Giveaway weekend!

I am pleased as punch to share this weekend’s giveaway with you all! Maybe you’ve heard of little shop called Lisa Leonard Designs? Hmmm?? Just maybe?  :)

Well, Lisa’s been an advertiser of mine for awhile, but even before she joined me at TDC, I drooled over admired her beautiful jewelry. 

Let’s go over some of my favorites, shall we?

Gah. I adore the little hearts on this one…

You can get it customized with two to four hanging hearts and whatever text you want around the edge. The tiny pearl is the perfect finishing touch!

Lisa is killing me with the owl!:

It’s called “Whoo do you love?” Are you dying? Love that hubby’s name is on a little disc with a moon. Adorable.

The family crest necklace is perfect for any mother or grandmother:

What a lovely way to thank any woman who is the “glue” of the family!

These teeny tiny hearts are so simple and perfect:

You could do the kid’s initials or yours and hubs/significant other. It would be a great gift for an anniversary – put the couples initials on and you’re set! At least the wife will be thrilled!  ;)

I can’t get over how original this one is:

Each name is stamped under a different piece of laundry – the little socks about put me over the edge they are so precious. Not one person would have the exact same necklace! (Well…unless there was another family with your exact names and you got the same exact designs…and that would just be weird.)

Look at the initials carved into a tree:

Perfect for a newly engaged friend or newlywed. How sweet!

I saw this one on Twitter a few weeks ago and thought it was such a great idea for a little girl:

Not too much – just sweet and simple and the perfect “real” piece of jewelry to start a young one’s collection.

The pops of aqua are what made this one a fast favorite as well:

And the cutie patoot little bird sure didn’t hurt either!!  ;)

Lisa’s talents don’t stop with necklaces – she has a variety of bracelets available:

As well as earrings:

And gifts for anyone –- including the men in your life!:

Isn’t it all lovely? I know you’re swooning. :)

To make you really swoon Lisa is giving one of you a $75 gift card to use as you wish on her site – whoohoo!

Here’s the deal – leave a comment here for your first entry. For a second entry, check out Lisa Leonard Designs, browse around, and then come back and let me know your favorite piece! It’s as easy as that! (Please remember an email address if you comment anonymously.)

The giveaway will be open through Monday at noon, Eastern time.

Have fun, good luck and enjoy your weekend!

Ikea leftover's garbage can with auto open

Materials: Bolmen Garbage Can, Blanken Corner Wall Shelf, Deka Curtain Wire w/ Clips, Ikea Knob from Dresser, Grundtal Rail Ends & Rationell Variera plastic rail guide.

Description: So when we moved to our new home I encountered a problem that I couldn't find a garbage can that would fit under my sink, there wasn't an auto open can small enough that could clear the pipes and such.

I bought the Bolmen garbage can as a temporary measure until I found something better. But one day, with a flash of brilliance, I combined it with host of other items I had and made exactly what I wanted.

The Grundtal Rail ends supply bottom support for the Blanken corner wall shelf to mount to with zip ties I had left over from some Ikea cord tubing I had bought.

The can itself is held in place using a Rationell Variera rail guide that was an extra we got in a package, the groove of the can fits nicely into the groove of the guide.

Lastly I used some spare Deka curtain wire minus the clips that was used for an art installation and fixed one end to the counter the other to the lid with just enough slack so when the door is opened the lid opens up.

I used a knob from an old Ikea dresser we had to attach to the other end of the Deka on the underside of the lid to provide a bit of weight to assist the lid return when the door closes.

Lastly I attached the can to the corner wallshelf with some screws, because sometimes when near empty the can would sometimes pop out and fall over.

Sounds like a lot eh? It was actually pretty easy.

~ mcquarris

Elegant Engan catbox

Materials: Engan 2 drawer 2 door, catbox, motion sensitive light

Description: I followed the basic instructions but skipped the part about the drawers instead opting to use one of the side panels from a drawer to join the two drawer fronts together. Once attached using the 2 provided L bracket that were supplied + 1 other larger one I had bought at Ikea as well I mounted the drawer fronts to the unit.

With all parts together I put the back on but only nailed the top part down to the middle then used a jig saw to trim off the bottom half, then jigged out the cat door oh so very carefully.

The entry hole is protected around the edges with Ikea cable tube held on with the remaining nails from the backing. The bottom where the box is sitting on is one of the drawer bottoms.

Last steps were to add in a motion sensitive light and I added 2 more L brackets with another drawer side to act as a brace so the box won't shift when in use. The concern was the cat could potentially trap himself in side.

~ mcquarris

Bon Weekend!

I'm heading down to Soho today to continue my carpet search but where I would really like to be is gallivanting around a pretty garden like Jennifer Garner. I'd also like to wearing the same pretty dresses while the pool boy brings me a glass of lemonade! What's your weekend fantasy???

Photos by Patrick Demarchelier

My PERFEKT Wine Cabinet

Materials: PERFEKT Storage System

Description: Vino anyone? I love wine, but often had no place to store several bottles (My kitchen is about 90 sq ft). I used a portion of the Perfekt storage system to create a cute little wine cabinet in my kitchen. I removed the drywall and portions of 2 X 4s in the foyer to create a niche for the shelving system. I added supports on either side for a tight fit, then added molding on the outer edges for a finished look. Now I can store up to 10 bottles at a time!

