A Bright & Cheerful Guestroom Makeover

Good God.  The impending arrival of Baby Cham+Thom has my head spinning and has thrust me into personal home project overload.  They call it "nesting," and yes; evidently it happens to people even when they aren't actually prego. :)

I just got back from finishing up Lizzie's guest room makeover in Ohio.  And wow.  What a transformation!

As a reminder...  Liz wanted a space that was bright and cheerful, with some beachy elements thrown in too.  Keep in mind though, that she lives in the country and nothing else in her house screams "beach" in any way, shape or form.  Good thing I like a challenge. :)  She mentioned that she wanted her own private oasis, a place where she can run off to when she needs to escape the craziness of her work day(s).  This room will function as just that; her "happy" place, as well as her personal office space and a retreat for overnight guests.

In case you've forgotten, this is what the room looked like before:

And here's the after!

Shim Shazam!  Is it beautiful or what?!?!  I am SO super proud of this room.  Maybe it's because I poured so much love into it because it was for my bestie or maybe it's because of all that we accomplished on such a limited budget.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge fan of vintage furniture.  And as such I would've loved to scour the back alleys of Ohio looking for the perfect vintage nightstands, lighting and other knick-nacks. But...not knowing the area and being in town for such a limited time, I just couldn't risk it.  So, although it's not ideal, it was a necessity in this case.  Big box stores to the rescue!

Even so, I think this room totally looks high-end and collected, don't you?  And yet nearly every single thing in here is from Target, HomeGoods,  Overstock, Ikea or WestElm!  I needed to be able to return anything that didn't work and all of these stores are great that way.  Plus, Overstock has free shipping on everything! (Or maybe it's almost free?) And bonus! Target shipped a lot of what I ordered for free as well.  Yay me!

Most of the initial design plan changed, but that's bound to happen, right?  Here's how it all went down...

We used their existing bed and dresser and pulled the 2 occasional chairs from the living room; everything else is brand spanking NEW!

I arrived on Wednesday to a primed room and a mountain of boxes.   I went with my first instinct and spent my first full day painting 2 coats of Benjamin Moore's Ocean Spray.  Holy aqua!  That color is perfection.  Immediately, the space felt more alive and definitely, happy!  The color varies in some of my photos but I did the best I could to present the "truest" version here; it really is lovely in person.

Okay, I admit it.  I was a little worried at first.  But sometimes you just have to go with your gut and in this case, I'm so glad that I did.

I had ordered tons of stuff in the weeks before and opening all those boxes felt like Christmas morning. So fun!  Here's a shot I posted on Instagram:

When it comes to working with long distance clients I like to over-order initially; a girl's gotta have options, people. For instance, I ordered this fantastic Nate Berkus bedding in ginger, but also in navy.  When it came down to it, the navy didn't pop against the aqua as much as the ginger/orange did...but I really do like the navy too.  And here you can see lamp bases that we didn't end up using either.  Ultimately they were too small but I love their honeycomb shape and hey guess what?!  I think they're on clearance at Target right this very second.  Go get 'em!

Hello, gorgeous.

I'm a little bit in love with these lamp shades.  The texture is great and the gold thread works nicely with the vintage yellow/gold dresser.

Like I mentioned before, I would've loved to find some great vintage nightstands for this room.  BUT... These nightstands are real wood and super sturdy; and at less than $120 per pop they fit the bill perfectly! I'm still dying over that price.  Ridiculous.  But again, Yay me!

Here's a closer look at that comfy bed.  And oh my.  I'm absolutely in LOVE with this artwork by Samantha French.  The vibrant colors?  The girl in the water?  It makes me SO darn happy I can barely stand it! 

Liz has had this dresser for years; she got it when she was living in LA.  It's all beat up but, in my opinion, still fabulous and works perfectly in the room.  And lest we forget the gorgeous "Laura" print by Michelle Armas that was our initial jumping off point for the entire room?  Me thinks not.  I just love the way Michelle puts colors together.  One. Talented. Lady.

