Teal

As we near the end of the Dining/Den project I can't help but begin to plan my next. I'm really thinking about doing a bold color in my living room and I'm inspired by Project Teal. I've also been following another blog called Young House Love and they recently painted their guest room a really beautiful peacock color. I've found a couple of different living rooms that are done in teal and I really like what I've found.

I don't have anything in my house that is currently teal except for maybe a pot that my houseplant lives in. It's a really unique and versatile color and I think that if I can be brave enough to paint my fireplace (that post will be coming shortly), then I should definitely be brave enough to paint my living room teal. I want to have a flow from one room to the next so I think that I'll do teal walls with gray and gold/yellow accents.

We have this painting that was my father-in-laws, it's really the focal point in the dining room so I would like to pull colors from it. At first I thought it was hideous and I really didn't want to hang it up, but since my husband doesn't get to make to many decisions in the decorating process I gave in to his request to hang it up. It's really starting to grow on me, but I was having a difficult time with colors. Should I try to match colors, should I try to use opposite colors? I went for a taupe/gray color for the dining room and den which I think will really compliment the painting. Now I'm just having a difficult time with accessories. Should the window treatments be green, should I try gold or maybe just keep it more neutral? I know that it will all come together...eventually!

Happiness Project Revisited

As I lay in bed last night reading "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin I came to some self realizations. First, she talked about finding what you really love to do. Rubin said to look back to what you enjoyed doing as a child and to revisit those activities as an adult. Thinking back to my childhood, one that lacked excitement on most days, I remember doing A LOT of reading. I loved books, loved having them around me, loved looking through different subjects at the library, often times reading 2 or 3 different chapter books at the same time. I loved becoming involved in stories. I still really love to read, I just don't find enough time to do it. I still have the same feeling when I'm around books, the excitement of learning new characters, learning how to improve myself or help my children grow into well rounded people. So, this evening I went to the library and dug into some books. While I'm still reading The Happiness Project, I checked out three other titles to include Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh; How to Attract Money by Robert Griswold; and When Did I Get Like This? by Amy Wilson. I really love fantasy books as well, Harry Potter is my absolute favorite but I also enjoy Yann Martell's work. I read The Life of Pi a few summers ago and it was really great, I can't wait to read his latest Beatrice and Virgil.

My second realization is that I LOVE music and I haven't really been involved in music since I graduated High School over 10 years ago now. I played flute in every band that my school had to offer. I loved to be apart of a bigger group, to know that my music blended with all of the others in such a beautiful but unique way. I have the interest in music still, I'm just a little rusty. I was watching a television program yesterday and a woman was playing the cello, an instrument I have always found to be hauntingly beautiful. I got really emotional from the music she was playing (probably just the pregnancy hormones talking) but it struck me that I had always wanted to learn to play the cello. My daughter is in violin lessons currently and each week that I take her to the music center I feel something tugging at me, like God is nudging me and saying "come on, you know you want to".

Another point that really struck me to the core as I read last night was that I don't spend enough time playing with my kids anymore. When Simon was a baby and a toddler I played and read and played every chance that I had. I put so much effort into everything that I did for them. I fear now that I'm losing those moments with them each and every day because I'm "too tired". I'm afraid that I will wake up one morning and Simon will be 18 and Avery will be too cool for mom time. I really need to put more effort into my children, I do feel like I do a lot for them but running them to lessons and cooking and cleaning aren't what they will remember. They will remember the fun experiences that they had, I hope.

As I read last night, it dawned on me that Gretchen Rubin had a blog and that I hadn't even looked at it. So, this evening the first thing I did when I sat at the computer was to search for the Happiness Project. I was so excited to find it and I found out that there is an actually guided Happiness Project for 2011. I wish I had thought of it sooner, I could have been following it from the beginning but I don't think that it's too late to jump on the wagon! I'm also really excited that she has the Secrets of Adulthood posted on there, which I think is just great!

Paint, Tile and Drapes... Oh My!

I went to Hancock Fabrics to get some inspiration for the current den project. I found this really great greenish-gold fabric that has a very basic leaf pattern. I'm thinking of making a window cornice for the new window and door with it. What I love about the fabric is it's all the same color, the leaves are just more of a velvet feel so they stand out. It was really the spark for me to pick a paint color. I had wanted to paint the walls a modern gray color but most grays felt too cold for me, then I moved up to a more taupe/gray and that was it! I had taken my sample fabric and some of the floor tile to help me decide on a color and it all started coming together. When I got home I threw up some paint on the wall to see how I felt about it. It's a little dark but I'll see how I feel in the morning light. I also just put together my mood board for the room. This is my first mood board so I'm sure the room won't look exactly like the board but it gives me some direction as to what I want the room to look like. I can't wait for the contractors to be done so that I can finish painting and get the carpet in...above is our new tiled enty! I won't be able to get the new fan and light fixture right away but right now we are taking baby steps to a completed room.

Changes

I've been doing a pretty good job of tackling projects around the house. My ADHD brain has me jumping all over the place so I'm not doing such a good job of actually completing the whole project. For example, I started painting the closet in the hallway, I re-organized everything and put it back in the closet, however I have yet to paint the closet doors. It doesn't really help that we are having some minor construction done to the dining/den because it feels like total chaos. I love the new patio door and I'm stoked that the wallpaper covered oak paneling came down but trying to pick out a paint color has been a challenge. The next step will be painting and a new light fixture to replace the current blinding brass atrocity that's up there now. Then of course the blue dog pee stained carpet will have to go as well. Transforming our house into something that feels like "us" is taking time but I guess a house doesn't become a home overnight. There is so much "oak" all over the interior of our house, I really want to paint the kitchen cupboards white and we only have a stove left for appliances to buy. It seems like my focus has been on getting the heart of the home up to speed. I think that I just have so many ideas and inspiration that I can't settle on one thing at a time. C'est la vie!

I feel like I am becoming more organized, I've created a cleaning list that I keep framed up in the kitchen. It has really helped me maintain the housework and gives me that little push to keep busy throughout the day. While I don't always get everything checked off each day it has been a big motivator. I got the idea from my favorite new blog, I created a similar checklist with daily, weekly, monthly and annual chores. Then I put it in a $3.00 Walmart document frame, I can use a dry erase marker and check off what I've completed and then easily erase it. My favorite box to check off every week is "organize an area". It's really fulfilling when I get to check that box off!

On more personal matters we just found out that there is going to be another baby on the way! While I'm tremendously excited, we had hoped to wait a few more months before putting a bun in the oven. As our soon to be priest friend often tells us "make plans and watch God change them". I'm beginning to think that he is really on to something. I guess I can mark another thing off of my 30 before 30 list. I can't help but be excited about another baby, I've already begun thinking of names and I bought a pair of maternity pants on sale from Old Navy (they ARE for work so it is a sensible purchase). So in about 9 months our family of 5 will be a family of 6...pray for us!