Bedroom To Do List... Finished!

When I first blogged about my Bedroom To-Do List back in November, I wrote that I love having a blog because it holds you accountable.  Well I guess I didn't feel that accountable because it's now a day before March and I'm just now finishing my bedroom makeover!  Four months later and here we are.  Ah well, at least I finished the list!  So to recap, here is the BEFORE:

And here is the AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

You'll remember from this post that I used blue artists tape to create a diamond pattern on walls.  It was this single project that made the biggest impact.  I love how it turned out.  I bought the Dierdre bedding from Pottery Barn which also added a ton of color.  Next, I painted the nightstand using a $2.35 sample of Martha Stewart's Nutshell paint.  I tried to pull the beige/taupe colors from the duvet cover. 

I also added a new knob from Anthropologie to glam it up a bit. 

I also pushed the bed over slightly so that I could add another "nightstand" (It's the round table that you've seen many times in my blog that was in our living room.)  Originally we had the bed pushed closer to the window so we could maximize space.   However, It was driving me nuts that the bed wasn't centered along the back wall.  And actually having nightstands on both sides of the bed actually make the room seem larger.  I think it's the symmetry that tricks the eye.

I hung some wall art above the bed: a picture from our wedding day and our initials.  How-To post to come soon.  I'm dying for a gorgeous headboard (love this one from Restoration Hardware) but it's just not in the budget right now. 

Finally, I wrapped this lampshade in the leftover linen fabric from my other lamp makeover project. It was a lot harder to wrap than the other lampshade because it wasn't a straight barrel shape, but I managed to get it around the lamp.  I'm still not sure what to do with the raw edge on the underside of the lampshade but for now it works.

This is the opposite side of the room.  It's still a little blank since I didn't tape the other side but I may eventually hang some more pictures.  Also, Navy's chair still remains.  I didn't have the heart to throw it out since he loves it so.  But it got covered in some pretty fabric that I had lying around. 

And I moved the mirror as well.  It didn't fit on the other side since I moved the bed to incorporate the other nightstand.  But I actually love how it reflects the wall and the bed.  It's much more pretty to look at now. 

So there you have it.  The bedroom is finally finished 7 months after we moved in! What do you think?

Navy Friday

Navy and I are dreaming about warmer weather on this dreary Friday.  This was taken last April in Ithaca... spring can't come fast enough!

Happy Friday everyone!  See you on Monday!

Portland, ME

Mike and I were up in Newburyport for the long weekend and decided to take a day trip to Portland, Maine.  It's only a little over an hour trip from Newburyport which is amazing to me.  I really thought MA and ME were a lot further apart.  Sadly, I had to look at Google Maps to visualize it (apparently my geography stinks.)  Anyway, Portland is a fantastic seaport city full of cobblestone streets and rustic charm. 

You know you're in Maine when... you see huge stacks of lobster pots!

Cobblestone streets are my fave.

I didn't realize that Portland was situated on a big hill.

Of course, whenever I'm in a new city I always manage to find a great home store.  I stumbled across Nicola's Homes and instantly felt a connection.

I think my favorite thing about seaport towns are their hanging wooden signs. They exude character.

Vietri Dinnerware

Gorgeous upholstered furniture

A rowboat filled with pillows... reminds me of this.

Beautiful bedding

I loved this punched tin lampshade.

These are my new favorite candles, Ana Candles.  Tara also sells them in her store.

Fun printed pillows and a handsome orange dresser

Bags made to look vintage are fun.

A great store inspires and this one certainly did.

Nicola's Homes
215 Commercial Street
Portland, ME 04101
207.899.3218


Store Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-6
Sun 12-5

Manhattan

I found some lovely images of Manhattan today on Pinterest.  One thing about New York, it's always glamorous in the photographs but not so much in real life.  I have a love/hate relationship with the city.  Today it kicked me down but maybe tomorrow it will inspire. 