Did someone say "beachy"?  Oh hello, pretty sea shells.  I didn't want to go overboard (pun intended) with anchors, ceramic fish and signs that said "this way to the beach".  It's just not practical nor does it go with the rest of the feel of their home.  Instead, a sampling of shells and some beyond gorgeous photos by Myan Soffia do the job of bringing a little bit of the ocean to Waynesville, OH.

As we follow the room around, there's a nice size window on the side wall.  I took the photo below one evening when I was messing around with furniture placement.  Originally, I had thought to put these 2 chairs in the far corner, but they really seemed to fit  the space below the window perfectly.

Here's how that seating area looked once I added curtains and a few decorative elements:

Opposite the bed is a small work space.  Here you can see those gorgeous Myan Soffia photos I was talking about.  These images are of Los Angeles, Hermosa Beach and Santa Monica Pier...all special memories for this family.

The parsons desk was a steal from Overstock and I am totally coveting that task lamp from West Elm.  And how about those black frames?  They hold the 12"x12" photos perfectly; thanks, Ikea.  Oh and here's the thing.  A lot of Ikea's frames come with cream colored mattes.  If you need white instead, just flip the cream side over and voila!

I picked up all sorts of fun color coordinated desk accessories at Target.  The navy blue crab is definitely a favorite!

And speaking of navy blue...

When it came to buying a desk chair I barely had any money left in the budget.  Soooo, thinking this one looked simple, not too bulky and would match the color of the nightstands, I ordered it:

When I opened the box, I wasn't quite feeling it though; it had more of a reddish hue and didn't quite go.  I looked around town a bit and at first, thought I'd just find a replacement and then return the Overstock chair.  I just couldn't find anything that I liked though soooo...paint to the rescue!

That's when this happened:

Perfectly blue and super cute!  I stumbled on those file storage boxes at Target too.  I couldn't get over all of the great accessories they had in stock.

This project was a ton of hard work but so so rewarding.  I had a blast working with such a good friend and really tried so very hard to get it "just right" for her.  I'm pleased to report that she was super happy and yes; I did capture the moment of the big reveal, but on video vs. pictures.  Now I just need to learn how to upload a video to my blog though...  Aargh.  Yet another learning curve.

Soooo someday you'll see Liz's reaction to her new room.  I just love it though.  I hope you do too!

I'm starting to put together plans for their great room and basement too, so stay tuned; Ohio, I'll be seeing you again soon. :) And in the meantime, I am in crazy project mode over here at Camp Cham+Thom.  Am re-doing the kid's rooms and making space for the new arrival.  More on that to come!

Here are a few other sources:

Bedside lamps: Target
Bed throw pillows: HomeGoods
White sheets:  Ikea
Smaller picture frames:  HomeGoods
Artwork Ribba black frames:  Ikea
Wooden bowl for shells:  HomeGoods
Shells:  HomeGoods & Pottery Barn
Vases:  Target & Michaels
Chair Pillows:  ZigZag from Pottery Barn (sorry; I think it's sold out), Blue from HomeGoods

Now have a great day, darlings, and happy shopping.  And if you need some help with decorating a room at your house, please don't hesitate to contact me; I would love to work with you!  Reach me at chambliss.bridgette@gmail.com.

Getting personal

Let's get personal, cyber friends.  Sorry in advance; this post is wordy and without photos.  I think I just need to purge a little...

Biff has 2 children from a previous marriage (Emily, 14 & Joe, 12).  They live with their mom in Washington and are the sole reason we moved to Seattle just over 2 years ago to try and make a life there.  They're great.  I mean, for the most part, they are reeeeeally good kids.  And I do enjoy having them in my life.  Actually, I wish they were MORE a part of our lives. But sadly (sad to be away from the kids; happy for every other reason), we are back in LA and our visits with them are far too infrequent.

