Envelopes with Style

Look What I got in the mail yesterday!

Yep, the cutest little envelopes ever.  MR.P and I use the cash system and it was getting really hard to carry envelopes around in my purse all the time. They would rip, I would write on them...it was a mess.  Allison of Tresmarias and I connected and she sent me these adorable envelopes. I'm going to use them for a few weeks then do a review.  So if you love the cash system like we do, then check out Allison's shop!  And don't forget to come back for the review!

Now even though it's Thursday, I am going to do a recap of what my weekend holds!  Mainly because it has to do with the cash system.  First off, MR.P comes home tonight!  He's been gone for 2 weeks (thankfully not 2 weeks straight).  I can't wait :)  Friday night will be a fun, low key date night.  Then Saturday we are going to the Dave Ramsey Conference!!!  I am soo excited about it!  We are going with some sweet friends and I can't wait.  Hopefully it will give us the knowledge and excitement to stay on track and to not be discouraged.  Sunday will be time with friends at church and then a restful day.  I love me some Sunday afternoon naps!

What I Wore Wednesday

Linking up!

I really need to buy a cheap mirror for my bathroom so my pics aren't on the potty.  But oh well.  Until then, enjoy another installment of WIWW on the potty (that sounds funny).  Kind of like what I do with fortunes in fortune cookies...I always add in the bathtub or in bed to the end ;)

Tuesday: I wore this to work...same old same old.

Shirt - Target - I caved.  I paid cash though, so it doesn't count!

Jeans - IT jeans - bought these this past summer.  They are great trouser jeans, but are really too long.  I need to get them hemmed.

Belt - Target - I bought this 2 years ago...they still have it though! Just couldn't find it online.

Shoes (brown wedges) - Bass outlet 3 years ago. Love the style of them (which you can't see) but they are too tall, so I hardley ever wear them.

(sorry for the terrible quality)

Wednesday:  Work and Community Group

Shirt - Gap about 3 years ago.  If you can't tell it's light blue and white striped.

Sweater - J.Crew outlet last summer.  Great layering piece for winter.

Pants - J.Crew 2 years ago.  On sale for $20. Worth every penny.  I probably wear them twice a week.  That's how good these are. Love them!

Belt - T.J. Maxx.  It's Michael Kors.  $15.  Best belt ever. I wear this probably once or twice a week as well.  Very solid and not flimsy.

Yellow shoes - No idea the name of the store, but they were $15 last winter. Also worth every penny.

I have seriously discovered like 10 outfits this week by flipping through magazines and online. LOVE it!

Magazine Subscription

This year I am asking for a magazine subscription for Christmas.  From the Mr.  Trying to keep things simple this year.  If this was you, what design magazine would you choose?  I am not really into cooking, so nothing heavy on the cooking side of things.  Any good ideas would be appreciated!! 

Honestly, other than these, I don't really know what's out there!  Need Help!

Work

Work.  I hardly every post about work. Well, today is one of those days!  I have had one too many customers hang up on me and one too many customers speak rudely to me.  It's like a verbal beating over the phone.  Just a little hard to take today.  So what's a girl to do??

Drink a second Diet Coke.

 :)

Design A-Peele Room Redo

As I mentioned in my Questions answered post, I would love to start a company helping people decorate their homes on a dime using what they already have.  Well I actually have 2 clients already!  I am pretty excited. 

My first client is Jennifer.  Here is her living room.  She lives in an apartment so painting and such has to be a minimum.

Jennifer and I talked and she really wants her home to feel light and airey. I made her a plan she can use for the next few months to accomplish her decorating goals.  She can buy everything at once or wait and buy a few things each month, that way it's not overwhelming!  Here is the plan.

 * This is the look we're going for.

We have a few projects in store for us.  They include making some art out of canvas and a great printed fabric.  Taking everything off of the surfaces so we can start fresh with accessories.  Recovering some pillows.  Making a wall of frames into something totally and completely chic.  Using burlap to cover a lamp...just trust me ;)  And lastly, using some GREAT plates from ikea, we are going to make an arrangment using the canvas art. 

