April 4, 2009

i could stay here all day

I know, I know. Been a bit poky over here.

Poky indeed. 

But you would be poky too, if you had a whole new room to play in all day long. Between my outdoor deck and my new front living room, I could wile my days away forever. All the lounging and embroidering makes me giddy with joy.

So here is my new favorite hang-out folks. 

Almost everything I bought for this new room came from the proceeds of my garage sale, where I sold practically everything in this front room. And though I love this room, I must say, it was a difficult project. 

When your husband's topic of conversation at the dinner table is "so, let's count all the mistakes you made while decorating that room", you know the toll is high. You already heard about all my painting catastrophes...

Problem #1) wrong grey paint on walls
Problem #2) wrong orange paint/brushes for tree branch
Problem #3)big orange paint spill

Backing up a bit though, this whole living room started with the blue couch. When I saw it on Craig's list for just $150, my little heart skipped a beat. I could scarcely sleep that night...not knowing whether or not it already sold. Then I went to church the next morning, and got pounded by a sermon on materialism. So, I eased up a bit on my obsessing... Still, I called when I got home, of course.

"I need that couch", I blurted out instantly on the phone to a girl named Amanda (John in background, rolling eyes at me for not playing it cool at all). I see no point in playing silly mind games.

"Another lady is interested and I need to honor her first...", said Amanda.

Such integrity. I was bummed.

However, the next day Amanda told me that the other lady backed out and it was all mine! It was spotless and in absolute pristine condition. Yip!

I couldn't wait to start sewing pillows.







Problem #4) I made this orange throw from scraps of fabric laying around. I backed it with some grey fabric. The project was a bear. I was pulling my hair out. The orange/rust fabric was so stretchy, it stretched right off the other fabric. Fortunately, I was patient and eventually it all worked out. 

Problem#5) I ordered the green curtains from urban outfitters. I initially ordered 63" panels. When they got here, I was bummed at how short they were. The 84" panels were allegedly back-ordered til June. However, with a few phone calls to customer service, they found some more 84" curtains and shipped them off to me.


Problem #6) This orange wing-back chair was also a Craig's list purchase. Only $20. Unfortunately, a kind stranger offered to load it into my car and dropped it. And snapped one of the chair legs:( Thankfully, John was able to fix it. 

Problem #7) I made a little "branch" pillow for this chair. Methinks it's ugly. I can say that, since I made it. I think I will make another pillow that is cuter one day.

I already had this black hutch. It contains all of my fabrics.


Some new knobs were in order.


And here is my sewing box and new orange tray for my thread.


I think my FAVORITE PURCHASE OF ALL was this vintage metal desk. I'm not gonna lie, it was the most pricey thing on my list of purchases. It was well over $200 from an antique store, but WORTH EVERY PENNY.

It is in constant use. Between me and the boys, we pretty much live at this work station. We fight over it all day long. They color at it constantly. And leave their crayons and papers everywhere. We are still working out the rules. 

The minute we brought the desk into the house, Finn scampered off and brought his paper trays, trash can and chair to the desk and set up camp. He kept saying to me "I can't stop talking about this desk!"

The inside of the desk contains ALL of my scrapping papers and supplies. And my camera bag with all of my camera paraphernalia. It's pretty much awesome. I can sit at my desk and make an entire card without moving an inch. In my former days, my stuff was scattered everywhere and I was always on the floor. Ollie would grab everything. It was terrible. 

The top of my desk has my sewing machine on it. Although this makes things a bit unsightly, it MUST stay there. It is just too convenient. In my former days, John used to cart my machine back and forth to the kitchen table for me. 

Now, I sew almost every day, because my machine is so accessible. I even hemmed my favorite pj pants that were dragging on the floor and tripping me for the past year. 

And what's a desk without some fun stuff?




Problem #8) I had problems recovering my piano bench. After slaving away for over 3 hours, I realized I made the top part WAY TOO small. Arg. I wanted to cry. The green velvet fabric was so thick and unruly. 


So, the next day, John and I stapled some green velvet to the bench in 5 minutes flat. That is my kind of project. I think it shall suffice for now. 


These were the window frames I told you about a while ago. Enters problem #9). The glass from Finn's frame cracked last night while John was screwing in the metal sawtooth hanger. Lowe's saved the day. They custom-cut the piece of replacement glass for just $6.


So, in the end, all's well that ends well. Before remodeling, we rarely used this room. But now we live in it.

However, you can understand if I am a tad burnt out on decorating for now!