The distance makes forging any type of real relationship with the kids a bit more challenging.  And then of course, there's the fact that they're in their pre-teen/teen years and have no interest in talking on the phone with us whatsoever.  I bring to the table my own full set of baggage/experience, having grown up with step parents myself; I'm constantly putting myself in their shoes, assuming I know how they're feeling.  I have to remember that their situation isn't mine.   I know I have an opportunity to do things differently this time and am very aware of the role I wish to play in their lives.  I'm hopeful that, in time, they'll realize that I'm not only on their team but am also head cheerleader. They are special people and little slices of their father; and I love when I catch glimpses of him in them.

Let's face it though.  Being a stepmom is quite different than being a mother.  Of course, it's wonderful when the stepmom in the scenario is thought of as a second mom, a "bonus mom" if you will (I love that term btw), to her husband's children.  But, it's still not quite the same, now is it?  And being a mother is something I've longed for for as long as I can remember.

We decided we wanted to add to our family and right away, even when we were engaged, started trying to have a baby.  Sadly, after months of trying, tests confirmed our fears.  We were told that the likelihood of us conceiving naturally was slim to none.  It's hard to put into words how devastating that news was.  At the time, it was like someone hit me in the chest.  Biff was out of town working when the doctor called with my results.  I remember it clear as day.  I was standing in the kitchen when I picked up the phone.  I heard the news and I fell backward into a chair.  It was like the wind was knocked out of me.

In a two minute conversation my whole world was turned upside down, stomped on, crushed.  I couldn't breath.  I began asking questions.  Ridiculous questions.  But I was in problem solving mode... Are you sure?  I don't understand.  My grandmother had my uncle when she was 42? Okay, so what's next?  Is there medication? Should we go straight to IUI then?  No, the doctor said.  That won't work for you.  And then she said words that have really stuck with me.  "I'm not saying that you can't get pregnant, Bridgette.  I'm saying that you most likely won't get pregnant with your own eggs."

I started to cry.  

The rest of the quick conversation is a bit of a blur.  I remember her saying that she was sorry she didn't have better news but that if we wanted the possibility of having biological children that we would have to act fast.  That we should contact a reproductive endocrinologist immediately.

Devastation.

I always thought I'd be a mother.  I do remember going through a phase though, in my late 30's before I met my husband, where I really tried coming to terms with the possibility that maybe I wouldn't meet "my guy" and that I might not have kids.  Back then, I claimed to be okay with the idea, that I'd travel a bunch, that I'd focus on my career and make a lot of money and then spend it on whatever I wanted...that I'd be care free.

Yeah right.  If I'm going to be truthful with myself and with you though, I was totally faking it back then.  I just didn't realize how very much I wanted to be a mother until I fell in love with my husband.  The thought of having a little piece of him and a little piece of me? I wanted it so badly.  

Around this time, things got pretty dark for me.  We had made a hasty decision to move to Seattle and after 6 months of struggling to find work and start a life there, we decided to move back to LA.  We got back here the last week of December in 2011.

That January, we scrambled to put together every last penny we had and met with a specialist. We started our first cycle of IVF later that month and amazingly, we got pregnant!  With IVF you're monitored much more than you are in a traditional pregnancy so I was seeing the specialist 2-3 times per week.  The pregnancy numbers were a little low but growing and we were full of hope.  Sadly though, the day we went in to hear the heartbeat, we were told that the embryo had stopped growing.  They couldn't explain it but we were told we were going to miscarry.  What???  Why?  I'm not bleeding. No cramping. No signs that anything is wrong.  Are you sure????  Yes; we're sure.

But then I didn't miscarry.  Another week went by.  No bleeding.  No cramping.  I went back to the doctor.  Are you positive???   Yes; we're positive.

Another week passed and still nothing though.  The doctor had to help the miscarriage along the following week.   I'll spare you the details but it was an incredibly painful and all-around horrible experience.   

