The Suite Life

Spotted!!!!!!!

2011-07-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

I spotted some amazing finds at the local Home Goods this week! I have a serious crush on Z Gallerie and over the past week, I have seen these great Z Gallerie items at Home Goods:

Hour Glasses. My local HG had green, purple, aqua and white......I went back today for the white but apparently someone beat me to it :(

Z Gallerie Price $34.95

HG Price $9.99

Fabulous Procelain Filigrie Jar in Silver

Z Gallerie $129.99

HG $39.99

New York, Paris decorative boxes

Z Gallerie Price for a set of four $119.80

HG price $19.99 each

Amazing, huh?! Go check out your closest Home Goods! Happy Shopping!

The $25 Sofa

2011-07-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

As you probably know by now, we just moved into our home a few months ago. As a result each room is work in progress, a never-ending series of projects it seems. Our living room is no exception. Fortunately, I have an idea of what I want it to look like so there is a goal to work towards :) For weeks, I ~~stalked~~ combed craigslist for the sofa I was looking for. And then it turned up....for fifty dollars no less!!!! So, I bought it, sold the one I got for free off the curb for $75 and bought a new cover for it for $50. And that my friends is how you get a sofa for $25 out of pocket!!!!! I couldn't be happier with it, Still adding in elements of the room, but I wanted to share!

Inspiration for a "BIG GIRL" room!!!!

2011-06-30T15:11:00.000-07:00

I've gone back and forth on what I've wanted to do for our little princess' room for several months, and while it will still be a few before it all comes together, I finally have it all together in my mind. I love it when that happens, because then I feel like I can pull it off! I'm so excited! I know I haven't even revealed the little mister's room with you yet (just a few more projects....I promise....cross my heart!) but I thought I would at least share the overall plan with you.

The wall color:

AQUA!!!

I know it's a little unexpected for a girl's room, but mixed with pink and some metallic...beautiful!

I have found some beautiful fabric options for accents in the room such as throw pillows, roman shades, etc.......

Soooo pretty!

Sweet lil love birds!

Something geometric to mix things up a bit...

Or perhaps a mix of the above....

There are some really cute options out there!!!!!

Now on to the windows....We have these drapes from Target's Simply Shabby Chic line:

Lovely soft pink!!!

I would like to layer the windows with roman shades as well which I will make out of one of those fabulous fabrics above.

Now, on to the bedding options......

I love layered looks and the same goes for the bed. I would love to do a pink quilt with her monogram on it, similar to this:

Precious!!!

Then I would like to add a lovely duvet to the end of the bed.....

Gorgeous!!!!

Or maybe this one.....

I would like to add a painted armoire and since the walls will be aqua, I'm thinking pale pink!

Something vintagey painted pale pink.....

Tulle pom poms.....LOTS OF THEM!

Vintage Barbie Prints....we actually already have these....just need to get them framed.

So that's our loose plan! I'll keep you posted as it comes together!

~Krista

Sweeping Feathers And A Rocking Horse Make-Over

2011-06-27T14:03:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to sweep up feathers? So not an easy task! Think.....nailing jell-o to a wall, it's tricky. But, that's what I'll be doing for a while, probably until next Friday or so. It doesn't matter though, because it was SO WORTH IT!!!

It all started a few weeks ago when my sweet baby girl became obsessed with these American Girl horses that are in her Sunday School room. She loves them, runs right to them nearly every service and doesn't want to leave them. Then, we were at a friends home for a birthday party and I found myself repeatedly putting her up on the rocking horse (per her request). I told my husband on the way home we should probably try to find her a rocking horse. Lo and behold I found one at Goodwill just a few hours later. It was only $4.99 so I overlooked the fact that she needed some work and threw her in the cart. I nearly took out a few people with that horse sticking out of my cart but we managed.

Without further ado, behold....the before:

Pretty, well, let's call it "well-loved"!

I had to pry out the old mane. That was a CHORE!

My fingers will probably be sore for a week.

Once I got her all ready, I went to town.

Two hours .........

and nearly four cans of paint later..........

A rocking horse fit for a princess!

Can't wait for her to wake up so she can try it out!!!!

See the darling little feather boa mane and tail? Yep, you guessed it......A HOT Mess! But so fun and I just know my sweet girl will love it!

I have a few more projects I'll be sharing this week as well as some inspiration pics for the baby girl's "big girl room make-over".

Have a great Monday!

~Krista

Pillow Talk

2011-06-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

I love pillows. Truthfully, I love accessories of any kind. Pillows, mirrors (nothing beats the beauty of a great mirror!), shoes, handbags. It doesn't really matter if it's for your home or your wardrobe, accessories really pull a look together. I'm noticing a bit of a trend in pillows with the mixing of a lot colors and textures, and while I'm usually drawn to symmetry, I'm really loving the look!

Here are a few examples:

via: http://6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com/

via: http://6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com

via: http://emilyaclark.blogspot.com

via: http://6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com

LOVE so many things about that room!!!

via: http://emilyaclark.blogspot.com

via: etsy

via: etsy (NEED these for my living room!!!)

via: etsy (GORGEOUS!!!!)

There you have it. You don't need a matching set of pillows to pull a look together. Mix it up with colors and prints you love!

More Thrifty Treasures!!!!

2011-06-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

I know, I know......it's getting ridiculous all of this thrifting! When you keep finding great stuff (brand new stuff at that), it's hard to say no. So the other day, I was at GW. When I stumbled on these little pretties:

Kind of hard to see, but they are tall glasses with fleur de lis and hobnail raised detail. A beautiful irridescent!! I'm not sure where they came from, but they still had tags on each of them. They were priced at $7.99 a piece and I got them for .99!

