Pantry Project & Inspiration

Hubs and I just renewed our lease through January of 2013 {yikes!}...not very happy about it, nor am I happy about the SERIOUS price increase but...c'est la vie! We decided to make the most of the situation and give the place a mini-makeover. I'd love to say we are going to redecorate but since we only plan to be there for a short while longer, I'd rather save the money to decorate our HOUSE. Instead we are going to give everything a deep clean, shuffle things around, re-organize and add more storage space. Yay! {hubs might not have the enthusiasm right now that I do, but he will thank me in the end, right babe?}

First up: The kitchen pantry. Here are some inspiration photos to tide you over until I can finish my project and post on the results.

{all images via Pinterest}

...of course I have inspiration photos of much larger pantries that are more decorated, but for our purposes in the rented apartment - I'm only after the organization and space-saving.

Can't wait until it's finished!

DIY Ottomans

This update is long {long} overdue. I just hadn't taken any pictures yet. Way back {in November} I posted a quick peek at the progress I had made on my ottomans but never posted about the finished product!

I started with these ottomans {from K-Mart!}

And then I stayed up all night removing the horrible fabric, tufting buttons and staples...
the second one went a lot faster but my hands were bruised for days!


I used the same foam cushion but covered it with new cotton batting and this fabric from premier prints





Next time I think I will use a pattern that is more forgiving if the fabric doesn't go on perfectly straight.


I'm still playing around with different trays to use on top for a flat surface

So, {considering this is the very first re-upholstery job I've ever done...} What do you think?!

I'm ready

...to start talking about C-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s! I've been avoiding it like the plague. Not avoiding Christmas, but avoiding the Christmas talk. It was just too soon for me. Now there's less than a month to go(aaaaaahhhhhh!) and I'm finally ready.

We've decided not to put up our tree this year *gasp*. It would take up waaay too much space and it's kind of a pain-in-the-butt. Somehow I end up putting it up, taking it down and putting it away all by myself. Since our apartment is so small (well not really, but compared to our old place it might as well be a shoebox) and our BIG tree (yay for Garden Ridge! Which is BACK in Richmond and totally worth the 2 hour drive from DC) is tucked away in storage, Executive decision: Have a Charlie-Brown tree this year. A REAL, small tree. Did you really think I was going to have a Christmas (not just any old Christmas but our first Christmas as a married couple) without a tree?? Um, NO.

But it has me thinking and dreaming of how to decorate a tiny little tree...

I used to decorate my tree in pink like this one before Chris and I moved in together. Somehow, I don't think he would appreciate the color choice this year!

(via thedailygreen)

This one can be planted after Christmas is over! I love this idea for a child's first Christmas. They get their own special tree that can grow up big and strong in their own backyard! My parents planted my first Christmas tree and I can still see it when I drive past our old house!

Depending on the size tree we end up with, our foyer table might be a good spot for it. Or I might do a boxwood tree (made from clippings) and put it there instead.

And this one is pretty - I'm a sucker for color-themed trees even though I love all the colorful and sentimental ornaments. (That's a post for another day)

And just because I can't resist...

Here are just a few BIG tree pictures that I love.

I'll stash these ideas away for next year =)

 (pictures via here and here)

Boo!

Our first full weekend in our new place and we got next to nothing accomplished! But, I did put out a few Halloween Decorations and thought I'd give you a glimpse.
I can't show you the whole thing zoomed out because that would reveal the boxes and clutter everywhere! We picked the pumpkins at Cox Farms a few weekends ago. LOVE that place!

Use of Yellow

We moved into our apartment last Saturday (yay!) and we are slowly settling in. There are still boxes to unpack and it will take me a while to make sure everything has a place. So my mind is going full speed ahead planning how to use what I've got to decorate the place, and what to look for when I'm out and about that could really spruce things up a bit. For the master bedroom, I've had my eye on a dark charcoal grey quilt from West Elm. I'm really in love with the grey & yellow combo these days but I haven't gotten around to using it just yet.

I created a little Ideabook on Houzz to help inspire me. Check it out!

via