Darkness swept over me.  I was having to go to work everyday and put on a happy face but inside, I was dying.  I went deep underground to lick my wounds and didn't really surface socially for months.  We had kept the IVF news pretty quiet so not many people really knew what was going on until quite a bit of time had passed.

As with most things, thank goodness, time heals.  Biff and I laid low and worked through our sadness together.  And then last October we took a belated honeymoon trip to Spain.  It was wonderful.  I finally felt like myself again.  We had been trapped in our very own private hell but we had made it to the other side.  I felt really happy.

That's when I knew...it was time to try again.

We met with the specialists again in November of last year.  In December 2012 we started a new cycle of IVF and on Christmas morning I had egg retrieval surgery.  Yep.  Christmas day.  What better day for a miracle, right!?  They did the transplant 3 days later and yes!  We were pregnant! 

I felt great.  Healthy.  Happy.  So excited.  Our numbers were much stronger this time; the embryo was growing and right on target.  It came time to see the heartbeat and there it was!!  We even captured it on film.  It was amazing. 

The next week, or maybe it was two weeks later, we went back to the doctor for another ultrasound.  That was when, again with no explanation, we were told that the heartbeat was gone.  They told us that we were going to miscarry.

All of those same horrible feelings came flooding in.  It was all so very devastating the first time.  This last time though, it was even harder because we knew that we wouldn't be trying IVF for a third time.  It's just not an option financially for us and really, for whatever reason, my body is just not responding well. 

Again, the miscarriage didn't happen right away.  Again, it was all so very very horrible.

I knew that in order to some how some way recover from this devastating blow, I was going to have to find a way to let this dream of mine go.  The dream of having a biological child with Biff.  I'm not going to lie.  There have been some mighty dark days.  They come and go though.

I have friends and family with the most beautiful children.  And I adore them all and I love being their Auntie.  But I'm human and sometimes I just want to cry out to God or to whomever will listen and ask WHY???  WHY NOT ME???  Am I not deserving?  Tell me WHY!!!

Aaaaaaah... But I guess we don't always know why life is the way it is.  And I've realized that maybe what I thought was meant to be  just isn't part of MY journey.  Perhaps there is a different plan for me.  Doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt or that I never think about it.  But I'm living one day at a time and have made great strides. I feel peace.

I love my husband and I love our life together.  Our hearts are big though and we have room to share.  Which is why I'm super excited to report that we are getting certified to foster and potentially ADOPT a child!! :))

Remember back in May when Biff and I volunteered with Foster Care Counts?  My good friend Karen turned us on to that organization and we helped with their Mother's Day event for foster parents.  Well, I guess that was us sticking our lil' pinky toe in the water.  Around that same time, one of my other good gal pals recommended Nia Vardalos' book, Instant Mom.  (Thanks, Sally!) I loved that book.  It was just what I needed at exactly the right time. Finally.  Someone who could relate to how I had been feeling around all these other moms.  Someone who had experienced all the crazy-making hormones.  Those shots are awful btw.  All the bloating?!  What a nightmare...  The emotional roller coaster? Nothing compares.   Nia's story is incredible.  She went through so many IVF cycles...  Experienced such heartbreak.  I really don't know how she survived.  But she DID survive and now she has the daughter she was always meant to have!

It's a story that is so inspiring and gives me lots of hope.  And I think it's what ultimately led to me calling a Foster Family Agency and  setting up that initial meeting.  And now 2 1/2 months later, we've taken the classes and gotten fingerprinted.  We've had our health screenings, our cars and home inspected and learned CPR.  There are still a few more things to take care of but we are so close now.  They tell us that by September, we may very well have a child in our home!!!

The process is totally scary and I've had about a million freak-outs about the whole thing.   There's a lot of red tape, so much bureaucracy.  And it's definitely not for everyone.  But it's looking (and feeling!) more and more like it's for us. Yay!

