Shanna's New Year's {Home & Blog} Resolutions

Seriously? It's 2012? My head is spinning.  I honestly kind of lost control of time back in July. But the new year is here, and I am a big list-maker, so of course I will make resolutions!  

image courtesy of Polwig

Here's a peek into what I'm resolving for home and blog stuff in 2012 ...

* Finish those unfinished projects!  I have a slew of them, not the least of which is to reupholster and redo my $15 Craigslist chair- the green pleather is torturing me.  This one:

* Take the plunge and (finally) order and hang bamboo blinds in the living room, dining room and kitchen.  Those windows really do need it. 

* Really work on the kids' rooms.  I need to take a break from the more public spaces downstairs and hang curtains, artwork and just get the kids' rooms feeling more finished and cozy for them.  

* Accessorize.The.Den.Bookshelves.  Enough said.  OK and buy some lamps for the console table. 

 * Continue working on the living room/office.  I think I may buy some tall IKEA Billy bookshelves along with some trim and make them into built-ins?  I'm thinking of putting an entire row of them along that back wall (in this old picture):

* Dive in and do board and batten in the dining room ... or maybe just keep it simpler and do boxes of molding around my space (which would mean I don't have to tear out the existing baseboards).  Thoughts?

Board & Batten:  image courtesy of Centsational Girl

Molding Squares: image courtesy of Bower Power/The Nate Berkus Show

* For the blog, improve our photos.  I don't think I am ready to invest in a fancy camera, but I can at least get to know what my little point and shoot can do.  I need to spend a little more time working on taking good photos.  After all, photos are what make blogs pretty.  

* I also want to keep our house tour tabs current.  I get woefully behind with this task.  I know the first thing I do when I find a new blog is click on that tab.  I've gotta do it weekly.  

* I want to take a home improvement class in tiling at Lowe's or Home Depot.  I really want to start thinking about redoing the upstairs baths.

* Oh, I would be remiss if I did not mention one of my personal resolutions for 2012: run a half marathon in under 2 hours.  I've mentioned that I have always wanted to do it and never have.  This is the year!  My first race is the National Half in Washington DC on March 17.  Hopefully the luck o' the Irish will be with me that day as I make my PR!

And that does it!  What about you? Do you make new years resolutions?  If you do, what are some of yours?

See you swoon,

Swapping paintings for a mirror

A while back I had decided to be come a painter (haha) and paint my own prints for the front sitting room to go between the windows.  I have enjoyed them and was proud of myself for painting tracing them but over time have grown bored of them and felt they were too matchy matchy with the dining room curtains (this is what I was going for initially but I have since changed my mind...this happens a lot).

Here is a look back at what I had between the windows:

I feel like I had these front chairs in this room years and years ago and it was only six months!

Shanna had an extra oval mirror laying around that just happened to be the perfect size for this space.  I thought it would be nice to have a mirror to bounce the light around the house and felt the need for more texture.  I had been looking at mirrors for some time and fell in love with the capiz shell styles but they were $$$$ so I had to come up with a new plan.  Make one of course!

I bought two inch round capiz shells online.  I ended up spending just under $40 on the 150 shells and shipping combined and the mirror was free.  First plan of action, fill in the grooves on the mirror.  This would allow me to hot glue the shells on to a solid, somewhat level surface.

Check this out!  Pink spackle that dries white when it is ready to paint :)

Here is the mirror after the spackle dried and with one coat of Sherwin Williams dover white paint:

 Ready to start attaching the shells with hot glue:

I overlapped the shells in three rows.  This actually helped to cover up the hot glue and the frame because the shells are very see through:

All done!  This actually took longer than expected but I am learning that everything does. 

Now it's time to hang this pretty lady:

And here is a full shot of he room so you can see how far it has come since the top picture with the chairs:

I love the reflection of the Christmas tree, too bad it has to come down this week, boo.  I am still thrilled with how this turned out and for a fraction of the price of buying one!

I hope you all had good times with friends and family this holiday season and welcome to 2012!

What did you guys work on over the break?  Start any big projects or finish something off?  You know we want to hear what you are up to!

See you swoon,



Happy New Year 2012!

Jamie and I can't thank you enough for reading our little blog in 2011!  We wish you a 2012 filled with happiness, love, laughter and success.  We look forward to sharing another swoon-worthy year with you!

See you swoon,

New Years eye candy to get you in the spirit

Happy New Year's Eve Eve everyone!  I hope you all have plans to be with friends or family to celebrate and watch 2012 roll in.  The new year always brings such excitement and promise of fun new things and a fresh start, I can say that I am looking forward to this new year more than words can say.

Before I leave you for the long weekend (yay!) I wanted to give you some New Year's Eve Eve eye candy to swoon over :)

Love these nails, so fun!

Source: Uploaded by user via Julia on Pinterest

I am going to my friends annual PJ party but if I was going out this would be my dress of choice:

Source: store.alloy.com via Raven on Pinterest

Oooooor maybe this one:

Source: zara.com via debra on Pinterest

What a fun decoration idea:

Source: marthastewartweddings.com via Roxanne on Pinterest

This print is adorable (Shanna you could use this in your entry way in place of the Christmas one!):

Source: todaysfabulousfinds.blogspot.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I hope you all have a happy, healthy, start to the new year.  Lots of love from us here at Swoon Style Home!

See you swoon,

A Few of My Favorite Blogs

Mmmm, anyone around this week? My hunch is no! Most people are spending time with family and friends, making merry, shopping and returning, going to the movies and enjoying the last few moments of 2011.  I'm right there with you!  So today, I'll keep this short and sweet and share a few of my favorite blogs.  If you're not already reading them, you should be!

6th Street Design School

I love Kirsten's blog over at 6th Street Design School.  She is an interior designer who blogs once or twice a day with beautiful posts filled with inspiration.  Sometimes she posts rooms she is working on for clients.  Sometimes she posts about rooms in her own home.   Often she will post Etsy roundups, which are so super cool.  And every Friday she does a Feature Friday where she features the home of someone else.  Her curtains in her living room are what inspired my own same curtains!  I saw the fabric and fell in love.

Life on Mars

Maury of Life on Mars has such a great blog!  She is one of our most frequent commenters here at Swoon, which we appreciate more than words can say. Her blog is filled with gorgeous decorating ideas, DIY projects and tons and tons of eye candy all infused with style and super hilarious humor.  I adore her blog!  

The Fat Hydrangea

I found Sara's blog, The Fat Hydrangea, when searching for ideas for my staircase: hers is ah-maz-ing.   Her home is so beautiful and a fixer-upper, so they have tons and tons of projects going on.  I love reading what she's up to ... and we seem to have a similar style with decorating, as she loves grey and white.  I cracked up when she posted her Christmas loot and most was for her home.  A girl after my own heart.  Check out her lovely blog!

The Foreign Domestic

And finally, I love love love Kirsten of The Foreign Domestic.  She's basically Superwoman -- she has a lovely home, takes amazingly beautiful photographs, posts drool-worthy recipes all the time and runs marathons!  That's plural ... marathonssssss.  She's an inspiration, and I truly enjoy reading what she has to say.  I know you will too!

And there you have it! A handful of blogs that I think you'll really enjoy.  What about you? What are some of your favorite blogs?  

See you swoon,

PS - need some more blogs to read?  We've already shared some of our faves back in the Summer during our mid-summer swoon week.  Here's a link to that post, which contains the URLs for Hi Sugarplum, The Glossarie, DIY By Design, Home Preferred and Richmond Thrifter.  Great blogs, one and all!