Struggling Today

Somedays I think Target will solve ALL of my problems.  Today is one of those days. And I am giving in, but only by looking around. You see, MR.P and I are on a cash budget and it makes me think twice as hard before I purchase something like clothes or things for the house. It stinks, but is oh soo worth it!

(Merona)

I love ALL of these looks...especially the black polka dot sweater one. 

(Merona)

Oh and I love this casual look too.  Probably wouldn't go with the purple heals with those pants, but it's still a cute look. I'm a flats girl myself. The purple and gray is just too cute.  I don't get dressed up much, so styles like this, really pull me in.

Minus the hat, this is also a cute look. I don't have a lot of purple in my closet, but this makes me want some!  The orange purse is a perfect addition to make this outfit really pop! 

And here's my remedy today. If you are struggling (like me) and really feel like you have nothing in your closet, "shop" online or in magazines for inspiration! It will surprise you how much you really do have to create similar outfits you see.  By looking at these clothes I realized I have the following items that I never put together:

* khaki pants JUST like those cute gray ones.

* lots of cute cardigans to create some of these looks! 

* teal purse that can create the same color pop as the orange one.

* cute button ups to create the first look

* khaki skirt that I haven't worn in forever
* oh!! and a great pair of gray cords!

See, it's like I just went shopping!  Here is one last way to figure out new outfits...clean out your closet!!!  Having less in your closet lets you see what you really do have!  If you are going to shop, make sure to buy things you really do love! Even if that means buying the one $30 shirt instead of 2 $15 ones that are just ok. 

 Happy Friday (today is my Friday!)  MR.P has been gone all week to VA and is coming home today. I am taking Friday off so we can spend some time together. Can't wait.  Love him a lot!!!

Stella & Dot Giveaway Winner!

I almost forgot about picking the giveaway winner! 

Congrats to Megbeth1986 from The Distance Between Two Hearts!

Please email me your info at beth.peele@gmail.com and I'll get the necklace mailed right over to you :)

Water Closet

I have a water closet in my master bathroom.  I have never really known what to do with it.  For about 2 months this shelf sat on top of that iron basket.  Yep, making it very difficult to get extra toilet paper (that's where we keep it) out.  I guess there are just those things you're not excited about doing. I think it's because I didn't really have the right accessories for the look I was going for. Oh well. Last night I had enough of the shelf just sitting there.  So I hung it. I am pretty dang good at hanging those shelves. I am always worried that I'll have to redo one side or whatever.  But nope, never fails that I hit it right on. I should be a pro or something ;)  Ok. Sorry for the ubber confidence there.

So I have this box of random decor that I don't know what to do with. When I am decorating I just go through that box for things that could work. The box satisifies 2 needs for me.  1 - it gets clutter and extra things out of the way. 2 - it satifies my in house shopping needs :)  So this is what I came up with for the space.  Nothing special or fancy, but I knew MR.P would like it. One day we will paint our bathroom and bedroom, but for now this dark khaki will have to work. I'll start looking for some cheap accessories AFTER my other projects are done. So it will probably stay like this for a while. I just can't handle 3 projects at once. I just REALLY needed to hang that shelf.

I've found that I honestly need to do 1 project at a time. Otherwise I start one and don't follow through to finish it well or even finish it at all.  So I concentrated on our office.  Now that it is complete I can move on.  Which you saw yesterday :)  I still have a few finishing touches for the office, but for the most part it's done.  Feels good to check things off the list :)

New Project

This weekend I started a new project.  MR.P decided to take this pic and then tweet it.

This is the text that followed the picture "The Peele estate is on high alert.  @bethpeele is deep into a new project in guest bath. No one is safe!"