That is one more fabulous find!

Here's another shot!

You can see the detail in this one a bit better......

One more fabulous find!

Are you inspired yet?

Go get your thrift on!!!

Check out these other great thrift store finds here:

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/fun-finds-for-the-week/

~Krista

SNEAK PEAK....Shiloh's Big Boy Room

2011-06-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

If you check in here once in a while you know that we've recently moved and we're updating Shiloh's room. It's really funny, because after all the choices I gave him, he picked what he had in his nursery. I thought he had no way of remembering what was in the nursery because it's been in storage for nearly two years. Apparently, I was wrong.....the other day he asked me if I remembered his "circle crib" (he had a round crib) so, evidently, he does indeed remember elements of it. Smarty pants :)

Really, his room is almost done, just a few more projects to go. I LOVE the way it's turning out and he loves it, which makes it even better! Here's a sneak peak of the room. I made the headboard last Friday night. I need a stronger staple gun, so it was trickier than it should have been.

Love the texture of the headboard fabric!!!

Sock monkey chillaxin' :)

Wreath map I made from a travel sized atlas from the dollar store, it is a vintage travel theme after all! Just one of the MANY things I made for this room.

I actually saw the idea on another blog but I can't remember which one. I'll try to track it down and share it with you.

That's a little sneak peak. I'm hoping to wrap it all up in the next few weeks so I can show you the whole thing.

~Krista

A Bit Of Progress In The Dining Room

2011-06-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

I made a small bit of progress in the dining room.....REALLY small. Progress is still an accomplishment however and I'm happy with the little bit of headway. I recovered our bench in one of the fabrics I showed you the other day and I LOVE the way it turned out! Such a small thing, but it made a big difference.

This is the "before" pic of the bench:

Kind of blah.....

Pay no attention to that toy in the background.

That's how we roll around here.

Here's the after.

Isn't it better!!!!!?

Did you notice the water pitcher I scored at Goodwill with those big, beautiful peonies?

Still love it, so pretty!

Here's another of the bench.

So much better! Except now, I think I'll paint the frame/legs black so they pop more against that fabric. Because, you know, I don't have enough projects on the list ;)

In other news, I stayed up late last night making the little Mr. a headboard. I'm a workin' machine!! I'm nearing the end of projects for his room, just a few more to go and then I'll be DONE.....with that room anyway. I'll try to remember to share the headboard saga soon and give you a sneak peak of his room.

Have a blessed weekend all!

~Krista

Dining Room Idea Round-Up

2011-06-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

For the last few weeks, I've been trying to come up with ideas for each room in the home we just moved into. The dining room started to take shape in my mind. I found a lot of inspiration in this dining room:

Isn't it gorgeous!!!!?! It's Emily's dining room over at www.emilyaclark.blogspot.com

You should go over and check it out. Her home tour is amazing!! I love this room. Maybe it's the control freak in me, but I LOVE all the symmetry. Isn't it just the perfect mix? Her whole house is this perfect, go check it out, you will be amazed!

At any rate, the furniture I'm working with is actually very similar to the furniture in this room. I have a black table , which is one of my favorite things, that we bought last year around Christmas with the Christmas money we got from my sweetheart's parents.

Isn't she pretty?

In addition to the table, I have a bench we use for seating and cane back chairs (which are still in storage, but hopefully will arrive in the next month or so).

I want to paint the walls a soft gray. A nice neutral for all the fun fabric I want in the room.

Here are the fabulous fabrics......

I've ADORED this fabric for a while. It's sophisticated without being too stuffy or serious.

I like this one so well, I think it will probably show up in a different color in another room!

Remember this picture?

Of course you do! The campaign dresser I scored at Goodwill last month (for $6.99!!!) will be painted one of the shades of purple in the first fabric or that lovely yellow.....still trying to decide. Any thoughts?

I have a lovely black venetian style mirror in storage that would look great over the dresser, but I'm really liking this one as well:

Sooooo pretty!

Still trying to decide on wall art. I love the botanicals that Emily used in her dining room! Still on the lookout for something.......

That's the dining room plan!

Happy decorating!

Krista

More Amazing Goodwill Finds!!!!!

2011-05-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

On average, I've been wandering in to my local Goodwill 2 or 3 times a week. Mostly because I almost always find something useful at an amazing price. This past week when I was there I happened upon some serving dishes. Since most of my serving pieces are still in storage I thought I could definitely spare the $2.99 for two large serving plates, a large serving bowl, a small serving bowl and a butter dish. They were taped together but I could tell they would be really pretty. White with gold harness detail around the rim. Really beautiful, and neutral enough to go with almost anything while adding a touch of glam. You know I love the glam! Once I got home, I untaped them and begin to prepare them to wash and get them ready for company. I turned over the butter dish and nearly fainted. I had un-knowingly purchased Ralph Lauren serving pieces with the tags still on them.

Are you ready for the run down? You're going to die.

Well, hopefully not.....

The butter dish original price................... $40.00

The small bowl..........................................$21.50

Large serving dish.....................................$94.50

Large serving plate..................................$107.00

Grand Total............................................$370.00

I mean who in their right mind would pay nearly $400 for 5 serving pieces? Even if I had that kind of money I have strong feelings about stewardship and being careful about wisely using what God has given you. Especially, with the vast needs there are in this world. I better not get on that soapbox, that's a whole other post!

Another great find......I've been wanting a silver water pitcher to use for flowers.

Here's the one I found.

$2.99!!! I LOVE her!!!!!! Won't she be pretty all shined up with some big ole peonies spilling out the top?!!!