I'll probably go into more detail regarding the whole process in the coming weeks and of course, as I embark on instant motherhood, I'll be sharing those experiences too.  First though, we've got to kick some of these decorating projects into high gear!  We have to get the kiddos rooms ready STAT!  More on those plans coming soon.  

Check back next week for some pretty eye candy from my recently finished Ohio Guestroom Project!

SO much to do but the future is looking bright!  Happy Thursday, friends.

Black is Beautiful AND we got a new rug!

Remember this photo from the treehouse tour of the upstairs?  Well, you've already seen the before-and-afters of both the dining room and the living room, so today I thought I'd give you a quick look inside the half bath project.

The upstairs powder room is located just off the living room, near the front entrance.  You can see it in the photo below; the door is open.

Not much to see here, folks. It's a teeny tiny bathroom that has a sink, a toilet and a linen closet.  And yes; I already told you there is grey carpet on the floor in there.  And yes; I know that is disgusting. But hey...let's just focus on the positive, k?

Talk about a taping nightmare.  What you're looking at here, people, is the ceiling.

As the paint went up I was terrified.  It was a total splotchy mess but it was too late to turn back so forward I marched.  No worries though.  4 coats of black paint later, we were all smiles around here.

Found this vintage painting for $15 and knew it was going to be a hit against those black walls and the celadon zig zag rug from West Elm.

Black and beautiful!  Here she is, friends, and she looks great!

The gold mirrored tray and cute little pill box are vintage and the Sydney Hale Co. candle is a little slice of Heaven that I was gifted from Twig & Willow. I highly recommend the cedarwood + vanilla scent; it is absolutely divine.  Still working on the accessories for this space.

I do love the way the West Elm zig zag rug color ties into the vintage floral artwork.  AND it hides a lot of that horrible grey carpet.  Win! Win!

Here's the view from the bathroom looking out into the living room.  Now of course, it's totally blown out due to all that sunlight bursting through the windows...amateur mistake...but you get the point.

And I know we're talking about the half bath today but how about a little love for our new living room rug too!  I recently ordered this Beaumont Adileh Natural Rug from Rugs USA.  It is so SO lovely.  Even prettier in person.

 I love that it looks like a vintage Persian without the $3500+++ price tag.  We went with the 'natural' color but we were super close to going with the 'spruce blue' which looks really pretty too. Because our entire upstairs area is so neutral and white, the living room really could handle a vibrant rug.  Instead though, we opted to stay with something neutral because, remember, at some point I plan on replacing these sofas and I didn't want to limit myself due to a crazy vibrant rug color.  In this rug, you can see some black & shades of grey, as well as some really faint apricot tones.  So far I am loving it but let me live with her for awhile; I'll do a full review in a few months and let you know how this bargain beauty is holding up. 

In other news, this is happening.  

New and improved garden wall pics coming soon!

I Spy :: furniture with feet

I love me some furniture with animal feet.  Seriously.  I can't really explain it but it makes me smile.  Maybe it's just that it's so totally unexpected.

Take for instance the bar stools in the kitchen below; if you were visiting with the chef in this {gorgeous} kitchen, it might take you a bit for you even noticed those fab hooves.

And this chair is just too much.  Doesn't it look like it wants to walk around the house with you sitting in it?  It makes me laugh.  Maybe that's it.  If you have furniture with animal feet in your home it probably means you have a good sense of humor; I love a bit of comedy in decor, don't you?

When you put your feet up after a long day, you surely won't miss these golden tootsies:

And how about this bench?  It's from a few years ago, designed by Oly Studio.  It's less funny and maybe even kind of scary.  But not in a bad way.  More like Harry Potter scary.  Okay, so that means it's not scary at all; maybe it's just a wee bit creepy is all.

So if you were paying attention during yesterday's living room progress report here at the treehouse, you may've noticed that we too like a bit of whimsy when it comes to decor.  We've actually got some hooves of very our own.

