eureka!

this is my eureka face I have an idea!

Around every february I start to get sick of my house it feels blah and needs the spring cleaning.. rearranging furniture weekend done to it. And you know what's been on my mind.. All of the stuff we have in our houses for decor that maybe we just are sick of or we want to get rid of what if 20 people who had the same feeling just all got together and we swapped treasures or accessories or clothesFUN!!!So how would you go about organizing thatgive out tickets for value or number of items?I kind've want to do this.. and I need to have parties againthey make me happywho's in?????

Almost Finished Hot Pink Baby Mural

Ok so heres the pink with the outlines on- what do you think for the middle? A monogram of her initials or her full name written out?

cute hardware

So Brooke sent me the link to this adorable hardware idea for my hot pink table-

is it not a fun idea?

OH I LOVE HAVING A GIRL

Heres a couple other fav's- which one do you like? I want to find an old junky dresser and redo it with some of this hardware too. Keshia found one at value village and its quite a treasure!

Anyone up for a trip to the junkyard?

I'm excited for a spring of redoing couches chairs and dressers. There's something about taking something old and making it new again that thrills the heck out of me.

Baby Girl Johnsons room...part 1

I am blessed to have an interior designer for a sister in law what can I say. Shes been working hard on designing this nursery with me. Also to have family on both sides that love projects and are very handy and crafty. We've all been working for a wile now on transferring the boys room into new babies room and this is what we've done so far- {click the link above to go to Brookes design blog she has more details}. There is still a lot that needs to be done- I need to get a hot pink crib sheet- anyone know where to get hot pink ones? I have to paint the hot pink art wall- hang some stuff- find a dress form - maybe redo a dresser- fix the curtains ectBut the bones are now done! see the hot pink table- it used to be black and kindve ugly Now its so adorable I cant wait to find some beautiful hardware for it. We originally were going to do the top portion white but it was a little stark so we did a faint faint pink and black on the bottom-
I love that we did black its so different and bold! the wood boards are gorgeous- we'll try and get a camera that makes it show up better cause it looks super cool and adds texture I have some way fun ideas for artwork. Can't wait!
In the pictures frames all of which were found at junkyards I want to hang a hook so I can change what outfit goes inside- my ballet point shoes are on the left as well as my grandmothers vintage necklace that I wore at my wedding an old purse that belong to my great great grandmother from the 1920's- oh people its gorgeous and lined in pink silk!- I love that little purse! And some art my sister bought me on her trip to europe in Monte Marte in Paris. I still might add a couple more frames of different thicknesses- and I'm looking for an old door to turn sideways and paint hot pink then hang pics of the baby on- it might be junkyard time again.
The crib was originally brown- we sanded and painted it white- unfortunately the bedding looks a little weird with the raised bed frame cause I need to be able to reach my little one- Im only 5' 3{ yes thats why I wear heels all the time}The brown blinds bug me- they are in every other window in my house but they still bother me in this room- what do you think?I'll update later on what's happening in the boys new room!

it's beginning to look a lot like....

My new treasure from target- I screamed inside a little when I saw it- red...scalloped..entertaining..baked goods.. all my fav things in one

enough said...

it was like the heavens opened when I saw this beauty!

I'm teaching a class this saturday on entertaining- one of my fav things to do is put new art up every holiday or just change it a little so it goes with the season- this piece for instance will probably get a coat of cream in the spring time. Seriously people this is so cheap to do get a 40 percent coupon from michales buy some canvases go to the dollar store get some paint- sketch a silhouette of something you love- they are easier to mess up on :) and ta da- a fresh winter scene in your house for under 20 bucks- that can be reinvented later!

Also another inexpensive decor solution if your not into sketching anything- just get the canvas- some mistints from Benjermin moore-they are half as much turn the canvas sideways and pour the paint down- I suggest doing the darkest colors first so the lighter ones show up.

I'm kind've into woodland creatures right now- I had an extra canvas so I decided to make something happy for my bathroom for the winter season. I'll get in creative moods where I just need something relaxing to focus on-painting does this for me. I learned to love it when for a full week in high-school in a humanities class I had all we did was watercolor- I did a replica of Monets Waterlilly's

I lived to go to school that week.

When I'd get stressed in University- I'd go paint.

The best part about making your own art is when you look at it it makes you smile and you can change it whenever you want.

Making it a transformation piece-

or just paint it all white again and start on something new.

Still trying to figure out the dilemma of my pretty white tree

aka all my ornaments are glass

dosn't go too well with twin 2 year olds

{who have already knocked over the tree}

any ideas? full blown barricade?

Some tips from an Interior Designer!