27 comments:

  1. I loved this post! And all the problems make me feel much more human about when I mess up making things. I think it turned out great! And its nice that you all hang out there now! Well worth the effort.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What perseverance!! In the end you have a fun AND practical room - well worth all the trouble!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is SO adorable. I would want to stay there all day, too! I love the couch! And your work station!? SO PERFECT! You have truly inspired me to get my play room/craft room done. It was on my list of things to do, and my ideas are aplenty, I have just been scared to bite the bullet. Thanks for the inspiration! AND YOUR BRANCH TURNED OUT PERFECTLY!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ooooh! So beautiful Davi!! You did such a fabulous job. One (out of many) things I'm bad at, is picking out colors that go together. I love all the colors that you have in your room... and I love how they all work with each other. Good job! Now... RELAX! :-)

    P.S. Pillows are one of the many things I'll looking forward to making. I'm gonna need a Davi Sewing 101 lession. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. It turned out wonderful - as I knew it would! =) Glad you have another room to love in your house!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Finally! It's been killing me, all this time it took to post the new room! It turned out great, and I can't wait to make myself at home in it too!

    And the bird pillows are fabulous. Simply stunning. I love them!

    Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I agree...it's good to know that you mess up too. I feel like I constantly don't do projects the way I wanted to.

    It's SO cute. I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. The room looks great- what about an orange cover for the sewing machine? Yes?

    ReplyDelete
  9. WOW! Now I am inspired to get off my butt (my blog) and do some fun stuff around my house! Are you sure you are burned out ... or do you want to come do my house next ...? =) The pillow is PERFECT it pulls everything together! WOW WOW and WOW!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Perfect!!!!!!!!!! Just Perfect!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Seriously?! SERIOUSLY?! you are AMAZING. seriously.

    This post had me drooling over all your goodies, your hard work payed off SO well!! I am in loooooove with that couch, it's beautiful!!!

    The branch turned out perfectly and i adore the colors you chose for the room, COME DECORATE MY HOUSE!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I still hold out that I want you to send me your pillow pattern!! :) I have been dying to make new pillows and your uber cute pillows in both of your rooms now are not helping my desires at all! I absolutely adore the bird pillows and curtains. I want to re-do my kitchen with birdies...I just love them lately! Anyways, I love it all. I can also relate to having a space to leave the sewing machine out...hopefully one day soon I will have that luxury as well because packing it back up each time I finish a project is a pain! WOW-this comment is super long...but you did such a great job that I think it deserves a long comment!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love it. I wouldn't have been able to sleep either if I had found that couch...it is perfect. I think I'd walk into your house and feel like I'd walked into Anthropologie....a very very good thing in my book.
    I like the branch pillow but I think it looks more like coral underwater than a tree branch and when I look at it like that I like it even more. If you just can't stand it in your house my house would welcome it with open arms ;)
    Good job on that stellar redo...worth every frustration I think with such an amazing finished product!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh man, it's absolutely darling! I would kill to have a desk like that which contained all of my crafty bits in one CONSTANTLY ACCESSIBLE place! Too bad we have a TINY two-room house... Your new room looks amazing and all of the details come together perfectly despite those hiccups.

    ReplyDelete
  15. DAVI! - you don't have an 'i' in your name anymore, just an exclamation point. I love your branch :) But you already know that! Now can you get over here already and get me some of those "Jewish deals" of yours, I have a whole house to decorate and about $5 to do it all with!
    p.s. OK, maybe I'll let you have your baby first .... but then you seriously have to get over here!

    ReplyDelete
  16. oops - I didn't even spell your name right - I meant it to be: DAV! - there, that's better.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love it! It looks so good! I am glad you have a place to sit and work without being on the floor. If you are anything like me at the moment.. getting up off of the floor is work in itself. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Well, I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. It looks amazing! I just could never pull that off and with you it always looks effortless!

    ReplyDelete
  19. The room looks amazing D! Love it! I especially love the orange pillow with the blue bird on it. So cute-- the whole place looks amazing! I need to come see your place in person!

    ReplyDelete
  20. thanks guys!

    and thanks for popping by, crafty baker:)

    so funny summer, that you thought my pillow looked like coral...i thought the same exact thing! john thought it looked like lava.

    and ellie, what a fab idea, replacing the i with !. too funny. i wonder if they would let me do that on my driver's license. after all, and exclamation point is just an upside down i, right?

    ReplyDelete
  21. I linked this post on my blog...hope that's ok. :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. BEST room I've ever seeeeeeen !!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. OMG!
    HOLY CRAP I LOVE THAT ROOM.

    I love that so SO much is made by you! I love it! I'm super jealous and I want to live in that room.


    Congrats on a beautiful turnout!

    ReplyDelete
  24. WOW!!! this all turned out so fantastic, I hardly know where to begin. everything is amazing, and you must be superwoman!!

    the couch is such a fabulous find-- what a unique and charming piece of furniture to really make the room.

    hmmm, those sweet birdie pillows make me think of a certain treasured blankie I have here at my house. :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. davi this room is awesome! im so happy for and proud of you. good job sticking with it and getting everything done so beautifully. its so nice to have a room you love so much.
    i cant get over your purchases, especially your sofa- wow!
    cant wait to see it in person

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow, this room is amazing! Do you want to come decorate my house??? :)

    ReplyDelete