Later the same day, I was browsing Amazon for something completely different when I came across this.

Here's the link......

http://www.amazon.com/FOOTED-SILVER-PITCHER-PLATED-WATER/dp/B001FYSE2G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1306252147&sr=8-2

$89.99 is Amazon's price. The retail price? $172.00!!!

Those were some of my great finds from the last week or so. I have more to share, but that will be a later post.

linking up here:

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/fun-finds-for-the-week/

Happy Hunting! Go get your thrift on!

Side Table Turned Toddler Desk

2011-05-17T07:21:00.000-07:00

I love a good project! A friend of mine once told me that if I had a super power, it would probably be transforming stuff with spray paint. My children are lucky they're still their original color (I jest). Seriously though, our home has been transformed one project at a time with a sewing machine, hot glue, spray paint and fabr-i-tac. You could glue a monkey to a quilt with fabr-i-tac, but that's a whole other post!

As you already know, I've been updating my little guy's bedroom bit by bit. I've been on the hunt for a kid sized table and chair that could be used to sit and do puzzles, play, color, look at books and imagine exploring far-off destinations. I couldn't find what I wanted, but sometimes you just have to think outside the box. A week or two ago, I was browsing Goodwill (shocking, I know!) and came across a little ikea side table. The size was good, but it was pretty beat up. The price tag though, was only .99 cents. I figured if it didn't work out, I wasn't out very much money so I hauled it home, cleaned it up, and gave it one coat of primer and two coats of spray paint.

Here's the before:

Not very pretty, I know.

This is a picture of the .99 cent price tag:

Pretty beat up, but worth the work.

Here is the after:

Much better! My little guy loves playing here and it takes up much less room than the HONKIN' HUGE train table that was in his room before.

I want to get him a little wooden chair like this one from ikea.

Cute, huh? They're only $12.99 too!

I'm linking up to this spray painting party here.

Check out some other seriously great spray painting projects. I have a few other past spray painting projects I'll try to post later this week.

Happy spray painting!

Krista

The Beginning of a Love Affair.....

2011-05-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

It all started with this picture, which I first saw in Domino magazine.

I was smitten.

Can you love a chair? I think you surely can if it has so much glamour your sure it will rub off on your entire home.

Living in the Midwest, I had no idea how hard it would be to find them. I set out to scour the Internet. I had no luck, but this image never left my head.

A few years later and some beautiful replicas started popping up.

This chair is available through Jonathan Adler and can be yours for a mere

$450-650 dollars.

Per

chair.

No.

Joke.

Are you still breathing? I didn't think so.

Ballard Designs has a much more affordable option:

This little beauty is only $249. Much better, but still, if you need more than one......not really affordable.

After searching,

and searching, I finally found some!

I am a firm believer that you can find what you want at a price you can afford with a little patience and digging.

Mine will need a paint job (no problemo, just add it to my list!)

Here they are:

LOVE!

Just. you. wait!

They will be TO DIE FOR when this whole living room is painted and finished.

OH, I almost forgot the best part.

The price.

I know, the price is rarely the best part. When you're a bargain hunting fiend it is!

The pair of vintage Chinese Chippendale chairs......

DRUM ROLL PLEASE....

35 BUCK-A-ROOS.

Yep, $35.00 for the pair.

Peel yourself off the floor and keep searching for something you love!

Glorious Goodwill.....And A Sneak Peek

2011-05-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been frequenting our local Goodwill. It started out because I was looking for a few inexpensive tea cups for my daughter's birthday party and since then I find myself going more and more. I think it's partly because of Mr. Goodwill Hunting's blog. Have you read it? You must! Go read it now and then come back! You can find it here:

http://www.rashoncarraway.com/

It's amazing isn't it! I have to say I've found some pretty amazing stuff at ours so this may have to turn into a weekly post for me. My first great find were two really large apothecary jars.

LOVE. THEM! The ginormous one was $4.99 and the large one was $1.99!

We used them on the food table at my daughter's party.

Soooo purdy!

Then, just last week I came across this.....

Well, hello pretty runner with the $89.99 tag still on it from Target!

I paid $2.99!

AMAZING, RIGHT?

In the same trip I scored a campaign dresser, I had been looking for one to use as a buffet in my dining room. It's this style:

Not sure what color I'll paint it, but I can't wait to show you the before and after!

The best part......

I paid $6.99!

Last but, not least I found a couple of cute additions for the little Mister's room I've been working on.

Cute 'lil airplane lamp $2.99

Handsome ship perfectly fit for a vintage travel room.....$1.99

Really I have lots more to post about but I think I hear the baby girl.

Happy treasure hunting!

Krista

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2011-05-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

In honor of Mother's Day I thought I would share with you a favorite poem.

Babies Don’t Keep

by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,

Hang out the washing, make up the bed,

Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,

Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew

And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo

But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo

Look! Aren’t his eyes the most wonderful hue?

Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep

Master Bedroom Ideas

2011-05-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

I'm in a bit of a decorating frenzy and for the last few days have been pouring over pictures on the internet looking for inspiration for our Master Bedroom. I think I've got it!!! Here's what's moving me so far......

THIS BEDROOM. I stumbled on http://studioten25.com/blog/

Let me just say, she is seriously talented in the interior design arena.

I could get lost on her blog, of course, my children might never get fed, so there is that to consider.

Here is a pic of her bedroom:

Love the soothing wall color and the sunburst mirror! I was already planning on putting a sunburst over our bed......here's one I really like from Ballard Designs

Give me a second to compose myself and wipe the drool of my face.

HOW GORGEOUS IS THAT!!??!!?