He loves it.  Absolutely, without a doubt loves the projects I do.  I save him TONS of money :)

A little closer peak :)

Guest Post: Sarah from "For the Love"

Happy Monday morning friends.  I found a new friend and am soo excited to introduce you!  Sarah has a blog called For the Love. This is where she shares her talent for finding great fashion for unbelievable prices!  So I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have her do a little guest post.  I think she and I will be great friends since our passions are so similar.  Welcome Sarah!

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Hi, I'm Sarah. It's so nice to meet you! I'm excited and honored to be guest blogging for Beth here at Design A Peele. I recently found her blog, and I was instantly drawn to her "thrift A Peele." My blog is called For the Love, because I have love for a lot for a lot of things. I frequently blog about frugal fashion finds in a series I call "Really Frugal Fashion." I'm nearly addicted to putting together trendy and fashionable outfits on a Really Frugal budget. I'd love to show you some of my recent outfit details, and share a few tips.

In August I had a big wedding to attend. I wanted to find a unique and classy dress, and I didn't want to spend very much cash. My husband gave me a budget, so I searched in some of my favorite retail stores and didn't have much luck. The DAY BEFORE the wedding I decided to browse the dress section at the D.I. which is our local donation center. I found this vintage dress for $6 and couldn't pass it up! The shoes are Target and were also purchased for around $6 at the D.I. I got so many compliments on my dress, and couldn't help but beam over the fabulous deal! If there's something I've learned about thrift shopping for clothing, it's that there are so many more unique options available.

This was an outfit I put together for church. The top is from the Gap outlet, the belt from Target, the skirt is handmade. I picked it up from the D.I. for around $5, the shoes are from a local auction retailer. They usually retail at $90 but I scored them on sale for $15. The necklace is vintage and cost me all of 50 cents. My tip would be to invest in some well made classic pieces that you can add to thrifted outfits to make them look all the more put together. The Target belt cost me a little more than the thrifted belts I generally buy for a couple dollars, but I wear it all the time. It goes with everything.

Another tip I can offer is to check magazines and online for trends before heading out to the thrift store. That way you can keep your eyes peeled for items that are a current big trend. I recently read this article on cowgirl ankle boots, and then found these ankle boots for $4 at the D.I.

And just for fun, don't forget to check for good deals for the kiddos! I recently found these:

for $4. You can read more about these, and all of my Frugal Fashion finds on my blog. Please stop by and say hello! Feel free to email me with any questions too. I'd love to hear from you! Thanks again for having me Beth!

Questions Answered #1

I so enjoyed reading y'alls questions yesterday.  I thought I would start out and answer a few here and there.

1.) Scientific Housewife asked, "What is your favorite lipstick?"

Well I am actually not a lipstick girl.  I've tried it a few times, but just never got into the habit of putting it on.  I am a chapstick girl though.  My go to is Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil

I like this because it 1 - does the job and 2 - it actually has a little color in it.  It's my favorite chapstick by far.  Publix has been running a sale on it for $1 off :) 

If I want a little more color I use Elf Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF in Malt Shake.

I like anything Nuetrogena as well!

2.) Mommy 2 Mya asked, "Any tips or tricks for new bloggers?"

Well, I have a few tips on blogging, but am by far no professional. 

* Blog about what you love and are passionate about.  If you try to alter your blog to what you think your readers want, then you won't enjoy blogging and it won't come naturally. 

* Make friends with other bloggers.  It's amazing the community that you can build!

* Blog several times a week.  You don't have to blog everyday, but a few times a week is perfect.  Enough to keep people wanting more!

* If you are reading a blog and like something...make a comment!  It will brighten someones day!  Make your comments genuine.

* DON'T ask people to check out your blog.  It's usually pretty obvious that they will click on your blog if you comment. 

* When you blog, make it a mix of personal and other things.  It makes people feel they know you and can relate.  I have been so encouraged when I opened up and shared about struggles in life.  Just don't let it all hang out though ;)  Make sure the personal is about you...and NOT someone else!  It could hurt someone's feelings.

