Benjamin Moore Amherst Grey???!!!! UPDATE

In all the excitement of starting more new projects and nary finishing one.... I forgot to provide you an update on the Amherst Gray (benjamin moore pain HC-167) room! See original post HERE

I tried the Amherst and ended up going back to BM and selecting one shade lighter - Chelsea Grey (BM pain HC-168).
After the room is totally complete - there is furniture to be moved out and pictures to be hung, window coverings to be chosen I will really spoil you with photos.  Until then, here is a sneak peak!

I can't believe I am sharing this messy room with you.... but I LOOOOOVE this color! How could I not share!

TOLIX style chair for less than $150?! YES!!!!

I like to think of myself as the queen of bargain shopping.  In the right mood, I can find the most fantastic deals.  I am the quintessential finder of the needle in the haystack!  That being said it shouldn't surprise me that after coveting these chairs for years & waiting for a bargain, I finally scored one!

I considered this 1934 Dining Chair from Sundance Catalog










I considered the Tolix chair from Pottery Barn

I even considered (and I quite fancy) this Lyle Side Chair from  C&B

Instead, I am now the proud purchaser of these fantastic iron bistro chairs!

I know, it is a tiny photo...I can't seem to be able to make it larger.
Where did I score this fantastic bargain you ask?  Neiman Marcus's home store Horchow.
20% OFF!!!! OH MY $159 - 20% = 127.20 a chair! Plus $40 each for shipping, still a steal at $167.20!!!!  The discount almost paid for the shipping cost!  EEEEEEKKKK I'm so excited!  The thrill of a bargain has struck again!  You can see the real deal here & order your own.  They will look fantastic with the dining table I was supposed to be building today.  Thank goodness I decided to online shop for chairs instead!

Building another Ana White creation, or two or three.

Previously I built a version of Ana White's Narrow Farm House Table to use as a desk for my girls suite.

See my project HERE  

Ana White Narrow Farm House Table Plans

Now I am starting a dining room table.

I have been in love with Tolix chairs forever.  I know they are popular and I don't care (I tend to shy away from such popular trends).  I know that they are something I will cherish and use always, so trend or not they are here to stay as far as I am concerned.  The only trouble is I haven't a dining room table.  Not to mention it is hard to part with so much money for chairs. I have seen a knock of version offered at Overstock.com.  Sadly they are currently sold out.  My goal is to outfit and (mostly) finish my dining room before Christmas dinner.  Wish me luck.

DINING ROOM BEFORE

Dining room IN PROGRESS

Needless to say there is no shortage of inspiration to be found on the web.

These are my favorites:

I adore this room! It makes me HAPPY!

decorpad.com

This is another room that makes me swoon!

frugalfarmhousedesign.blogspot.com

I imagine the table I build to look something like this (one could only hope)!

from Style-Files.com

Maybe, just maybe, I will make a bench to go with the table too! 

I love, love, love this! ADOOOORABLE! Great job Creative Ambitions!

One like this via creative-ambitions.blogspot.com

Or possibly something more simple like Ana White's Rustic Bench

via http://ana-white.com/2010/01/plans-7-steps-to-distressed-bench-from.html

Needless to say, I have my work cut out for me.  Did I mention I want to paint my kitchen black....

I covet, covet, covet this kitchen.  http://www.housebeautiful.com/kitchens/colorful-kitchens

Did I also mention that I am planning on building a version of this Ana White Kitchen Island?

Ana White kitchen island PLANS

Isn't this lovely?

blog.barnlightelectric.com

I am planning on a kitchen island as a bar table.  I actually have a really old harvest table that sat on a screen porch in Maine for the past 100 years.  I tried to lengthen the legs by screwing in short legs as extensions to no avail.  The poor table legs have wood that is so brittle it was impossible.  I considered tearing it apart and replacing the legs only to build it up taller.  Then I figured why not resell it, as a lovely junque antique & build my own.  So, all of these projects have a 5 day deadline, starting NOW.  (Including finishing the master bathroom cabinets) do you think I can make it?!

I have a confession, I want to paint my kitchen cabinets BLACK!