This is pretty close for wall color:

Rainwashed by Sherwin Williams

On to the fabric choices. I like mixing colors and textures with a really colorful fabric as a base so you can pull other colors in.

This is the colorful fabric I'm leaning toward:

P. Kaufman

with a little chevron

Hello lovely!

A pop of green somewhere.......

or maybe this one

I'll just order swatches for both :)

Then a monogrammed pillow for good measure.

Love something fun and over the top like this but with an orange monogram.

Available from http://www.luxurymonograms.com/Pillows-s/71.htm

That's the start of the inspiration for our room. It's probably going to be a long project, we'll keep posting on the progress......

Have a great weekend!

Krista

Union Jack Pillow Hack

2011-05-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a quite a few projects for the little man's room. A few days ago, I posted a fabulous picture of a Union Jack dresser which I LOVE. As I was looking around the room though, I thought it would be too much.

Then I found a picture of a Union Jack pillow on Nieman's website......

$425.00

WHAT?

Plus $65.00 shipping and handling.

That's a quick way to stop a heart.

Anywhooooo. I was brousing in Tar-Jay yesterday and found a solid navy blue pillow on clearance for $4.98. I had some seam binding leftover from the curtains I'm making over for the room (I'll show you that later :)

and........our version.

$7.25

LOVE. IT.

Go hack yourself a pillow :)

Headboard wall ideas for the "Big Boy Room"

2011-05-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! We've been pretty busy getting things started on the little man's room. We painted and it looks great! I love it. I thought maybe it would be too dark, but with the other things that are going into the room, it's going to be perfection (at least I think so ;).

I just realized I never posted the space we're working with.

Classic "before" pic......we just moved in, so I guess it's not too bad.

It's a strange room...

lots of nooks.....

and crannies.

See what a I mean....

Enough of that.

I want to do an upholstered headboard and I found a fabulous textured fabric that has raised circles in it at JoAnn Fabric. Can't find a picture of it anywhere, but it's by Dwell Studio.

I would also like to do THIS above his headboard.................swoon!

via HGTV

Love it!

Hopefully, I'll have more pictures of the actual room to post later this week.

Gigi's Teddy Bear Tea Party

2011-04-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from our recent party for our princess' second birthday. I'll do a full post later on with all the details.

Happy Weekend!

Krista

More Great Finds For The "Big Boy" Room

2011-04-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

I found a few other great things I think I may add to the little Mr.'s room. A few of them are a bit eclectic, but I think the mix will keep it from being a room that screams "TODDLER!"

Since it's a "Vintage Travel" inspired room, I thought it might be fun to do a union jack dresser.

HOW FUN IS THIS??!!

Image found here:

http://lifeofstyle-lifestyle.blogspot.com/2010/07/designer-spotlight.html

Here are some really great vintage travel prints.

Not sure where all of these are from as I've been scouring the internet looking for them.

I think the chevron rug would be unexpected and add a punch of fun to a little boys room. I think for his room, I would do it in gray and white since I'm using a lot of chrome touches.

Image via http://www.blackvelvetcharir.blogspot.com/

Urban Outfitters has a really affordable version in the color I'm looking for!

I pretty much love everything about that photo above, but that could be a whole post by itself.

This next picture is an art cable that I think is just adorable! My little guy loves to display his work, so if I have a spot for it, this might be a cute addition.

Via Pottery Barn Kids

I'm hoping to get the room painted this weekend. Ideally, I would like to refinish his dresser, and bookshelf, and get the curtains finished as well, but you know, one thing at a time.

Happy Wednesday!

Krista

Big Boy Room Inspiration

2011-04-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

via www.thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com

Last year I posted about some things I was looking at to apply to my 3 year old's "Big Boy Room". At the time we were renting a postage stamp sized apartment and I didn't want to invest very much since I couldn't paint at all. I made some vintage inspired wall art (my sweet boy was wanting "music stuff" at the time) with instruments but didn't make any big changes since I knew we would be moving. I'm sure glad I didn't!!!!! Since moving into our new home my son has informed me that he wants a "blue" room with airplanes and cars. Now, he has no way of remembering this, but his nursery was done in a vintage travel theme but all of those things have been in storage for the last year and a half because we didn't have room for them. PERFECTION! I'll have to paint a few things to make them all work together, but I think it will be a fun room that he'll love. We'll be modifying the color scheme to more primary colors to make things a bit more sharp and crisp. I mentioned in my last post that the ThriftyDecorChick did an amazing job on her son's room with these colors, I hope you got a chance to check it out. Here's a few pictures I'm using as inspiration.

How cute is this little airplane clock from Pottery Barn Kids?!!

The color is perfect too!

Pottery Barn Kids

We have some airplanes and a hot air balloon that will be perfect after a coat of paint. They are in storage in Florida though (UGGH!). We'll have to wait on that one, here's what ours look like at the present.

Here are the ADORABLE airplane sheets we got from KMart:

Too cute right?!

I found this great fabric that I would like to use to make some alternate sheets for him as well:

I LOOOOOVE IT! I might even make my little man some pjs with it as well.

This is the color I'm loving for the walls, a deep, navy blue:

Of course, with wall color that dark, we'll be adding a lot of white to the room. I'll be painting the dresser white, as well as his bookshelf and the curtain panels will be white with red trim. I love this photo!!!!

via decorpad

Adorable room! I love the crisp white curtains with the red trim!

I would also love to do a drum shade chandelier like this one, but in colors that coordinate with his room.

Can't remember where this photo is from, so if you know, leave me a note :)

Last, but not least, I would like to add a touch of geometric fabric to mix it up a bit.

There you have it. That's our somewhat loose plan. Now all I have to do is get to work!