                  
                    Source: souledbyjamieflannigan.blogspot.com via Navy Bean on Pinterest

                                              
                                                     Source: tumblr.com via Navy Bean on Pinterest

                                          
                                                Source: thisisnthappiness.com via Navy Bean on Pinterest

Source: reblololo.tumblr.com via Navy Bean on Pinterest

                        
                       Source: fromme-toyou.tumblr.com via Navy Bean on Pinterest

Navy Friday

Happy Friday everyone!  Have a great weekend!



PS... A special thanks to Pearl District and Design Gathering for featuring my chair makeover!

The Best Grilled Cheese. Ever.

I've eaten a lot of grilled cheeses in my lifetime.  And this one takes the cake (or shall we say cheese?)  Seriously... it's the best.  Let's get started!

As the Pioneer Woman says... "Here's the cast of characters:"

1. Good hearty bread.  I used Eli Zabar's Sourdough.
2. Sliced cheddar cheese
3. Granny Smith Apples, thinly sliced
4. Roasted red onion mayo.  This really makes the grilled cheese stand apart.
5. Bacon.  Now you all know that I'm obsessed with bacon (here, here and here) and I have a specific way of cooking my bacon:  You must lay it out on a cooling rack over a baking sheet.  Then you must sprinkle with brown sugar.  And then you bake it at 375-400 degrees for 20 minutes.  You must treat the bacon with love and it will reward you.  Trust me.

Slather on the roasted red onion mayo.

Then add a layer of cheddar and then the bacon.

Add another layer of cheddar and the apples.

Then add one last slice of cheddar. 

Grill with lots of butter till it turns golden brown.  Not too dark.

Voila.  It's heaven on a plate.

Another gratuitous close up.  Are you drooling by now?

Thank you, Paula Deen for bringing this grilled cheese into my life.  (I'll even forgive you for your english peas recipe.) It is absolutely necessary to make this for someone you love this weekend.

Visit a Museum Today...

...from your desk!  Have you seen Art Project by Google?  It's a brilliant website that lets you tour museums using Google street view and then you can view selected pieces of art with an amazing level of zoom.  Google claims that you can get closer to a painting here than in real life.

The Princess from the Land of Porcelain by one of my favorite artists, James Abbott McNeill Whistler

I was an Art History major in college so this brings back so many memories of trips to The Met and The Frick. I remember seeing Van Gogh's Two Cypresses in person after studying it for years and it was a life changing moment.  The texture is absolutely incredible and it's something that you cannot even get a grasp of from the photographs.  But now, with Google Art Project you can see that texture. All you need to do is just zoom in.

Did you know this is what a star looks like from The Starry Night?  Fascinating, right?

 

The Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh

Of course, the real thing is best, but if you can't hop on a flight to Amsterdam this would probably be the second best way to tour the Van Gogh Museum.  Be sure to check out the visitor guide, which gives a helpful tutorial on how to use the site.  And also check out this interesting Behind the Scenes video on how they were able to encapsulate all this art.  Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!  Mike surprised me with these gorgeous flowers yesterday and tonight we are going to our favorite Italian place in the city, Pinocchio Ristorante.  It's this tiny little restaurant on the Upper East Side run by a husband and wife team and it's absolutely divine.  We have such wonderful memories there so I'm excited to go back after two years away.

 

Having a blog is great because I can re-live the past.  Remember this cute Valentine's story?  And three years ago I made these tasty Valentine's Day treats.  I hope you have a sweet day with the ones you love!

Navy Friday

Happy Friday everyone!  See you Monday!

Chair Makeover on Design*Sponge

 

Whoohoo!  My chair makeover has been featured today on Design*Sponge!  Click here to check it out.  For those of you visiting from Design*Sponge, welcome!  Please stay awhile and browse through my projects, calligraphy and photos of my French Bulldog, Navy. 

Miniature Art by Dalton Ghetti

I'm fascinated with these miniature sculptures by artist, Dalton Ghetti.  His works are made from tips of pencils... absolutely incredible!  Amazingly he doesn't even use a magnifying glass.  See more of his works and read about him here. 

(found via Beachbungalow8)