{image courtesy of Pottery Barn}

So Domestic Divas night was a total fun night. I think everyone that came got some great info, but for everyone that couldn't come I thought I'd give a little recap of some stuff I learned from a pro interior designer..1- don't hang your pictures too high- they should be at eye level2- don't put your furniture against the walls- people tend to do this but it makes the room less maneuverable3--neutral paint tones and bedding are the best and easiest to work with- then you can add color with accessories-that way if you ever get sick of them-have a party- or want to decorate for the holidays you just have to move accessories around4- you don't have to have a matching sofa and chairs- mix up your textures and patterns5-make sure your furniture fits your space not tooo oversized not too smallso there you go my fav things I learned.Heres a list of brookes favorite design sites you might want to check out!also visit her own design blog! I heart it!hiretoinspire

For those who are interested, here are a list of some of my favorite blogs and websites. Feel free to look at them and check out some of their links as well. If you have any other great sites you think I should see, feel free to leave a comment or email me at hiretoinspire(at)gmail.com

Little Green Notebook - has great tutorials for projects in your house. I have done a few, they are great!

The Lettered Cottage - great diy house makeovers

In The Fun Lane - from Edmonton. She transforms ugly to pretty.

The Inspired Room - great how tos and inspiring pictures.

Young House Love

Today's Creative Blog

Century Finds - great and inexpensive vintage items. I love their items for baby's.

Domestic Divas!

So this Thursday night at my house at 7 p.m is Domestic Divas night. My Sister- in Law Brooke is a Professional Interior Designer. She's going to come and teach us about the top 10 design mistakes that people make in their houses. Then she's going to do a Q and A. Bring questions and even pictures of your houses. Or upload them to somewhere online and I'll have my laptop we can just pull them up on. Everyone bring their Favorite treat. Trust me you don't want to miss this good info. My house looks awesome because of her expertise! Bring a friend- it will be a great night to just get out!my address is 7 Cranfield Manor- yes the house with 007 as my house numbers

Black and White Damask Wallpaper Focal Wall

So yesterday My sister in Law Brooke and I found wallpaper that we loved and decided to start a little project with the help of 80's wallpaper expert Joel Johnson- seriously there is an art to wallpapering-much trickier than it appears- I'm in the process of redoing our bedroom and am loving how this focal wall turned out- I cant wait to find fresh linens and pillows!

Cheap art for your home...

My new favorite thing is combos of vintage frames spray painted in the same color and arranged as collages on the wall. I'm doing this in our office right now and I can't wait to see how it turns out!

{Paper Plate Light Fixture}

On Top Design last week they each designed an entire townhouse and out of all the rooms this was my favorite. Nathan was the designer for this room- and I ADORE IT! I love the feel to it-the individual pieces - and diy art on the wall and a diy light fixture all that was done is chicken wire covered in paper plates. Is that not cool! I totally want to do this in my Kitchen or entrance way!

{DIY Mobiles}

{charliemac}

{blackbirdfashion}

{biffandbunny}

{beckaboo}

{roundhousedesigns}

{jassyboo}

{tiptoestudio}

{Urban baby}

All of these mobiles I found on etsy-I was thinking about all the new little babies out there and what would be cute as a mobile- and how to make your own- so here are some cute ideas- below the pics are the names of the shops on etsy. arn't they cute- and so different from the norm!

{Old things made new}

Ok- I really am Kind've into vintage stuff latley thanks to my friend keisha-I was trying to think of what to finish my boys room in and when I saw what she did with her kids rooms I adored them-so I took some pictures of her creativness to share..my fav's include..the dress form-hanging one of Livies dresses as art-an old window with cardboard glue gunned to the bottom and minitures on the top-the old mirror we found a couple weeks ago- it was from an 80 year old ladies house- cool eh- I love things with stories behind them and I think stuff you put on your walls should tell a story. I love nixons crib its so old and spindilie- and I love the color. The old hand mirror and brush set put a bit of glam into the room and I love the old baseballs and toy indians and soldiers on nixons shelf. The white dresser keisha is going to revamp with new hardwear and some moldings- I can't wait to see what she does with it.

We're going to the salvage yard next week to look for old numbers for my walls for my guest bedroom I'm doing in yellow and brown- heres the inspiration picture... anyone else want to come?

{Modern Patio}

Well it's about spring and Brandon and I have been saving to do our backyard. These are a couple ideas I've had latley lots comes from modernliving.com and nuevoliving .com I want to have a table big enough for parties-and enough deck room to mingle- so I'm not sure if we want a lounge area or just dining and focus on the yard- My dad is coming up to help us build this awesome japanese idea I found in a magazine. I love when stuff looks like a spa/tropical with japanese influences- very clean lines..I'm so excited to go look at furniture! I love being outside-and springs around the corner I can feel it!