Sweet Home Chicagoland

2011-04-22T05:02:00.000-07:00

A little over a month ago we moved back to the Chicago suburbs. I couldn't be happier. My husbands new job relocated him and we spent a few months looking for a home to rent. Let me just say, the current real estate market is CRAZY! With so many families loosing their homes the rental market was so aggressive that it took way longer to find something than we thought. We were looking to move to the Schaumburg area, which is a west suburb and ended up all the way out in St. Charles. We decided on a longer lease since the market was so crazy, and I have to say, I'm really happy we did. The thought of moving again makes me break out in hives. The home we're renting is a vintage farmhouse built over a hundred years ago with fabulous wood floors and built-ins and tons of charm. The next few months I'll be fixing things up room, by room. First up will be my 3 year old son's room because he asks me every week when we'll be painting his room. I'm thinking of using a lot of the vintage travel stuff he previously had in his nursery but punching it up a notch with primary, big boy colors. I found a ton of inspiration over at Thrifty Decor Chick and if you haven't checked out her blog yet, YOU MUST! Her son's airplane room can be found here:

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2010/05/details-of-airplane-room.html

It is too cute for words!

I'm happy to be back here, with a more permanent spot we can call home and will be thrilled if you come on this journey with me as I make this house a home.

~NEW~ THE MON PETITE CHERI HEADBAND COLLECTION

2010-10-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

This headband is beyond beautiful! It is perfectly layered with feathers, tulle, and chiffon rosettes and complimented with a coordinating velvet petite bow and sequin detail. This is perfect special occassion, upcoming holiday photos or for additional glamour for her sunday best.

Many color combos will be available!!

http://www.whimsyandrain.etsy.com/

Trash to Treasure

2010-09-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've been MIA for the Summer, we have been BUSY and had a lot of fun along the way. Over the next few weeks, I'll try to catch you up on all of our adventures.

By now you probably know that I love a good DIY project, so when I found this chair next to the trash in our neighborhood I had to give it a shot at new life.

Here is the HIDEOUS before pic. Can you even believe how ugly this is?!!?

With a bit of elbow grease, paint and some time at the sewing machine.....TADA! Here's the after, a cute chair to coordinate with my sweet girl's nursery. A great place to cuddle and read books.

Thrifty Thursday: A look for less

2010-05-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

I am constantly inspired by REALLY expensive things. I don't know why, perhaps the quality is better and I gravitate toward it. At any rate, one of my favorite things to do is create a look for less! I happened on this particular one by total accident. One night a few weeks ago I was shopping in Target when I see this GORGEOUS crib bedding, in the encap sale pile no less......gasp. I thought it must have been some sort of mistake, I had never seen it in the store before. The crib bumper was $11.76, the skirt was $7.96 and the crib sheets (one in each pattern) were $3.36. Huh? I put it in the cart and nearly took out three people in my rush to get out of the store before someone could take it away. Only kidding, well maybe not really. Once I got home I looked it up on line and they still sell it, it's called Bananfish Lily, not on sale or clearance yet. I'm thinking someone must have bought the whole set and then decided to return it and the store wasn't sure what to do with it. At any rate, it's a gorgeous option to some really expensive designer bedding by Serena and Lily. Target's price for such beautiful decadance? $14.99-49.99 (a whole lot more than what I paid, but a great price!) as opposed to the designer option at $449-489!

My angel in her fabulous new bedding!

Serena and Lily Lucy $489

Serena and Lily Kate $449

Bananfish Lily $14.99-49.99

LOVE it!

Krista

What Five Bucks Will Get You

2010-05-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

You might not know this about me yet, but I have a secret obsession with paint. I've brought home so many devastatingly, ugly pieces. When we first got married, I'm sure my husband thought I was loony. He's used to it now. My latest find came to me last weekend when I was at a rummage sale. She was a really ugly old mirror, but I thought how can I let that poor thing go on living like that? So, I:

1. Removed her frame.
2. Took her outside and sprayed the living daylights out of her.
3. Replaced the mirror with an old cork board I had lying around. (Not really sure where it came from or why I had it :)

TaDa. Please excuse the hideous pics, it rained the whole week when I did this project. She is a beautiful cork board now. I'm not sure if I'll leave her white or not. You know, I really am obsessed with painting and repainting. That's probably another post, maybe I should form some sort of support group. Anyway, I wanted to share her with you. If you know where I can get some really fab push pins on the cheap, please let me know.

Happy Monday!

Before

After....maybe she would look better black.....or turquoise. Anyway, she's much prettier now!

Inspiration for a "BIG BOY" room.

2010-05-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

Drummer Boy

Serena and Lily

RH Baby and Child

Serena and Lily

Lately, I've been looking for ideas to change things up for Mr. Monkeypants. I loved his vintage travel nursery and I picked that theme at the time because I thought it would last him a long time. It would if he was your average two year old. He's funny as far as two year olds go. He has a definite opinion about things and he LOVES music. Of course, all children like music but he is OBSESSED. It would probably be a whole other post to tell you all about that. To give you an idea, I was looking at a music book with him the other day and thinking I would throw him off I pointed at a picture. "Do you know what that is Shiloh?" "It's a french horn Mommy!" Of course it was. Needless to say, we are looking for some music things for his room decor. Not as easy of a task as you might think. Most of the music related decor I've found is more geared for a tween. Think Rock. Not what I want for my two year old. So, I've decided to go with a classic pale blue, chocolate brown and white color scheme for his room. I can't paint or anything in this horrid rental, but that's a whole other ~~rant~~, post. However, I've had great sucess finding vintage children's records I'm not even sure if I'll use them all, but they are CUTE!!!!!!!! Above are some pics of our inspiration. Of course, the ispiration items are all over-the-top expensive so we'll have to see what cheap alternatives I can come up with. Enjoy, and if you have any other ideas, feel free to share!