If you have been reading along, I am sure you know I want to paint my kitchen cabinets black. I have been contemplating this change for almost 2 years!  Having never painted shiny stained wood cabinets before I was terrified to try it.  I finally decided to give a new product a try (details with the full post after project completion - stay tuned! This paint is supposed to stick to ANYTHING). I figured I would paint my master bathroom cabinets first as they are the same as my kitchen cabinets and if I ruined them it would be far easier and cheaper to rip them out and replace them.

Nonetheless as I literally sit here and wait for the paint to dry, I am sharing a sneak peak with you.  The cabinets started out like this....

Middle of the road, maple, warmly stained cabinets.  

I took all of the door hardware and doors off (which was surprisingly easier than I anticipated) and went to work.  

1. I cleaned them all off with TSP & water.
2. Let them dry.
3. Painted

It was that simple.  This new cover anything primer works like a charm.....

Now I am having to make a hard choice: Distress or Not To Distress the cabinets.  eeeek I can't decide!

CHALK BOARD PAINT IN THE KITCHEN???? UUUUMMMM YAH!

I love everything about chalk board paint.  I know it has been done, and done and done.  Really though, how could you not love something that is so easily changed on a whim?  It brings out my inner child.

Recently I was shopping and popped into one of my favorite stores (Anthropologie).
I LOVE how they merchandise their stores.  I am sure you would agree that the holiday season is one of the best times to check out their crafty decor! Like most, this visit I found inspiration!

 I had already purchased chalk board paint and used it on some glass jars....

I had also painted the wall in a little nook area of my "pantry wall" in my kitchen. Only because I have been jonesing to paint my kitchen cabinets black.  Sadly, I have been waiting for my darling hubby to be out of town for a couple of weeks to do so (he doesn't agree with 80% of my projects, 100% of my starting and not finishing projects and 50% of the mess).
Again, I digress. I had no idea what I was going to write on the little chalk board wall. Then I saw this........

I snapped this photo at the Anthropologie store it took up a gigantic section of one whole wall! It was massive!  I scaled it down (A LOT) and recreated my version at home!

This is my ugly pantry wall.  Ok, so it is not that ugly the cabinets are as brand new as the house, just not my style or taste.

a little closer up.  You can see my started collection of white Ironstone, LOVES IT!

What I love most, when I am over it all I have to do is erase it and move on!  That is my kind of wall! Now if only my bestie would visit from Cali...she has the best handwriting I have ever seen! With a bottle of wine, her penmanship and some goofy girl time that little chalk board wouldn't be the same!

What have we been up too????

Cris and I have been busy decorating & trying to win contests, that is what!

As you may or may not know Cris and I are licensed Realtors.  We "play office" and get all dressed up to go be on call one day a week.  We LOVE it because we love previewing houses...we'd love it even more if we actually had clients and made money at it. I digress.

Our cute little town had a window decorating contest for the Holiday Season.  Cris and I volunteered and with a $30 budget from the office pulled off a cute display.  Down to garlands & a wreath made with coffee filter puffs.  Unfortunately, our town wasn't ready for our homemade version of a White Christmas & we didn't win any prize or bragging rights! :(

That is Cris....don't tell her I posted this photo, she will kill me!  We were so grubby as we worked so hard all day decorating, crafting, cleaning windows and trying not to ruin anything or fall off of the stool!

We also participated in a Wreath Design contest.  We designed a wreath to be auctioned off on behalf of our Real Estate office for a local Chamber of Commerce event.  

Luckily we WON!  We were awarded "Most Traditional".  We did a "past, present & future" theme around a Dickens quote from The Christmas Carol. Not to shabby with a $60 budget and some cleaver reuse of leftover muslin! Not to mention a gigantic fresh wreath that was over 2' in diameter! YAY us!

I would like to be able to announce that I have been M.I.A. because I have been decorating my home for Christmas.... I hate to admit after all that window & wreath mayhem I just don't have it in me....Although, I have been working on much better DIY things that will last longer than the holiday season! Updates to follow!

The last time I was at Cris's house she was getting ready to get in the spirit, so here is a quick snapshot of what is to come with the other half of this amazing duo....

Her and her awesome daughter brought home and installed this lovely tree all on their own (due to a recent  hubby injury) GREAT JOB GIRLS!  I can't wait to see her home all decorated, she always does such a fantastic job!