How great is our coffee table?  All those hooves!!!  I'm a little bit in love with it even though that glass top is crazy-making.  I'm convinced that there is some sort of dust conspiracy happening in this house.  It's like all the little pieces of dust communicate with each other and say, let's pile up again and see if we can make Bridgette insane today.  Seriously.  I am completely obsessed with dusting.  Can not help myself.  It's all over everything ALL the time.

But, oooooh, when she's clean, she really is so very pretty.

I have Mr. Cham+Thom to thank for this little piece of lovely.  We were living in Seattle and our vintage chrome and glass oversized coffee table just didn't fit in our tight living room area.  That and I was finally embracing my love for all things brass.  Sooooo the search began for a new table.  I mentioned it to Biff and at first, he was a little turned off by the whole brass thing. It didn't take long for him to hop on board though and once he came around HE started looking at Craigslist everyday, searching for our new table.  It happened pretty quickly too.  We scored this vintage beauty for just $35!  It was definitely a long haul to go pick it up but look at it; it was totally worth the drive.

So my friends, whether you've got big bucks to spend or are doing the thrifty thing like we are, there are fun footed furniture options out there.  One of my clients liked our coffee table so much, that she started scouring Craigslist everyday and found a table for her place that is nearly identical to the one we have!  We're still working on a few more projects at her place but I hope to have pics of that fantastic girlie glam pad for you soon.

In the meantime, whether it's animal feet on your furniture or your very own miniature gnome collection, drop the stuffy attitude and have a sense of humor when it comes to decorating your space.  A sliver of comedy is a great conversation starter among guests and in general, adds a welcome bit of happy to your home.

And who doesn't want a happy home?

images via Oly Studio & here

The Treehouse :: A living room progress report

Happy Tuesday, everyone.  The time has come for a Camp Cham+Thom living room progress report.  I've hesitated to post pictures because I love things to look "just so" but that's not real life, now is it?  Our home is a work in progress and will probably continue to be so for quite some time.  I'm changing my mind so much these days.  It's probably best that I document my thoughts here, if for no other reason, than to have something to refer back to!

Okay, so as a reminder this is how the living room looked when we rented the space.

We're so grateful for the gorgeous wood floors, all that natural light and the fantastic wood beamed ceiling.  AND we're up in the hills and have an incredible view of the Silverlake Reservoir.

This picture doesn't do it justice one bit and yet it STILL looks gorgeous.

That reservoir is actually calling my name this very second.  It does that sometimes.  Bridgette, get off your bum.  Come down here and exercise...  Yeah Yeah...I'll see you soon, lil' reservoir; very soon.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, before we moved in we removed the funky window mouldings, threw a fresh coat of white paint on everything and took down that eyesore of a television that was  protruding from the wall.

This is a photo I took after we moved in our first few boxes.

I really love our home. You walk through the front door and there's no mistaking it; there's a very Zen feel in here.  The location and the view can't be beat either and I've also really loved having a fireplace again.  There's just something about sitting by a fire that I adore.  It's true. The first day there's even the slightest chill in the air, I want to throw on a log.  I'm a gal who loves to be comfy cozy and warm; so for me, having a fireplace is nearly a necessity.  From the get go, I knew I wanted stacked wood inside the house and was dreaming about it even when we were back in Seattle.  But where oh where to put all that firewood?

Once we got settled, it seemed to me that the empty space to the right of the fireplace was begging to be utilized.  Sadly, we  I do watch a lot of tv and that seemed like the only spot for it.  Now you might be saying, but you just removed a perfectly good tv from that very spot.  Well yes, that's somewhat true BUT... We definitely didn't want a super high mounted television (like the one the previous tenant had) nor for it to be attached to a big silver hinge.  No one needs to watch tv while sitting at the dining room table, people.  Paleeze.

Instead, I thought it would look better if we created a platform for our television to be at eye-level; and for me, it was important aesthetically, for the tv not to be higher than the fireplace mantel.  If it were to go higher, it seemed like it would throw that corner off balance.  Also part of the plan? The tv platform would double as a structure that would hold our firewood and keep things tidy.