Krista

NEW ETSY SHOP!!!!!

2010-05-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

Well, after going back and forth on the name of the etsy shop, I decided I just really wanted something different. For those of you who have visited the shop, you know I am trying to offer home decor items as well as baby and child items. You can now visit the shop at

http://www.whimsyandrain.etsy.com

Currently we are offering home decor items, and neckties for the little men in your life. I have hair accessories (or just head accessories if your little lady is bald like mine :) for girls of all ages that will be added to the store soon. Take a look and keep your eyes peeled for a give away soon!

Happy Monday!

Krista

Gigi's "Sweet One" Birthday Party

2010-04-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Gigi's first birthday party. My theme was "Sweet One", so there was candy and sweet stuff everywhere! It was very colorful and fun. We had mini gumball machines for favors on the candy buffet table with tags that read "thank you for making my birthday sweet!" Some other special touches included giant lollipops made out of tissue decorations and dowel rods that adorned the entryway as well as the sides of the dessert table. We used candy bracelets as napkin rings and played "pin the lollipop on the stick" to carry the theme further. I made Miss Gigi a onesie adorned with a cupcake for the occasion. Hope you enjoy, feel free to ask questions!

I'm alive!

2010-04-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

It has been forever since I took the time to sit down and write. I don't know why exactly. Perhaps it's because the last year and a half has been such a transition for us. We moved to Florida, had a new baby girl, moved back to Illinois and started travelling. Sometimes, I feel breathless just thinking about it. It has been a journey, one that despite all the ups and downs I would not trade. It has given me closure on some things and some very definite direction on others. Is there anything better than clear direction? I don't think so.

On a lighter note, we enjoyed a great Easter last weekend with some friends and only yesterday had Miss Gigi's first birthday party. More to come this week on all that. There WILL be pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. I hope you enjoy the sunshine and the fresh Spring air today, and remember to enjoy your journey!

Gigi's Nursery

2009-06-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

This is pictures of Gianna's nursery. It's still a work in progress, so your thoughts on the space are welcome. I made her crib bedding since I couldn't find anything I liked, the crib was from Grandma's house and I refinished it white. The pink mirror was gold and used to hang in our living room, the dresser was a $20 thrift store find that was refinished as well. The vintage chandie was found on craigslist for $15.00! The next thing I would like to do is purchase a comforter for the bed that occupies the space. The white smocked duvet is from Target's Simply Shabby Chic line and the pink rose bedding is from Land of Nod. Maybe we should just purchase both and switch them out every once in a while. What do you think?

Superb Summer Desserts

2009-06-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

While perusing through the internet for ideas for July 4th festivities I came across these fabulous desserts! Hope they inspire you as well! All pictures from Marthastewart.com. For all recipes and more inspiration check out the website!!

Virtual Shopping Trip

2009-06-17T07:52:00.000-07:00

I just came across the greatest store website. Check out victoriatradingco.com. They have fabulous finds for the home, both inside and out as well as fashions for you! The prices are pretty reasonable as well! Here are a few of my favorite things.

Summer Lovin'!!!

2009-06-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

I just love summer desserts. No wait, make that all dessert! I found this picture recently, I think it was on Country Living's website, and I've been inspired. Sherbert Pops!!! How good do those look? I think I'll try to make some sort of frozen confection in the near future. Seeing as how it was 95 degrees here in sunny South Florida today, it's probably not a bad idea. I just love colors of this one too, reminds me of my daughter's nursery which is still a work in progress. I think I'll do a post of it in the near future so you can give me your input on some finishing touches.

Happy Monday!

**MISSING PEONIES*

2009-06-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

We recently moved back to South Florida, and while the sun shining for at least part of the day is a welcome change, there are some things I miss about Chicago and the midwest in general. When we moved to the suburbs of Chicago 6 years ago I fell in love with the city, the culture, the fabulous antiques and vintage buildings that surrounded me and the many different flowers that were cultivated through the seasons changes. With the month of June here I realized what I was missing around my home, my favorite flower, peonies. Beautiful, big, gorgeous peonies that are surely popping up everywhere this week. It's far too hot here in Ft. Lauderdale for these beauties to survive so I went on a little walk through internet gardens to pick my favorite flower. I hope they brighten your day as much as they did mine.

New in Store

2009-06-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

I have had a little time to work on some new items for my etsy store. Here are some pictures of the new goodies! Be sure to check out my store at www.thesuitelife.etsy.com

Come Outside and Play!

2009-05-21T06:38:00.000-07:00

With Summer fast approaching I am longing to set up an outdoor dining space. Space and funds are a bit limited though, so for right now, I'm just searching for things that inspire me. Hope you find something to inspire you as well or maybe, just brighten your day!

Shiloh's Room Featured!

2009-05-08T11:31:00.001-07:00

I have a couple of favorite blogs that I follow, one of which is the blog at The Baby Gardner. Debbie is the host and owner of the fabulous store which carries all things drool-worthy for vintage and vintage inspired baby items. Recently she asked for entries of vintage inspired nurseries so I thought I would share Shiloh's. I was so pleased she decided to feature his room. Check it out here:

http://thebabygardner.com/blog/2009/04/28/baby-shilohs-vintage-travel-nursery/

Much to be thankful for

2009-05-06T09:42:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I proudly posted pictures of our new baby, Gianna Gabrielle Byers. A day or two later I took Shiloh and Gigi to the pediatrician to follow up for Shiloh because he had been sick with the croup two days before. Shiloh's report was great, his lungs were clear and he was recovering beautifully. However, when the Doctor checked Gigi he looked more than a little concerned. He suggested we take her emergency at the Children's hospital right away and warned me that it was quite possible that we would be admitted. They did xrays and blood work, and I held my tiny girl's hand through a blur of tears while they did a lumbar puncture on her tiny back.

