Chalkboard Paint Update

Mack's awful bifold doors before.

Mack's door after.  I tried to pan out a bit to show you more of the room, but it is so small and my camera so sucks.

I know Pluto is not a technically not a planet anymore, but his solar system only came with 8 planets.  Not cool.  The song I taught him from "They Might Be Giants" is already outdated.  Comment if you know what that means.

Five is a great age.  He sleeps with his baby blanket, Roary the Lion,  and his basketball.

Moving around the room you can see his school house map, that was a wedding gift from my bff, he loves to change the maps and it makes his room look different whenever he wants.  He also has a map of a SCUBA trip his daddy once took.  He loves the fact that his daddy swam with sharks.

The last side of his room shows his art table.  Daddy used old maps and decoupage to revamp an old ugly table that we got from a coworker.  It is my favorite part of his room.  He also has a globe collection, (on top of very un-staged shelves)  he loves to find new places on them.  When asked what his favorite part of the room was he said, "the blue paint, because I am a boy".  A boy that misses his dog.

Bad Dream

My puppy was killed yesterday when another dog broke through a fence and attacked him.  It was a horrific scene witnessed by my small children, and we are all pretty traumatized.  I am thankful though for my wonderful neighbors who cried and mourned with me yesterday, for my bff who threw me and my broken and bloody dog in her BMW and drove around like a mad woman and then bought me new clothes so I wouldn't have to go home in my bloody ones and scare the kids even more, and for my husband who held me all night while I cried.

Where do I start?

I love you stripey rug.  And you too blue door.  Don't think I have forgotten you black lamps shade and black sconces. 
Girly little settee, you are pretty.  So it that handsome boy chair next to you.  And crystal vase with the flowering branch...I keep seeing more layers and more details that I love.  I could look at this room forever
via Canadian House and Home

Will I Ever get Tired of These?

I still love chalkboard paint.  I just did my son's closet doors.  The paint is curing right now, so I will post some before and afters later.  And  striped rug, I see you.  I need you now.  Call me.

images via Bolig Magisnet

$20 for a Quickie

I bought this cart for $20 off craigslist on Friday.  The chalkboard I found in my bff's basement.

A coat of primer and a coat of black, and a 5 minute styling with things from around my house, and voila, I have a bar in my porch.  I have a bar in my living room already, but it's warm now and I don't want to have to spend an extra minute inside refreshing my drink or yours.  This is why decorating is more fun than gardening.

I also spent a little time on Etsy looking for a cool tray for my new bar, I found a few winners.....

Which one do you like best?  They were all under $20.  (Barb it is ok to comment).

Rain Garden

I want to build a rain garden.  Have you heard of them?  You put it in a low spot, it fills with rain from your yard or roof , you plant native plants that can tolerate standing water and voila! Rain garden.  But gardening is never Voila!  It takes time and patience.  I have neither.  I like the instant gratification of interior decorating better.  But I want a beautiful yard so I am going to try to learn me some patience.  I can hear my mom and husband snickering.  Now rain gardens are not manicured and symmetrical and not always so beautiful, but once established they are pretty and eco-friendly and better than a mud puddle, and supposedly low maintenance.  The first three images are not rain gardens per say, but Martha gardens and the kind of the messy overgrown look I like.  The second two images are actual rain gardens in Minnesota and probably a more realistic goal for me.  Do you have a rain garden?

Welcome Home Joe

The Twins come home today for a test run in the new stadium.  Talk about your nice houses, the one we built for our hometown hero, Joe Mauer looks fantastic.  (and so does he)
I have my tickets, but not until June! sigh.

Speaking of yummy, at Target Field you can get one of these.  A Juicy Lucy is a Minnesota staple.  Do you have them where you live?  The cheese is on the inside of the burger.