Sooooo, this is what we came up with and truly it could not be a more perfect design solution AND it was easy to install.

The plan was to assemble the structure first and then put it in place and secure it to the wall.  BUT... once it was put together we realized that it was a super tight, near impossible, fit.  Turns out our beautiful (old) treehouse has walls that are a bit uneven so we just ended up pushing and wedging the platform until it fit.  It's so snug that we didn't even need to secure it to the wall.  Easiest DIY project ever!  Of course, I would always recommend securing anything top heavy like this to a wall if possible, especially if you live in earthquake country like us.

I must say, it's super functional and actually looks like a built-in.  I'm super happy with it.

Here are some other shots of the progress we've made in the living room.  And I'm still working on my photography skills, folks, so bear with me.

Hello, light, bright & gorgeous lil' treehouse.

Nice to see you, pretty plants in the dining room.  Sometimes more IS more, so we've purchased more greenery and some smaller pots and are going to be adding to our garden wall soon!

The wall opposite the fireplace is a little challenged.  It's just SO huge.  Need to add more art.  More art everywhere.  I know...I know...  But in the meantime, let's all smile at the colorful musings of the lovely Louis Cannizzaro.  Check him out at www.powderfrench.com.  He's a sweetheart and if you don't own his artwork, you should.  You can thank me later.

Woah...  Wait a second.  I forgot to mention that we had a supermodel on set today.  Miss Gracie Jane Pickle...who in this photo is unsure that she wants anything to do with this here photo shoot.  Little one, why must you glare at me so?

I wish I could take the credit for this gorgeous fireplace screen.  Carol (our landlord) picked it up at the Rosebowl.  Look closely and you can almost see an Otomi pattern.  I LOVE it so much.

Like I said before, this side of the room is a wee bit "challenged." Although I've loved my Vanessa de Vargas inspired green campaign dresser (LGN wrote about it here), it may be time to bid it adieu.  OR maybe we can move her downstairs or give her a fresh coat of paint or something.  I dunno.  For a second we toyed with the idea of putting a bar in that little nook but now we've got small kiddos on the brain so that is looking less and less likely.  We're still a little undecided, but we've also talked about getting some type of vintage shelving for over there.  A nice vertical piece with some height to it maybe.  Not sure though.  AND yes...yes...  I know we need more art.  

Oy.  And much better dresser styling.  Keeping it real, people; just keeping it real...

So there you have it, my dears.  The longest picture-packed-post ever.  Our upstairs living space is almost done.  Well, as done as it's going to get for a bit.  

Here's why we're just at "almost":

1. We'd love to replace our sofas as they are actually super uncomfortable.  Biff and I have discussed it and we are quite certain that we've been cursed with bad sofa karma...although we're not sure why.  Also, sadly, Gracie Jane Pickle thinks they are her extra large scratching posts... and as much as I've thought about breaking her legs and tearing out her nails (I know.  I'm a horrible person.) when I wake up to the noise of her scratching in the middle of the night, I just love her too damn much to do so.  Soooo we've resigned to ugly cat scratched corners on these uncomfortable sofas.  I think because of the light color of the sofas though, it's not that super noticeable.  Or maybe I'm just dreaming.  Who knows.  

2. Like I mentioned earlier, we want to change out the green campaign dresser.  We'll see when or if that ever happens. 

3. I am in the process of buying and creating more art for the entire house.  More on that soon.

4. And undoubtedly, a few more pillows, a throw or two and something with a little more height to go on the mantel wouldn't hurt either.  

So you see, we are allllllmost there.  One of these days I'm going to have this place properly photographed by someone who knows what they're doing.  I bet it will make a world of difference. Can't wait!  Must.  Finish.  Projects!!

First though, I better get down to that reservoir and burn some calories.

Have a great night, lovelies.