhhhhh. So happy! And I am not ashamed to now be a van mom. 

Isn't she pretty!?

Do you have any idea how much furniture I'm going to haul in this thing? Look out thrift stores I'm coming!

tiny love

Once upon a time, I lived in a teeny tiny, overpriced apartment in LA with my husband and 2 kids. All I wanted was a little home of my own. And somehow I had convinced myself that we should buy land and put a tiny house on it until we could afford to build a real house. It was a good idea in theory. This little house could serve as a guest house on our property someday. 

This could have been our floor plan.

Totally doable right!? It was a good idea in theory. At the time, tumbleweed made all the homes and shipped them to you for $2 a mile. Now it looks like they sell more home plans than houses. I was trying to say how this wouldn't have worked for my little family...but part of me is still bummed we didn't do it. My husband couldn't be convinced and was also worried about earthquake safety. Always a thinker that one. 

Today more than ever I wish I could have made this tiny house our own. Because this picture makes tiny houses look like a million bucks.

source

There is definately something to be said for simple living. Which I am learning more and more as I am reorganizing all my storage upstairs. I still love this idea but man am I grateful for my home and the chance to host a party or two inside of it. We could have had the biggest yard in California with that tiny house on it though :)

toy closet

We should probably have a playroom. But we don't. I'm not about to turn the office slash guest room into a playroom since it is the only bedroom downstairs. And all the toys in the bedroom have been driving me nuts. So this weekend I overhauled the toys. Remember this closet?

Now it looks like this

There is no way to photograph the overwhelming amount of toys in my hallway. But it is filled to the brim. So I guess this is our new toy room. The kids cannot play inside it but the toys will live and die here. I acknowledge that we have too many toys. And I've given my kids 60 days to play with these or they are gone. Just in time for Christmas....but still. Tell me this isn't too many toys for three kids. Maybe I'm just a hoarder. But it's nice that every last thing has a bin it belongs to. The plan is to use the toy closet with a check in system. One goes in to check one out. I'll let you know how it goes :)

p.s. Am I the only one saving favorite toys for my grandchildren?

inspiration friday

I am digging the color trends for fall 2012. So colorful but totally timeless as well. 

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And I am obsessed with this room. Love it!

lonny 

I would do just about anything for these white cabinets. Seriously try me.

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Kirsten did an amazing job on her son Jett's room. 

But my favorite thing is easily the way she painted the inside of the frames in her diy cloud art. It's total genius and I will be copying it soon.

I hope you are as inspired as I am. Have a great weekend!

how amber got her groove back

If you haven't noticed I have been in a bit of a funk for a while. Life has been coming at me faster than hours in the day. I feel like I might be on the cusp of handling it though. Whew! Nothing terrible is happening. Just a lot of changes and new schedules. And sure a few ups and downs thrown in there too. 

I haven't touched a project for my own house in a while. I have been thinking about it. Last night after the kids were all in bed I went on a deep clean rampage in my kitchen and ended up rearranging a little corner of the kitchen.

It's not perfectly styled but sometimes all you need is a little change. Isn't the bowl amazing though!? So today I am accessorizing around my house in hopes of some paint being opened and some pillows being sewn soon. Thanks to those of you sticking out the last 6 weeks or so :)

Slowly but surely getting my groove back!

the time has come

It. Is. On!!!!! This playhouse is finally in the works and I could not be happier. I have been patiently waiting for the little house to be moved from one side of the property to the other. And while I have waited the dreams and expectations have grown...a lot. 

A lot has stayed the same

And some things have definitely changed up a bit. I have roughly three weeks to go until the install and lots of little projects to finish. I promise to keep you updated on all the happenings.

thrift stalking

When the door opens to my favorite thrift store today I will be there. And with any luck so will these lovers.

Cross your fingers for me :)

shout out

My hubby just got a big promotion and to celebrate we went to Utah for a quick labor day visit. And luckily I was finally able to finishing installing a few things in that playroom. So it is almost finished up now. Just waiting on the pretty settee to come. 

One of the projects was to get those big framed boards on the walls. What do you do when one side of the room has walls 8 inches shorter than the other side and the frame is a half inch too big? You go to Home Depot!

This guy was super duper helpful and nice! Turns out the frame wouldn't feed through the machine so he took us back to the tool rentals to borrow the table saw and cut a half inch off the bottom of two frames. I could've kissed him! You gotta love good customer service!