All the little extras

Door knockers in place of door pulls, so clever! 

 A while back I started a board on Pinterest that I call "All the little extras". These are ideas I come across that add those small, sometimes unexpected touches, to a room that make it truly memorable. Here are a few of my favorites:

Seeing this gives me the urge to shout "Ahoy Matey!" 

 

A fun touch in a play room.

There are no words for home much I adore the detail on these staircases. 

Adding a little detail to an overhead light fixture

                                                                                                     Design Dump

Hands down, cutest thing ever! I think my new baby niece needs one of these in her nursery.

Ball fringe, meet fabric covered bulletin board.

A room might be perfectly beautiful without the little extras, but it's the finishing details that make a room unforgettable.

To see more "little extras", visit my Pinterest board. 

Have you added any little extras to your home recently?  

Consignment Savvy

The glass pieces and the pedestal bowl were all purchased at consingment stores.

Recently I visited a newly opened upscale consignment store in my area.I may have gushed a bit when I spoke with the owner, but I was truly impressed by everything from the inventory of goodies to the merchandising. As I left with my new-to-me gold bamboo mirror and a blue and white pedestal bowl I couldn't help but think that all consignment stores are not created equal, I would definitely be back. 

My new mirror was promptly hung in my dining room. (Sorry for the quality, it's really hard to get an image of a room with black walls!)

Whether you are a buyer, a seller or a little of each,consignment shops have a lot to offer if you are savvy in your approach and keep a few things in mind. 

Bigger isn't always better

A store with 2,000 square feet of retail space may be a better place to shop than one with 20,000 square feet. To keep customers coming back it's necessary for a shop to constantly have the store stocked with inventory. It's not always easy for a store owner to keep an especially large shop filled with quality merchandise.That may mean that the owner is willing to accept less desirable merchadise to keep the floor looking full.I don't know about you, but as a consumer I don't want to spend time sorting through what looks like cast offs from a Brady Bunch  yard sale. 

On the other hand, a small shop can be choosier with what type of merchandise is accepted. Sometimes this means higher price tags, but not always. Once you get to know the shops in your area you can quickly figure out if this is the case.

Know When to Shop

 

A little common sense is necessary to get the best access to quality merchandise. Think about the times of year when people are most likely to organize their homes and get the urge to purge. For most, it is when the weather gets warm or at the beginning of a new year. More sellers lining up to sell their items on consignment means that shops are able to be pickier about the types of merchandise they are willing to accept.   

One of my favorite shops was packed with furniture on the spring afternoon that I found this vanity table. Here's the before shot:

 It spent a little time as a makeshift desk before I painted the mirror and put it in my daughter's room.

 Shop Early and Shop Often

 Don't write off a shop because your first experience isn't mind blowing. You may have hit the store on an off day. Visit often, preferrably early in the day, for a better chance at scoring.

Be on a First Name Basis with the Employees

The employees at your local consignment store are you allies when it comes to getting first dibs on the best they have to offer. If there are particular items that you're looking for ask that they give you a call if something on your wish list comes in. They want to move merchandise so they will be happy to help.They may even offer to show you items that haven't yet hit the sale floor. 

When I told him I was looking for a beverage cart, an employee at one of my favorite shops pointed out the cart below that was hidden in the corner of the "final sales" room.

After a minor facelift, the beverage cart has been used multiple times for serving drinks or coffee and tea when we entertain. Currently it's ready to use for Easter brunch this Sunday.

Consigner Beware!

If you have furniture or other goods that you're thinking about selling on consignment be sure to call multiple stores in your area to see who offers the best deal.Some shops charge a yearly consignment fee which might be fine if you have a lot of items to sell, but for someone who has only a few small pieces or a single item of furniture they'd like to part with, they may end up seeing very small profit. In order to move merchandise most shops will discount items once or twice at pre-determined intervals. Those discounts affect your bottom line. For instance, a never used Pottery Barn area rug I inquired about selling (I paid $169 on clearance, the original retail price was $499.) would have netted me only $24 at one consignment store if it hadn't sold until after the final reduction. If you are comfortable with the idea, you may be better off selling on Craigslist if none of the shops in your area offers a fair deal.  (In case you're wondering, my hair stylist ended up purchasing my rug for $150 after I shared the story with her.)