~ Kim B, Jacksonville, FL

Patience grasshopper (kids room inspiration)

I know. I KNOW. I hate that I have to do it, but I am going to reveal the big boy room later this weekend.

I KNOW! Stop yelling at me! :)

Life has gotten in the way this week just a bit, so I’m going to finish up the little details tomorrow and then take pics this weekend. I will tell you, it is so beautiful. I’m not even kidding…I just adore this room. It is now our favorite in the house!

So bear with me – I have a great giveaway for you Squeezies tomorrow (you don’t want to miss it!) and I’ll post the room Sunday night.

Anyhoooooo…I thought I would share some lovely toddler rooms I’ve seen around the Net lately. They are a little heavy on the boy side, but I did that on purpose – I’ve mentioned before I think boys rooms are hard!

These are some of my favorites from Pottery Barn Kids:

LOVE the big fire truck print on the wall, love the molding, love the white and red together. And the chocolate brown on the walls and how it ties in with the bed is genius. They know what they’re doing, those Pottery Barn peeps!

A naval inspired room is so classic and fun, and with some added pirate-inspired whimsy it is perfect for a little boy:

That bed is the coolest! Here’s another:

Love the sail too. Do you see the rope and knot detail on the wall above the chair rail? And that navy blue…you know I’m swooning!

Of course this little girl’s room is adorable, but my favorite part is the massive memo board behind the bed:

Love how huge it is and love the bright green frame! This gives me an idea for our office…

There are a few lovelies in this one that stuck out to me:

The bedding is just beautiful. The branches with flowers hanging from them – you could SO do that! And the birdcages hanging are a great finishing touch.

Restoration Hardware started a baby/child line a couple years ago, and I’ve always loved how elegant their products are:

Are you swooning?!

I found some fun ideas at Better Homes and Gardens too. Love the firehouse as a headboard!:

And did you see the bed? What little boy wouldn’t adore that?

How cool is this? Fish tanks hung on the wall, with plants inside:

Love the typography on the wall, in different sizes and shapes. Awesome!:

This one stuck out to me and now I know why:

Uh DUH. Same navy blue walls, same grayish blue ceiling, same (but much nicer!) built ins. And it’s all primary colors just like his room!

Someday I am going to have a window seat like that installed in the Bub’s room. Window seats make me all gushy – I’ve never had one but always wanted one. :)

Got a kid’s room you want to share? Link up to it in the comments! I’ve never had more fun doing a room than this one and I can’t wait to show you! Thanks for your patience with me. ;)

Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston

I love myself a good fashion documentary and so of course I am dying to see Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston. It is premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival Friday night and you know there will be just as many stars and fashionistas in the crowd as there will be in the film. As Halston once exclaimed, "you're only as good as the people you dress," and he dressed all the best in the 1970's including Bianca Jagger, Liza Minelli, Elizabeth Taylor, and even Jackie Kennedy Onassis! I don't know how he managed to design anything with all the time he spent at Studio 54 but as he also said, "party hard, live hard, and have the best life." Unfortunately, all that hard partying caught up to him and cut short his reign as the Emperor of Style. Luckily, it looks like his legacy will live on in Ultrasuede. Bon Weekend!

Beautiful Baths, Creative Storage

Almost every one needs more storage in their bathroom. Perhaps we all need to get a bit more organized, but if you are clutter challenged like me, I wanted to show you some wonderful baths by designer, Molly Frey. You may remember a previous post on a fabulous coastal house by Molly here.

I love the bath above. Let's take a look at some of the elements that make this bath fantastic. First, the overall design with the sink sitting upon an open turquoise glass tiled cabinet - a perfect spot for storing extra towels. The wall mirror is framed out with sconces adding the perfect lighting.

A capiz shell chandelier adds a bit of whimsy to the space. I imagine the french doors lead you outdoors to a secluded hot tub - wishful thinking? I also love symmetry and this bath is a great example.

Of course Molly's marble baths are what generally catch my eye. Here is lovely example that was published in Traditional Home Magazine. The middle cabinet is open - again a nice spot for baskets or extra towel storage. Notice that the cabinets have "feet" to give the sink base the illusion of free standing furniture. I also love the sconce in this bath.

The tub is tucked under the eaves of the home in front of a gorgeous window and next to it we see another area for storage.

Here is a more streamlined, contemporary feeling bath. Two small boxes topped with limestone add the additional storage here. By not putting small doors on these, the look stays very open and contemporary - Interesting!

A more traditional design also shows you some ways to increase storage. Here the cabinets flanking the pedestal sinks sit directly on the counters. Unlike a kitchen, counter space in the bath can be more narrow to support your toiletries. The small ledge behind the sinks also add a space for lotions and creams.
Here we see a shallow medicine cabinet with mirrored doors built into the design. Not only is this cabinet functional, it becomes a wonderful focal point. This bath also has "feet" on the cabinet base.
The final bath has this cute little cabinet on the left side. A great spot for a razor and shaving cream - or perhaps it hides electric outlets and a blow dryer.

Above are several ideas to add a bit storage to your bath. To check out more of Molly Frey's work click here to her website or here to her blog!

(all photos property of Molly Frey)