Yesterday and today I went shopping and picked up a... few... more things for the guest bedroom. And now it's all coming together and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Granted, I still have to paint the ceiling after I snapped my extension pole, but... that shouldn't take too long.

Can I NOT recommend Dutch Boy Refresh paint, please? I realize that most people would stick up their nose to paint that isn't Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore, but I'd had good luck with regular old hardware store paint. However, it took me 2 gallons just to paint the walls of the guest bedroom (an average sized room). It only covered about a 2 foot x 2 foot area at most before I had to refill my roller. Perhaps I was doing something wrong, but I've painted before, and this was tough stuff! Oh well, lesson learned....

John and I went to IKEA yesterday and ended up with a throw blanket, chandelier (which I promptly spray-painted yellow today), and stool for the vanity. Good buys. John was such a patient man. Today I hit up Ross, Goodwill, and Lowe's and got the following:

- silver old car (just a kitchy thing, looks like a giant monopoly piece)
- 7 frames from goodwill that I painted white
- scrapbook paper for inside the frames
- milk glass candle holder
- yellow bird candle holder
- light medallion for above chandelier
- paint for vanity

Pictures to come. I don't want to give anything away!! Tomorrow I'm going back to a few good antique stores my mom and I found to pick up a few other things.

Also, I think I am going to order knobs for the vanity from Anthropologie, since these are SUPER cute. The vanity is being painted all white with a clear satin varnish, but I'm wondering if I should paint a little yellow on it... there are carved out circles around where the knobs go and other little accents and painting that part yellow could either be super cute or look like a sunny-side-up egg. We will see...

Here's what I've come up with as a plan for the guest room so far. I think I want to start with that room this summer, after I paint the upstairs hallway...

There are tons of cool bed frames and chandeliers on craigslist to fix up. I want it to be a shabby chic sort of room. If I could plan a wedding again I'd probably do a gray and yellow room so that'd be fun for a guest bedroom.... We'll see how it turns out!



In other news, not too happy with Pier 1. Our entry table was supposed to come in before our housewarming party but it hasn't.


Speaking of housewarming party!!! It was a big hit - almost everyone we invited turned out, which was great. I hope that people enjoyed the food and the company. It was a great feeling to see all these people comfortably hanging out in our home. People were on the porch, in the kitchen, on the sectional, out back by the grill. It was tiring but great.

In retrospect, we should've put "no gifts" on the invitation. Our guests were so generous and I feel bad because they just bought us wedding gifts 10 months ago!!

Hopefully I can snag the pictures from my mom and post a few. Overall, a hit! I look forward to hosting more parties and coming up with cute themes and decorations!

I'm starting to create a plan for the guest bedroom, which I'd like to work on this summer, along with my craft room. Here are some inspiration pictures. I have a gray and white duvet cover that I still really like so I'm thinking the yellow and gray look with a shabby chic touch? Perhaps a white  craigslist find, like a dresser or vanity for it... We'll see.

A few pictures I found on www.decorpad.com. I like the top one the most, with the pale blue that goes with it... Anyway, we shall see!

I have been looking at other people's blogs and I'm so impressed by what "normal" (non-professional-designers) pull together. I gotta step up my game! I still want my home to be totally livable, but it's nice to have it feel like a magazine picture, too. So far my rooms have turned out so much like my inspiration boards!



John and I are going up to Bellingham for the night, then headed to Wenatchee for the weekend. As much as I could stay here all weekend and do house stuff, it'll be really nice to get away and relax. I think John needs it, too. Anyway, there's just a few more things we want to get set up before our Housewarming Party next week -- which is SO much fun to plan, pictures will follow.

We are going to get this mirror for the entryway, from Pier 1 ($149, but we've got a coupon):

I found a bunch of cute stuff at Ross today, like vases and some wall art... and a set of Apothecary Jars (John think 2 are enough... but you can never have too many!) but I held off. As my mom says "You can nickel and dime yourself to death buying little things." But, eventually I will put the "finishing touches" on all the rooms....... eventually.... good thing I've got a job next year!