It turned out she had RSV, because of it, she wasn't getting enough oxygen when breathing on her own. It was a tiring, scary week full of long nights and many prayers. Through it all, God was with us and our new little bundle.

A week after she was admitted, our sweet little miracle was released to come home. Today she went to the Doctor to follow up for her one month appointment and in the last 2 weeks, she has gained one pound, 7 ounces. She now is 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 ½ inches long. Sometimes it is in the quiet of life's most frightening moments that shows us just how much he loves us. If you happen to find yourself in such a moment, know that He is there and listen; He is telling you just how much He loves you.

Meet our Gigi

2009-04-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

Our precious little girl is here! On April 8th, the wee one arrived at 12:39 PM weighing in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring 18 inches long! We are simply dazzled by her. These pictures were taken in some the few awake moments she had the other day. She's one week old today and I just had to share our excitement!

Great Friday!

2009-04-03T18:46:00.000-07:00

Today was my husband's day off, the last one before our girl arrives. We decided to take Shiloh to do some of his favorite things. We started out eating breakfast out and then found a tot lot where Shiloh had a blast running around and playing. He decided it was much more fun to go down the slide backwords and he would clap with glee every time he slid down, too cute. Then he would walk away a little bit and turn around and wave at us. We went for burgers for lunch and Shiloh fell asleep on the way home, tuckered out from his morning adventure. Once he woke from his nap we took him for ice cream at Jaxson's, a phenomenal place. If you are EVER in South Florida you have to check it out, it is a true historical fixture, it's been featured on the Food Network, it has fabulous antiques lining the walls and the only word for the ice cream is COLLOSAL. It is a great experience you can't miss. Check out the website at www.jaxsonsicecream.com. It was a truly great day, filled with fun, laughter, bear hugs and sticky kisses. It was such a special day, I couldn't help but feel a twinge sad knowing that this was our last day, just the three of us, but we're so excited to meet our girl on Wednesday! Stay tuned to meet her!

Remember that banner project?

2009-04-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, while I was working on about a thousand other things for my baby girl's nursery, those vintage travel souvenier pennants I got on ebay arrived for my son's room! I had intended to sew them to fabric to make a banner, but they came with tabs that I could just tie onto whatever. I also didn't realized how many of them there would be, and in varying sizes too! I decided to do some big ones over the curtains and a small banner for the front of his crib. I think they really added a lot! I still have a few projects I want to finish for his room, but I wanted to share how this turned out. Let me know what you think! I'll do a more detailed post of Shiloh's vintage travel room later when it's closer to completed. Enjoy! PS~That adorable little guy peeking out of his crib is our Shiloh!

Showered With Love

2009-03-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday several of my friends got together to throw a shower to celebrate the coming of our baby girl. It was truly beautiful! My friend April and her mother-in-law made a GORGEOUS cake. It was the first time they had ever worked with fondant and they did a breathtaking job!!!! It was such a special day, I just wanted to share some pics. Enjoy!

Sneak Peek of the Nursery

2009-03-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of a few items you will find in baby girls nursery. We've been busy this week working like dogs to get it all done. She'll be here in a week and a half! Whew, hope I don't go into labor early! I decided on a mix of all things vintage, french and fashion. Really, it's just going to be a soft, girly space. Pictures of the final product to come!!!

Fashion Friday

2009-03-20T11:31:00.001-07:00

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Since I'm nearing the end of this pregnancy I thought I would jump on the "Fashion Friday" bandwagon, such a fun concept. Here are a few things I hope will be joing my closet soon!

More Easter Decor

2009-03-19T08:00:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I left this out on my earlier easter post, but a few weeks ago I listed a new set of vintage bunny towels on my etsy site. Here are a few pictures, hope you like!

www.thesuitelife.etsy.com

A Few Pictures of My Treasures

2009-03-18T16:05:00.000-07:00

Last week on my husband's day off we decided to go to the beach for a bit since our new address lands us about 5 minutes away. Our Shiloh loved it! It was so much fun to experience it through his eyes with such awe and wonder. Here are a few pictures I took of my two favorite guys.

An Idea Is Born

2009-03-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been working on some finishing touches for my son's vintage travel room. I know, i know I really need to get working on my sweet little girl's room. She'll be here just 3 weeks from today! I have decided on the direction I want to go in for her room, I have a ton of painting to do and hopefully, I'll get started on that in the next day or two. Anyway, back to my son's room, I found a great flag banner at The Land of Nod and the colors were perfect. I decided to look on ebay too, which somehow led me to look for vintage banners and I found a lot of 26 vintage travel souvenier banners!!!!!!! How cool is that? I won the auction and I can't wait to get them, I'm going to string together on material and hang them over his curtains to add more color to his room. Can't wait to post a picture of the finished product.

Simply Decadent Bedrooms

2009-03-17T19:42:00.000-07:00

The impending birth of my second child has me both excited and a little aprehensious. Really, I'm wondering just how much sleep will I get? This thought process led me to find some simply dreamy bedrooms. Surely I'd be able to coax a newborn and a 19 month old to sleep in rooms such as these.