I hope those tips are helpful!  If you would like more in depth details you can email me :)  Designapeele@gmail.com.

3.) Emily from Imperfect asked, "I am so impressed with your faith and positivity regarding your quest for a baby. I know personally, and through blogs, so many people who struggle with this - how do you do remain focused on the positive?"

* Well, Emily, it is not always easy to stay positive.  I have bad days where I feel like there is no hope and that the Lord has forgotten Matt and me.  Even though, I KNOW this isn't true, it still feels like it when we are getting no where.  I want so badly to be a mom and share in the joys and struggles that come with it.  In order to deal with it, I pray with every bone in my body ( literally feeling the pain and ache in my heart ) that the Lord would help me deal with this.  That He would help me to remember that HE died on the cross for me and LOVES ME more than anyone in the world and that HE knows what's best for me.  I struggle to remember these things, but daily try to come back to truth.  Matt reminds me all the time that truth is what sets us free.  I can't tell you how good it feels to give this struggle over to the Lord.  Once I remember that I have nothing to worry about and put my trust back in the Lord I feel so much better.  The weight of the world is off my shoulders.  No matter what I do, I can't change anything, because the Lord knows what he wants for Matt and I.  If Matt and I are supposed to be parents, HE already has a baby already picked out for us and we will see him or her one day, whether that is through adoption or naturally. 

Thanks for asking that question, Emily.  It really helped me think through things, yet again ;)  Lately, Matt and I have been praying for the Lord to show us direction.  Yesterday he gave us a little direction through my Dad!  It was really cool.  We'll keep praying for more direction...oh and money!  Adoption is expensive!!!

4.) Julianne from From the Beginning asked, "What is your DREAM job?"

* Ok, that's a tough one.  I have a lot of passions that I struggle to channel.  I would LOVE to start my own business helping people decorate their house with what they already have, then creating a plan for them for what they would like in the future so they can buy a few things each month.  That way, decorating their house isn't overwhelming.  Right now, this is the #1 thing I would like to do :)

5.) Amy from House of Allens asked, "Do you already have future baby names picked out"

* Oh gosh, DEFINITELY!!  Here is the funny thing.  MR.P came home from work one day with 2 different lists of names, one for girls and one for boys.  I cracked up :)  Our choice name for a girl is Madeline Lane Peele.  We'll call her Maddie Lane :)  I love double names.  Such a sucker for them!  Our boy name is Harper Jackson Peele.  We'll call him Harper.  But I am getting ahead of myself right now, so I'll stop now ;)

6.) Ashley from lil misses' mama asked, "what do you love most about coming from a larger family?"

* Well, coming from a family of 5 girls and 1 boy definitely has it's ups and downs.  But, I think my favorite part is that there is never a lack of people to spend time with!  I love my family and wouldn't trade it for the world! 

7.) Anna from Anna Hatcher Design asked, "My question for you is what do you think made your blog so successful?? I can think of many reasons but would love to hear yours!"

* Wow, thanks Anna!  There are blogs way more successful than mine, so this question might be better asked to one of them.  But I'll answer anyway.  I think the Lord has had a huge hand in it.  I definitely do my part by blogging and such, but he has brought a few really neat opportunities along, which I am really thankful for.  If you want more in depth answers we can email back and forth...or you can look at question #2's answers :)

8.) Mrs. Big Time asked, "What is one of the most romantic gestures your husband has ever made you?"