I found an image of the same rug I sold on Emily's site.  

Consignment stores can be a bargainista's best friend. With a little know how you can furnish your home with one-of-a-kind pieces and save money.

What is your best consignment shop story?

Prepping for Easter on a snow day?

Glitter eggs from Easter 2012

We woke yesterday morning with a text from the school system saying that school was cancelled due to inclement weather. Where's the global warming we've heard so much about? Mr. Al Gore, I have a bone to pick with you, the only inconvient truth I'm dealing with is having to shovel snow a couple days before Easter! Anyway, I digress. I took advantage of a day stuck indoors to do some Easter prepping.

First, I tested out a brunch recipe for pancake bites that I found on Pinterest.  (What did we do before Pinterest?) I always like to try a recipe before serving it to guests just in case. I didn't follow the directions exactly as stated, but I think my way is easier, bonus! You just prepare the pancake batter as usual, pour into a greased muffin tin, toss in your favorite toppings and bake at 350 degrees. I used strawberries and bacon in mine. The original recipe calls for a mini muffin pan, I used a regular tin and filled the cups just 1/2 full. Bake for 14 minutes and you're done.

 Since school was cancelled my kids were my test tasters.

Their suggestions were to stick with sweet toppings and save the bacon for on the side. They also encouraged me NOT to use the healthy pancake mix next time. So sorry Hodgson Mill, I'd have to agree, a regular white flour, not so healthy but better tasting, mix would be better.   

 Thumbs down for healthy pancake mix!

Next on the agenda was testing another Easter project I found, yet again, on Pinterest, little chick deviled eggs. Before you judge too harshly, keep in mind that I didn't have any black olives to use for eyes. I used capers instead. My poor chicks looked like the unfortunate offspring of a snowman suffering from jaundice and a drug addicted chicken.

No chicks will be cracking out of their shells on our table this year.

Moving on, I spent a little time playing around with some ideas for my Easter tablescape. I always love a fancy napkin fold so I practiced a few folds using a paper napkin. I like this lotus flower folding technique   that I found on youtube. I tried it with a cloth napkin but it didn't hold it's shape very well.

 These would work at a kids' table

My daughter liked this one

 

Maybe I'll go with the fold I used on last year's Easter table.

After getting my tablecloth ironed and pulling out all the china and crystal I had had enough Easter prepping for one day. I made myself a cup of tea, lit a fire in the fireplace and read for the rest of the afternoon. Who would have thought that we'd be getting ready for Easter on a snow day?

 

It's Everything I Love

It was quiet around our house on Saturday morning, giving me the chance to spend way too much time online. But my laziness paid off because I found a new-to-me blog that I know you'll be glad to have a look at yourself. The blog, It's Everything I Love, is written by Connecticut interior designer Lee Ann Thornton. In it she shares all her favorite things related to not only design, but entertaining, travel, cooking and fashion. How this blog hasn't been discovered by more design lovers is beyond me.  I think you'll love seeing images from her own home as well as some of the projects that she's taken on for clients. Let's start with a look at her home in Greenwich, Connecticut.

 The breakfast nook is so charming. Did you notice the checked treatment on the walls?

Below is an image of her dining room at Thanksgiving. The chairs are reminiscent of the ones used in Diane Keaton's dining room in Something's Gotta Give. 

 

 






 

 Her work was recently featured in the March 2013 issue of House Beautiful magazine. 

 
She tells Coastal Living Magazine, "My look is anything but trendy. It's about gracious living with a romantic, yet current feel."

I ended up reading every post on her blog, well worth giving up my Saturday morning.  If you like what you see her, find more at
 It's Everything I Love or check out her website, Thornton Designs.

Have a great week!


*Images via Thonton Designs, It's Everything I Love, House Beautiful and Coastal Living. 

If I had been blogging the last few months...

