Category Archives: inspiration

The Seven Best Home Renovation Blogs

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I’ve been keeping this a secret for a couple weeks but I’m super thrilled to share it with you because… well… it’s just so nice when someone contacts you and enjoys what you’re doing and finds your blog and the content something worth sharing.  I’m so pleased!

It started with an email form MSN’s glow.com.  Let me just say that I get a lot of emails through my contact page that quickly get deleted.  This particular email seemed “real” and the person writing it seemed legit and very lovely (you know… you just get that feeling) and for some reason I ….

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Planters, Lighting, Fans and Floors

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I hesitated to do this post, as I feel like I’m a broken record stuck on that part of the song that drives you crazy.  Don’t worry, I too am wishing I could move the needle to another part of the record and get over it!  (for those of you who don’t remember vinyl… sorry.)

The thing is I really try hard to start a project and stick to it until it’s done.    Inch by inch, post by post, I am still “working it out”.  Last weekend was a bust and I didn’t get a chance to do much in ….

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Art Love: Modern Quilts

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I’m so fortunate to have a job that I truly enjoy. With the radio station being located on a University campus I get the opportunity to see some wonderful things.  The NPR station where I work is located right between the Music Department and the Art Department. You can imagine how much fun that is… especially when those two things are such a huge part of my life. It’s never boring… always inspiring.

The Museum on campus has some really amazing exhibits pass through and I’m always eager to check them out. The National Quilt exhibit was just about to ….

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Pansies “ROCK”!

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You never know where the day will take you…. especially when you have nothing planned and nothing expected of you.  The day is yours!

We enjoyed warm and beautiful weather during Thanksgiving and several fabulous days off. I really felt the need to be outside as much as possible.  Nothing makes me happier than working in my yard.

It started out with this….. YUCK!

My flowerbeds were looking a little shabby.  The summer sun had pretty much baked everything.  It was time to clear the beds out and plant some pretty winter flowers to brighten my days.  Even though it’s almost ….

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+ Design Cross +

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Have you ever run across a design trend that just knocks you over and you don’t know why? Then it just sticks with you no matter how much you resist being “trendy” and you can’t let go? It has definitely happened to me and I’ve been fighting it for over a year now. I decided to just give in and get over it…. and apparently that is SO MUCH MORE FUN!

I’m talking about this whole design cross trend. Or maybe it’s called Swiss Army or Swiss, or Red Cross or what I like to call design cross. Lets face it, ….

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Another Goode House

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Yesterday was just another “normal” day at work… full of paperwork, phone calls, listening to other people talk about their broken air conditioners, flat tires, and Memorial Day weekend plans. I didn’t expect it to be any different, but then I get a call from Rebecca. Rebecca is not only an awesome person, but the daughter of one of Rex & Ruth Goode’s best friends (Reminder: Rex and Ruth Goode owned our home and he was the architect)  What a nice surprise! She called to ask a favor and to be honest I was sort of stunned…. not because she ….

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Help, I’m stuck!

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After 3 weekends of doing nothing on my bedroom project because of my job, I finally have a weekend to get back on track. I’m at a point in the refinishing of our built-ins where I need to make a decision and just can’t. I’m having such a hard time and Richie tends to pull that “oh, whatever you choose will be fine”, thing. I appreciate his flexibility but it’s not helping me to actually come up with a FINAL decision that I won’t regret later. (ahhhhhhhh!)

So many of you have incredible homes and amazing design eyes… so I need ….

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digital mags = pretty places

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WARNING: Dirty Word Alert! There is one… but it’s relevant.

In the past year I have really gotten into the idea of digital magazines. Subscribing to so many paper publications I inevitably end up with way too many… and then feel guilty about throwing them out. I always try to purge and go through all these beautiful magazines and get them to a recycling center. Technology has really helped me with my ongoing battle and guilt of buying and then throwing away. I’m really trying to think more about what gets thrown into a landfill and what I ….

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Let There Be Light

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We’re getting closer and closer to finishing our bedroom and I’m starting to gather some of the things I’ll need to pull it all together. I got the rug delivered and now it was time to do my part for the economy and spend a little cash on some bedroom reading lamps. Richie calls me the queen of tight wads and…. well, I’ll take that as a compliment, thank you! I admit, I hold on tight to my money and I’m NOT a frivolous spender. HOWEVER, saving your money and buying things that will bring you years of enjoyment ….

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A new attitude

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I knew it was time to take a break when I started to cry over my bedroom closet.
As a sane person reading this, you know that’s just not normal… or healthy. Full-time renovation takes a toll on those who expect too much, too fast. I’m very hard on myself and often set goals that are unattainable.

When times like these roll around I acknowledge that things are not good and it’s time to change my way of thinking. I needed to stop, breathe, get out of the house and try to see how beautiful things ….

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Master Bedroom Inspiration

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While working on the master bedroom this weekend my thoughts repeatedly drift from what I’m working on to how the heck this project is going to come together.  I’m bad about getting ahead of myself …. but when I’m finally done, I want to have everything I need.

I’ve known for over a year now that I wanted to use black and green in the room and gray is always a given because of the beams and woodwork. The stained concrete floors are a dark chocolate brown, which I have no intention of changing. The floors were stained during the original ….

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Art: Charles Stagg

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After my last post I got to thinking about the whole “glass thing” and how beautiful it makes everything, blah, blah, blah… which ended up making me think about somebody really special… somebody who literally LIVES under glass and YES, he is beautiful. Not because of the glass, of course, but because of his beautiful soul and amazing talent as an artist. Charlie Stagg is a friend and we are grateful to not only know and love him but to own two very special works of art. So this post spotlights him, his beautiful glass creation and of course his ….

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Pretty Paper

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Paper. It’s such a simple thing … something we use almost every day … and usually it’s for making lists of all the things we need to do. My list for the next few weeks is not so much about the “tasks” but about the PAPER!

I have a love for all papers. Especially old books and papers that are worn. I love magazines and specialty papers. I love the black and white of newspapers and sheet music and the vast array of crafting papers available for those who want to create. Someday I hope to have lots ….

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Good finds & pretty things

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The kitchen is pretty much done and my brain and body had a few days of rest… which led me right back where I need to be. Enjoying all that I have and I that we have done. I’m blessed! The approaching holidays are always good for us, as we both have almost 3 weeks off work and our creative juices kick into overdrive. It’s such a fun time for both of us. I’ll be posting lots of handmade projects over the next few weeks.

Today was about taking time to enjoy the house and some of the simple things around ….

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Kitchen Plan

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The weekends and time-off-work are usually packed with projects at our house, but the weekdays are just as busy. While Richie is off work and doing his projects, I have assignments too. FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANT IN THE KITCHEN! (this week, or else!) Richie really wants to move on the kitchen renovation and honestly I do too.. it’s just a little scary. Most DIY’ers are DIY’ers because they find satisfaction in doing a job themselves, are limited on funds and must do the work, or they’ve had bad luck hiring contractors to do work for them and in the ….

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