* I love MR.P a lot, but romantic gestures are not his strong suit.  He would tell you the same thing, so that's why I can blog about it ;)  I try to tell him that even the little things like a picnic on the floor, or flowers when I get home mean a lot to me.  He's just more practical, so the sweet things he does are more like making sure I get picked up from class in a car instead of having to walk in the rain ;)  Anyway, my favorite thing he ever did was just that.  I was in college and walked out of class and realized it was pooring rain and I didn't have my trusty umbrella.  I looked out and saw that MR.P (then he was just my boyfriend) was waiting for me in the car.  He realized I didn't have an umbrella and wanted to keep me from getting soaked.  I have never felt so loved and taken care of!  Ok, he does stuff like this all the time, so I have felt so loved :)  Like a few weeks ago. I had a TERRIBLE day at work.  I walked out of work feeling very blue and looked up and there was my hunk of a husband standing on the step rail of his truck waiting for me...with a diet vanilla coke.  I mean, what more can a girl ask for!  I fell into his arms and cried because I felt so loved.  FYI, it takes a lot to make me cry ;)

I loved answering all of these questions.  If I get more I will definitely answer them!

200th Post Giveaway!!

This is a few posts overdue!  About 16 to exact, but none the less, it's still a giveaway!  I started this blog 1 year ago and wasn't quite sure if I would be able to do it. But, a few friends really encouraged me and helped me have the confidence that what I wanted to talk about was important and fun ;)  I had no idea I would enjoy blogging and the friends I have made so much!  What better way to celebrate than a giveaway. 

Up for grabs is this Stella & Dot Bib necklace!

To win this necklace do one or all of the following (you have 5 chances to win!):

1.) Comment on this post!

2.) Tweet this blog post! (leave a comment that you did this)

3.) Blog about this giveaway (leave a comment that you did this)

4.) Become a follow (leave a comment that you did this)

5.) Ask me any question you would like :)

The winner will be announced in one week, on Thursday the 23rd!

Moccasins

Ok, I started a love for moccasins about 5 years ago.  I had a pair in college, but my mom thought they were so ugly that she bought me a pair of Sperrys instead.  Which I still have and still love :)

But it never really got rid of my love for moccasins.  I bought a pair at Target 2 years ago, but the stitching started to come out.  Which makes me really sad.  Now that I am writing this, I'll probably just take a needle and thread and fix it...anyway, not sure why I didn't think of that before.  It's amazing what writing will help you think through!  Back to my point.  Moccasins go with everything in the fall.  That and a pair of loafers ;)

Here's what I wear all during the fall...with my moccasins or loafers! (When I'm not wearing this...I wear it all the dang time!)

When shopping for moccasins I prefer to find a very talored pair that can be casual, but doesn't make me feel frumpy.  But, that's just me :)  No matter what I am wearing, I do NOT like to feel frumpy.  I love layering in the fall.  When I go into work I wear all of this, but by the end of the day it's hot again so it's nice to have options.  Then once I get home I can throw on a pair of jeans and I'm ready to go!  Or I could even put a pair of boots on to dress things up a bit instead of jeans.  I guess it just depends on the occasion. 

I love putting outfits together like this because it helps me look at my closet with a different eye.  Instead of feeling like I need more clothes, it helps me see what I already have :)  Shop your own closet more often.  Keep it cleaned out so you can see your options and don't feel overwhelmed and feel like you have no clothes :)



What I Wore Wednesday

I am linking up to The Pleated poppy!

This week I've got 2 outfits for ya.  I haven't gotten the hang out taking pictures every single day.  So I guess you'll take what you can get ;)  Still need that full length mirror in my bathroom.  Then you'll be able to see my cute black and white tile.  Makes me smile when I see it every morning.

Tuesday - I wore this to work.  I was meeting a friend for coffee after work and thought I would still be comfortable.  Turns out I wasn't.  I had MR.P bring me some clothes ;)

Shirt - my friend Jenn gave this shirt to me.  It's really cute.  I could take the sweater off and be ready for a date night with MR.P! 

Sweater - Ann Taylor Loft a few years ago.  It's held up well.  I have been impressed!

Jeans - Seven A pocket jeans.  My friend Jenn also gave me these.  Love them.  I probably wear them a little too often.

