I Liked the Before, But I Love the After.....

My baby sister has recently left the nest, and I wanted to gift her something special from me. I found this chair at Habitat for Humanity for just $20.00. I had to have it, and make it my own. Well not my own because it really wasn't for me, but put my touch on it you know. We love all thing animal print, so naturally when I saw the fabric it all made sense. This chair makeover only took a few days and a little hard work. I think it turned out really well. Feel free to drop me a line and tell me what you think.

Happy Memorial Day.....

Not going to get all on my soap box this morning preaching about how Proud I am of our Troops, but just know I am very proud of the men and women who serve our country and fight for all these wonderful freedom's that we sometimes take for granted. Oh damn I said I wasn't going to get up here. I just had one foot on the box, backing away now. I hope you all have a wonderful memorial day, and if you have a Vet in your life, or know someone who is currently serving take some time today to tell them Thank you from all of us.

I'm a Foodie......So Sue Me!!!!!

As an adult I've gained a passion for food that I did not have as a young child. I remember saying "Ew I would never eat that!"and turning my nose up at everything. Now a days it's more like "Why of course I'll try that". I think my love of food came from my love of travel. My dad told me at an early age to get out and see what the world has to offer, and eating what the locals eat is a sign of respect. At the time we were on a family trip in Jamaica. We were parked on the side of the road and my father was buying fresh fish the local kids had caught and cooked themselves. When he turned to show me a whole fish, head, eyes, gills and all; that message went right out the window. The more I traveled the better the food experiences got. Now this lovely little snack here was love at first bite for me. It's a simple sourdough baguette slice covered with goat cheese, red bell peppers and Balsamic vinegar. This was my first time trying them at home, and let me tell you it will not be the last. This simple dish is  great way to hold guest over before the main meal is served at just about any dinner party. Or you can just treat yourself to a nice snack as I did today.

What you will need:
1- loaf sourdough baguette
Crumbled Goat Cheese
Red Bell Peppers
1 bottle of Balsamic Vinegar

How to prepare:
1.Slice baguette into thin slices.
2. Cut up peppers into small slice and saute in olive oil until fully cooked. (add salt and pepper to taste)
3. Spread a thin layer of Goat cheese onto baguette slices.
4. Top with red peppers
5. Finish by drizzling balsamic vinegar on top. ( I used a spray bottle, so I would not over do it.)
6. ENJOY

Be Inspired...... PoP ArT

Being one of the leaders in the Pop Art movement, I sometimes wonder if Andy Warhol ever in his wildest dream imagined that he would one day inspire so much creation. Now a days you can find pop art just about every where. You can find custom pieces or just make a statement with you own hand crafted pop art. One of the projects I'm currently working on was inspired by pop art. Lord knows I've been waiting to just go crazy with color. Pop art has a way of combining colors that some would never dare to use together in a space, and it somehow works. The bright and the bold colors paired with a hue that is a little less bold is almost genius to the eye. I plan to create a few custom Pop Art pieces for this project so stay tuned for the outcome. And if you have any pop art that you've created I would love it see it as well. Email me your best creations. 

Fun Finds...... West Elm

Paper Mache Bird

Butler Trays and Stand

Buck Jr., Deer

Pleats Pillow Covers

Stray Dog Table Lamp

West Elm is having a summer sale on all their outdoor furniture, so I decided to take a gander at all the great finds they have over there. I'm not shopping for summer, but I couldn't resist seeing what's up for grabs. While over on the site a few items did catch my eye. For one reason or another I'm a person that likes the little things that pull a room together. It's not always the big bulky furniture that makes a room pop. Sometimes it's all in the accessories and the placement of small things that draw the eye to a certain place in the room. The paper mache bird pictured at the top is a perfect example of that. It's small in size but adds a  lot of appeal to those antique books. The butler tray stands are so versatile in their use. They can be used as bed side table, and are perfect to contain clutter in and entry way. I'm not sure if you've seen one of these cool deer heads before, but they make for awesome wall decor. If you put on you DIY gloves on you just may be able to create one of your own using recycled cardboard. FUN! Pillows, Pillows, Pillows, I can't get enough of them or have enough pillow covers ever. It's seamlessly the easiest way to transform a room with little to no effort. Great lighting is something we woman can not do without. I was told that by a veteran Interior Designer. You want the lighting in your home to look fabulous, so you can see just how fabulous you really are. This stray dog table lamp is a just down right eye catching. You can find these products and more over at west elm. Mix and Match, Make it your Own.

Images Courtesy of: West Elm

When I Grow Up......

As a kid I remember being asked what was it that I would like to be when I grow up. Back then we would always choose the obvious, lawyer, doctor, teacher. What ever we thought would impress our parents, grandparents, teachers, or whoever was asking the question. I've known for a while now what it is that I wanted to be in life but It wasn't until I found her that I truly knew what my calling was. When I say her I'm referring to Amy Butler. Amy Butler is an artist and design who has a piece of my heart. Not sure if she knows that or not but yep, she does. Her line of product include fabrics, that can be used for home as well as fashion. Great craft and sewing projects, and freebies. Who does not love a damn freebie! I live in a home with two seamstress and I was determined to learn how to sew. And when I got the hang of it, you could not tell me a damn thing. I was on a roll and making any and everything my eyes took a peek at and my heart loved. Once I discovered Amy Butler's website my light bulb went off. I'm so inspired when I see a great print or fabric piece my mind goes into a place where I can see how many wonderful ways it can be used. Then it hit me. Amy's not boxing her self into just one aspect of design. She See's, she creates, she's inspired to make thing that her heart feels, beautiful creations that she shares with the world. And for that I just have to say Thank You Mrs. Butler for opening my eyes and heart to a whole new world of design. Be inspired to create what your heart loves. For more inspirations from Amy check out her website Amy Butler Design. I plan to try out some of the great freebies she has available and share them with you all. Let's be inspired together.

All Images Courtesy of : Amy Butler Design

What a Difference a Pouf Makes.....

When I say what a difference a Pouf makes, that's just what I mean. I absolutely love these things. They are cute, stylish , and comfy for that matter. I've been seeing these pouf's around for some time now and have always admired them from a far. Well I'm just about ready to attempt to make my own just for the heck of it. Poufs are great for extra seating or just for a few pops of color around the room. They are very useful in kid spaces as well. Think of them as a new and improved bean bag. The Moroccan style seems to be my favorite. Although I wish I knew how to knit, the knitted ones are just adorable. Play with side and patterns to give some dimension to the space. You can find a pouf that suits your style and need, as the come in plenty of sizes and shapes.

Images Courtesy of:Furniture Decor Easy, Maronites TV, The Hidden List, Things We Heart, Trendirs

Magazine Love.....

Are you guys hip to Rue? Well if not let me be the first to introduce you to a magazine that's full of goodies. One of the things that the writers for Rue believe in is that "Inspiration is Everywhere". Which is so true in  life. Rue is an online magazine that I look forward to clicking through the pages every month to find out whats new and trendy. I'm telling you these gals, and guys as well do an awesome job each month with the design styles of this wonderful magazine. The mixture of styles and personalities appears and each and every page. If your a blog lover like myself you can also follow their blog Rue/Blog for weekly updates on whats going on over at Rue. I know their one of my favorites, so shout out to Rue Magazine for such a great product filled with great design inspirations.

Image courtesy of :Rue