In Search of Living Room Ideas

2009-03-10T19:50:00.001-07:00

We recently moved and I'm working to beat the band trying to set everything up before our little girl arrives in just 4 weeks. I always like to try to see things in new ways, especially when my surroundings are new. I've always drooled over classic black chesterfields. Of course, it is seriously out of my budget right now but it got me thinking, maybe I can cover my current sofa in black and have a whole new living room. I want to combine things I love and it would work well with my accent chairs ( I have 2 cream chairs and 2 black and cream leopard chairs). I would like to keep the walls white but add some cottage elements to make the combo a little less stark. Here are some pics I found of neutral living rooms that are food for thought.

Easter's on it's way!!!!

2009-03-08T10:06:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about Easter a lot the last few days. It's probably because my sweet daughter is scheduled to arrive via c-section on Good Friday and more than likely we'll be coming home on Easter. I'm trying to juggle so many things which is why I haven't blogged in a while setting up our new home we're renting, unpack and after that try to pull a nursery together in just a few short weeks! Whew! With all of this on my plate I really must put together the kids Easter baskets and have them ready far in advance of our trip to the hospital but in my search for some things for them, I came across some great finds for the home at www.roomservicehome.com. It's a fabulous site and not just for Easter things, perfect to browse if you're looking for a unique gift or if you just want to view a little eye candy. Check it out!

Sweet baby girl clothes and accessories!

2009-01-30T06:14:00.000-08:00

I've been looking at some of the most delicious girl clothing and accessories to get ready for our princess. Here are a few of my favorites!

Breathtaking Baby Girl Nurseries

2009-01-26T06:53:00.000-08:00

As many of you may know, my husband and I are expecting our second miracle, a baby girl! I've been so busy over the past few months I haven't really had time to think about getting ready for her. So, I decided to dedicate this week of blogging to her and seeking inspiration for her. Today I'd like to share some nurseries that have inspired me. Enjoy!

The Suite Life's First Promotional Give-Away!

2009-01-17T14:50:00.000-08:00

For the first give-away, we'll be giving away a Valentine "Music of my Heart" flour sack towel, perfect for the kitchen or bathroom!! We will be drawing by FEBRUARY 2!To enter for your chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment to this posting. For more of our great products check out:
www.thesuitelife.etsy.com

Best of luck!

Busy with Etsy!

2009-01-16T06:36:00.000-08:00

I have been a busy girl getting my etsy store up and running! Yesterday was spent working on orders and creating a few new things too.

Very soon, I'll be opening a few new categories in the store. Watch for "The Nursery Suite" to open soon. That will be a lot of fun, you can expect to find baby clothing and accessories there.

Tomorrow I'll be posting information for the first promotional give away! So check back and don't forget to enter for your chance to win!

A cute way to stay organized in the new year! Fun Laundry Bags!!!

2009-01-01T11:29:00.001-08:00

I recently created this vintage inspired laundry bag, and have had such a positive response from friends and family, that I thought I would share it with all of you here in blog world. It makes a daunting task much more appealing! I can create custom ones as well and change the coloring to match your decor. There will be more styles available soon in my etsy store. I'll post pics of the new designs as they become available. These little darlings are just $15.00 plus shipping. If you're interested, contact me at TheSuiteLife.kmb@gmail.com

Great Gifts Under $25.00!

2008-12-22T10:35:00.000-08:00

Here are some great finds and nothing is over $25.00! Things of beauty don't have to cost a fortune. Everything is available at Pottery Barn or Z Gallerie. Hope find something for someone on your list!

Fabulous Christmas Things

2008-12-21T18:25:00.000-08:00

I just adore Christmas! When it comes to decor, I'm not a less is more kind of girl. This year there are even more fabulous color schemes and fun trimmings! Here are just a few things that leave me drooling. Hope you enjoy!!

The Suite Life

Spotted!!!!!!!

The $25 Sofa

Inspiration for a "BIG GIRL" room!!!!

Sweeping Feathers And A Rocking Horse Make-Over

Pillow Talk

More Thrifty Treasures!!!!

SNEAK PEAK....Shiloh's Big Boy Room

A Bit Of Progress In The Dining Room

Dining Room Idea Round-Up

More Amazing Goodwill Finds!!!!!

Side Table Turned Toddler Desk

The Beginning of a Love Affair.....

Glorious Goodwill.....And A Sneak Peek

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Master Bedroom Ideas

Union Jack Pillow Hack

Headboard wall ideas for the "Big Boy Room"

Gigi's Teddy Bear Tea Party

More Great Finds For The "Big Boy" Room

Big Boy Room Inspiration

Sweet Home Chicagoland

~NEW~ THE MON PETITE CHERI HEADBAND COLLECTION

Trash to Treasure

Thrifty Thursday: A look for less

What Five Bucks Will Get You

Inspiration for a "BIG BOY" room.

NEW ETSY SHOP!!!!!

Gigi's "Sweet One" Birthday Party

I'm alive!

Gigi's Nursery

Superb Summer Desserts

Virtual Shopping Trip

Summer Lovin'!!!

******MISSING PEONIES*****

New in Store

Come Outside and Play!

Shiloh's Room Featured!

Much to be thankful for

Meet our Gigi

Great Friday!

Remember that banner project?

Showered With Love

Sneak Peek of the Nursery

Fashion Friday

More Easter Decor

A Few Pictures of My Treasures

An Idea Is Born

Simply Decadent Bedrooms

In Search of Living Room Ideas

Easter's on it's way!!!!

Sweet baby girl clothes and accessories!

Breathtaking Baby Girl Nurseries

The Suite Life's First Promotional Give-Away!

Busy with Etsy!

A cute way to stay organized in the new year! Fun Laundry Bags!!!

Great Gifts Under $25.00!

Fabulous Christmas Things

**MISSING PEONIES*