Shoes - Nine West outlet last year.  They are the perfect black shoe.  They are actually a round ballet shoe with a great wedge.  I wear them all the time in the fall and winter.

Wednesday - I wore this to work aslo! 

Shirt - Target t-shirt.  looks and feels just like the j.crew ones. 

Skirt - Target.  I got this last year.  I love the ruffles! They make any t-shirt look cute! 

Belt - borrowed from my mom.  She wasn't using it so she let me have it for a while. 

Shoes - Tori Burch - given to me by a friend

Alright. So I promised that I wouldn't buy any clothes or anything for our house this month. BUT, I was hoping y'all could help me out with this bathroom.  You've seen a few pics of it and it really needs some help.  If this was your bathroom, what would you do?  It needs to be on the cheap side of things.  I am definitely open to keeping the same color (sage green) and even doing a stencil.  But I need advice! HELP!

Finishing Up The Office

Good morning Monday!  My weekend was a little short because I had to work.  But, MR.P and I made the most of the time we did have together.  Saturday, he picked me up and we picked up my friend's sweet baby girl, Turner.  We headed to our friend's house to watch football and to hang out with friends.  She was absolutely perfect! 

It was a little sad to give her back.  We LOVED spending time with her! 

Ok, so now onto the office.  This past week was soo busy I didn't really get a chance to work on anything.  I did decide that I like the words at the top of the wall. 



Hopefully I'll have enough time this week to get it done. Once everything is put together I'll share a price list so you can be encouraged that it doesn't take much money to decorate a room!!

This is where the office stood last week.  We added a few pictures to the frames, but am not really done.  Please bare with my pictures.  I was trying to edit an iphone picture, but I think it went terribly wrong!  Hopefully I'll get the hang of editing soon!

Advertisements!

Happy Saturday!  I have been off at a conference for work, so blogging definitely took a back seat for a few days.  I had lots to do and not enough hours :)  But, before I burst, I wanted to let you know I have decided to start having advertisers on my blog.  I was contacted by Vistaprint to advertise for them and I could not be more excited!  They offer so many different printing needs!  Photo cards, baby announcements, business cards, etc.  Anything you can think of! 

If you are interested in adveritising on Design A-Peele please let me know.  I'll let you know know the prices and such.  Happy Weekend and GOOOO DAWGS!!!

Thrift Store Loot

I can't wait to turn these into treasures!  I love thrift stores and think people should shop them more often.  You never know what you'll find!

That lamp is in great shape.  I tried covering the lamp shade myself with burlap, but it didn't turn out very well.  Target has great ones that I think I'll snag when I have a few extra dollars. 

The rest are wire baskets that were $1.91 each.  Major score for me!!  They are going in the kitchen, bathroom, and office!  These type of baskets go for way more at Pottery Barn.  So I was really excited :)

Hope everyone had a great labor day weekend.  This should give you a little view of what the MR. and I did!

We totally maximized our weekend and had a great time!

Want to see what I made for work?

Let me know if you need any LARGE writing utensils :)

( It's for a skit we are doing at work for a training summit )

Night out with Aunt Beth & Gracie

Last night I got to play mom to my niece Gracie.  So she and I went to run some errands.  We had a blast!  I absolutely love being an aunt. 

I mean could she be any cuter?? 

Trach can

I bought a little trash can from the thrift store.  Of course I forgot to take a picture of it before I started spraypainting. 

It looked a little something like this, but OLD and dingy.

I used just regular Kilz white spraypaint and turned it into this!

Now this is no professional job, but it does what I need it to do.  And I thought the word "trash" was pretty funny :)

It's an easy little project that anyone can do.  After spraypainting I printed out the words I wanted in the font and size I liked.  I scribbled with pencil on the back of the printed words and then traced back over the words on top of the trash can.  Then after the words were transferred, I filled in with a sharpie.  Easy as that!  This is going in our office.  Once I get my camera back I'll take a picture to show you how it all looks.  I used my iphone but it made it look bad, so I didn't want to share!

