3.25.2014

One Room Challenge Announcement



In spite of the neverending winter, I am one happy camper.  Been super busy as of late but I like it that way - one of those cracker jacks that prefers busyness over idleness.  Lots of good stuff happening, the first of which I can share with you today is a SUPER exciting announcement.  I have been invited to join 19 other insanely talented women for the next One Room Challenge starting next Wednesday, April 2nd.  Say what?!  That's right. I will be one of the 20 featured design bloggers in this next round.  Big leagues, people.  The company I will be keeping is prime time so I am a little bit sheeting ma britches.  I mean, just take a gander at the list – some ORC veterans, some design blog legends, and two of us from the linking round - many of whom I have long admired since before I even started this blog.  


So yeah.  Dog that caught the bumper syndrome.  Now what?!  I cannot yet reveal what room I will be working on but here’s what I can tell you – in my true fickle fashion, I have changed my mind 3 times as to which room and I have only one week left to make up my damn mind and put a real plan in place.  I have even picked up things for all 3 spaces, only to waffle about which one I can pull off in six weeks.  Yes, I fly by the seat of my pants, which is risky, but if given too much time I am an indecisive mess.  But I best get to it.

And so should you.  If you have ORC envy, which I suffered from on all previous rounds, link up on Thursdays.  You won’t be sorry.  Case in point:  my bedroom has since been featured on some of my absolute favorite blogs and design sites.  Imagine my glee when I was approached by ApartmentTherapy to feature my room.  Um, yes.  And there was that time that both Chinoiserie Chic and The Pink Pagoda mentioned my room.  Chinois loving royalty right there.  Julia Ryan did a big ol’ feature on it.  Thanks girlfriend!  Camila included my room in her Friday finds feature over at Effortless StyleLovely surprise!   Elizabeth and I fessed up about obtaining the unobtainable for our ORC rooms through FB and the kindness of strangers.  Shout out to our Dallas savior.  And just the other day, Elizabeth informed me that my bedroom was on I Suwannee.  As in Jamie freaking Meares, people.  NBD.  Except that it is, because it's Jamie freaking Meares, people.  A few more features are in the works but mums the word for now.  So put on your big girl/boy panties and link up.  It is loads of torture fun.




Starting next Wednesday, every Wednesday for 6 weeks, the 20 of us will be sharing our trials and tribulations of redoing a room, top to toes in 6 short weeks.  For the linking round last time, I did my bedroom redo on a very tight budget and this go round will be more of the same tightness in budget.  I will share my cost-saving tips along the way as well as a healthy dose of DIY efforts.  I will be playing the role of contractor.  So be sure to visit often as your comments and well wishes are the pinot to my frantic grigio fueled efforts.  Looking forward to those of you who will be linking up on Thursdays.

All photos and styling by Emily Vanderputten unless otherwise noted

kisses,  mrs. V

3.03.2014

A Colorful Spin on the Classic Blue and White

This is the part where I don’t talk about the weather, no matter that we are under yet another winter storm warning and school is likely being cancelled for the umpteenth million time as I type this, in the wee post-Oscar hours of the morning.  But, I am most definitely NOT going to talk about the damn weather.  The only thing I see fit to restore my sanity and banish these winter blues is a bright dash of color – so that is just what I did for this month’s Blue and White Bash over at The Pink Pagoda.
























I put together a table chock full of color to go along with my vintage blue willow dishes – proof positive that blue and white goes with anything.  I shopped my local Kroger flower selection to put together the floral arrangement – proof positive that even simple flowers like carnations, spray roses, and alstroemerias can be quite gorgeous – in a striking 40s Westmoreland milk glass pedestal dish with shell and dolphin motif.  And I used a vintage Mexican serape blanket to anchor the tablescape.  The result is my usual kaleidoscope of color and mixed patterns.  What can I say?  I am a more is more kinda gal.



Come join me over at The Pink Pagoda for some more blue and white goodness.


Now all I need are some merry-making guests!

All photos and styling by Emily Vanderputten

kisses,  mrs. V