A few weeks back Mary Ann from Classic Casual Home contacted me to see if I planned to resume blogging any time soon. At the time I wasn't sure, but since then I've thought about it several times.  I do miss blogging and sharing the happenings at our abode. I have no doubt that had I been blogging in the past few months I would have shared all the latest updates to our house.

Great room last week

 

Had I been blogging for the past few months I might have shared with you that we've added a new comfy chair and ottoman to the room or showed you the DIY terrarium I created.

I probably would have mentioned that after years, literally years, of searching, I finally settled on some end tables for the room.

 

I might have also expressed my frustration over our hopelessly underscaled fireplace and shared my thoughts for remedying the situation. It's possible that I would have showed you the various temporary fixes like the mirrors and framed pictures I've tried above the mantle (and rejected.)

 Early October: No end tables, no comfy chair, lots of neutrals

I'm positive that I would have shared my Christmas decorations and the wreath I made post holiday with ornaments found on clearance for 90% off the retail price (Target, how I love thee!) I am confident that you would have seen them, but I wasn't blogging back then so the best I can offer is a single shot of our room the day after the decorations were stored-do I get credit for the somewhat wilted poinsettia?  

 

Yes, you would have been privy to all the minute details...if only I'd been blogging for the past few months. 

Thanks Mary Ann for not forgetting about me!

Tips for Planting Fall Bulbs

Let the planting begin!

We may have just said good-bye to summer, but it's not too early to be thinking about what will be sprouting in your garden come spring. Actually, early fall, when the soil is beginning to cool, is the time to plant flower bulbs that will produce some much anticipated color in your yard after the long, cold winter months.

Years of experience have taught me that there are a some simple tips to remember when planting bulbs that when followed will ensure a garden bursting in color come spring. 

Choose your bulbs wisely. Always look for bulbs that are firm to the touch, avoiding ones that are soft or moldy-sure signs that the bulb is rotting. Be selective, large bulbs=large blooms. Who wants wimpy flowers, right? When choosing your bulbs consider when they will bloom. Ideally, you want a variety of bulbs so that you'll have new blooms coming up from early spring to early summer. 

The tulips will give my garden color in early spring, the alliums later in the season.

Don't Forget ThisTip #1: It's best to plant bulbs soon after purchase, but if that isn't possible, store bulbs in a cool dry spot.  

Plan before you plant, but don't over think. Rather than haphazardly planting bulbs, lay out the bulbs on the area where you're planning to plant before digging your holes. Keep in mind that there are no straight lines in nature so there is no need to get out a ruler to perfectly space your bulbs. A more organic layout will be pleasing to the eye when your flowers bloom.    

No need for perfection here!

Don't forget this tip #2: If deer or squirrels are a problem in your garden use daffodils at the border of your garden, these animals are repelled by the scent.   

Let the planting begin! When it comes time to plant, dig a hole approximately 3 times the height of the bulb. Speed up the process by using a bulb planting tool. Short handled ones are fine for softer, sandy soils, but a longer handled one like the one pictured below are helpful if you have clay soil.   

Garden.org

Don't forget this tip #3: If you're short on time it's possible to dig one large, rectangular hole and lay your bulbs out all at once. Just be sure that you leave adequate space between bulbs and that your hole is the proper depth.

Don't forget this tip #4: Phosphorus is vital to large bulbs like hyacinth, tulips and daffodils. Adding a sprinkling of bone meal (readily available in garden stores) to the hole before placing your bulb will provide the needed nutrients. 

Timesunion.com

Protect your bulbs: After planting remove all traces of bulb waste that might tip off animals where your bulbs are planted. Further protect the area by covering your newly planted areas with a generous layer of mulch. As autumn progresses, use fallen leaves as an added layer of protection throughout the winter months. 

I took advantage of the beautiful weather on Friday to plant a couple dozen bulbs. Come spring I'll be happy that the bare spots in my garden are filled with colorful blooms.

I like to separate my iris bulbs in the fall to fill in bare spots in my flower beds. 

Will you be planting any bulbs this year? What is your favorite spring flower?