Office Update From Shopping At My House

Yesterday I posted about setting up a little place to organize the Mr. and I's office things, like paper, stationary, and random projects we are working on.  Well here it is all finished. 

So this will do for now.  Once I got everything in the office all set up, I started to feel like it was cramping the room.  I decided I needed to sleep on it, so I did.  In the future I'd like something a little smaller and flat against the wall.  But it really does the job we need. 

Once that was done I printed out our 4 family values to see what I thought about putting them on the wall.  I think I like it!  Just need a few more days to decide.

I also added this to our light switch. 

I honestly think it needs to be a bit bigger.  I'll have to get used to it.  Might change it though.

It has been really fun focusing on one room instead of jumping back and forth like I normally do.  Hopefully in the next few weeks it will all be done and I can do a big reveal.  Just need to get my camera back...ugh! iphones can't be used for a big reveal!

What I Wore Wednesday

Linking up to The Pleated Poppy!
Ok, so again I forgot to take pics of what I wore this week, so I thought I'd post what I wore today!  It's tough to remember to take pics.  I don't have a full length mirror in our master bath so I have to go upstairs and take my pics on the potty.  Lovely isn't it?

I wore this to work.  All my clothes are for work unless its the weekend.

Gray tank - I got this at the Gap outlet on our vacation.  Love it.  It's light weight and not fitted.  $5

Pink Cardigan - I also got this on our vacation this summer.  It's from the kids dept at Target. $5

White pants - Gap last season.  They are actually a white denim.  I love them!  They don't get wrinkled as badly as a white kakhi pants. 

Shoes - J.Cew outlet. You can't see them.  They are just a plain silver strap sandal.  I have worn them to death this summer.  They were a gift from my mom for my bday. 

I usually try to wear things like this to work so I am comfortable and can wear the clothes all day if needed...like if the Mr. surprises me and takes me on a date...hint, hint ;)

Update to the office coming!

More Office Work

When inspiration hits I can't ignore it.  I was thinking about what kind of bookshelf MR.P and I wanted for our office on this wall...

And these are a few styles that I liked.

South Hampton - Target

Martha Stewart Living

Salem

( I think this style is my favorite)

Better Homes and Gardens 

(also happens to be the price winner!)

The only reason we needed a bookshelf was to store all of our stationary, random projects, and such.  Our original plan was to buy a bookshelf and find some cute baskets to store that stuff in.  Then add some of our favorite books as well.  I started wracking my brain with what the mr. and I already have.  Then it hit me!  We have this little dresser that an old tv sits on in our throw all room.  It's not the right color, but who cares!  It's a dark brown and I think it will work just fine for now.

I did a little research that helped me figure out if it would work out.  It's called drawing it out to make sure it looks good ;)

That alleviated  the itch to run home from work immediately to try things out ;)  I do this fairly often.  Helps me make things come to life. 

I also used Polyvore to see what the calendars would look like on the wall.  I think I have changed my mind from using the dry erase paint.  I'm thinking I'll buy some canvases and stretch burlap over them.  That way, MR.P can just print out calendars every 6 months and pin it to the wall.  Easy peasy!

So I got home and put what I had together.  This is what I found.

Ok, so right now the colors and such are WAY off.  BUT, I took that silver frame and spraypainted it white.  Then I spraypainted that vase a rustic red.  (update coming) Thank goodness for left over spraypaint!  The vase is from thrift store and so is the greenery thing.  I think they were a total of $3 a few months ago.  Came home and was really sad I didn't have a place for them.  Glad I finally found a place!  I knew I would.  The table thing is from a garage sale when MR.P and I just got married.  $10.  I think I like it the way it is.  MR.P thinks I want to paint everything I can.  Proving him wrong ;)

Once I have everything together I'll let you know the final look.  I think for our needs this works.  We will find some good baskets to go on the side to keep things organized.  Can't wait!