Mr. Bones

Here is part II of the Halloween decor.....The hall table that I just blogged about last week has gotten a spooktacular makeover! I added the same muslin cheesecloth over the mirror (I just tore it from the piece featured the other day) hung a spider on the candleholder. A silver compote pedestal got a moss covered skull and some bones....

Mr. Bones got so scared his boney feet planted themselves right on the ground!
R.I.P. Mr. Bones

I don't know why this pic wouldn't rotate...I rotated it several times....maybe it's possessed?!?!? Maybe the hands in the bowl have something to do with it?
The case of the shrunken skulls.....quite the specimen, don't you agree??
First I had to glue a rubber circle to the base of my urn, then skewer some skulls onto a toothpick.....
Add some shredded vintage sheet music and VIOLA!!
Have a great night!

WIWW and CRACKLE

It's Wednesday so that means it's time to link up to WIWW with Lindsey http://thepleatedpoppy.com/2011/09/what-i-wore-wednesday-37/

HOWEVER, I must preface this post by saying this was a TOTAL FAIL.....both outfits are from this morning and I didn't wear either once I saw how they looked. I am in a real clothing slump these days.....

OUTFIT 1
White Ralph Lauren Button Down

Peacock Ann Taylor Vest

Black Seven Leggings

Leopard Rain Boots

I hated how you can see the white of the shirt thru the vest because the fabric on the shirt was too thick and the sweater too thin (this sweater looks best with a lightweight T). So I changed....

Outfit 2

Black Boyfriend Cardi (that I seem to wear every week BECAUSE it's SO COMFY)

Grey Boyfriend T

Seven Black Leggings (same as previous outfit)

Leopard Rain Boots (same as previous outfit)

AND STILL I wasn't happy...so I took off the sweater and threw on my black fleece jacket and called it a day! I SO NEED to LOOK at what y'all wore so I can get some inspiration!

I do have a fun nailpolish linky I found to share with y'all.......

While blog surfing at Ali-Grace http://www.ali-grace.com/2011/09/easy-fun-nail-tutorial.html I found this really fun take on using crackle.....I couldn't wait to try it out as in I am going to try it at 9:30pm while watching the Playboy Club (speaking of, is anybody else watching? Thoughts?). I just swiped some black crackle over my (much needed to re-do) pink and LOVED the affect! Ali's are the black and teal with the bling (her's look AWESOME!!!) and mine are the pink and black.....

Cheers To A Spook-tacular Fall

I usually wait until October 1st to decorate for Halloween BUT after being at my girlfriends house Sunday and seeing her Halloween decor up I was inspired to get a jumpstart! (and my lil guy asked if I was going to put up halloween stuff while he was at school - how could I not?!?!?). My decor style has evolved over the years....I used to do the cutesy pumpkins and costumed bears, etc BUT in recent years I have gone more the Martha Stewart way in creating my own decor and just accentuating what I already have. Case in point are the kids silhouettes.....

The ONLY things added were the spooky cheesecloth and giant spider!

To the candles I have on display in the dining room I added the black wire bats......

The window usually hangs on the wall as well.....(I added the shelf yesterday for the soul purpose of putting up the poison (which are various wine and liquor bottles {that I may or may not have drank} embellished with poison labels purchased form the Dollar Tree and downloaded by moi).
Alright, so I kept a lil but of "Happy" Halloween to adorn the kitchen window (it's for the kids)

Remember my granny smith apple green wreath I use for Back To School decor? I simply added to large spiders and I can keep it up another month!
That's all I have for today...the camera died! MORE to come another day!

ALOHA Birthday Decor

My daughter wanted an ALOHA theme for her birthday (in SEPTEMBER - which was a challenge as tropical season was over and she decided this the end of August!!). So I searched high and low for invitations that would coordinate....I found some at Hobby Lobby BUT wasn't willing to pay the price they were asking for a pack of 10...So I figured I could make my own (which I dragged my feet on) SO at Wal-Mart I found these notecards....

Cute BUT not quite blingy enough.....so I added rhinestones....
With the invites done, I could move on to making the menu.....which of course had to coordinate with the theme....

I ordered the cake....

Balled a buncha melon (which seemed to impress her girlfriends)

The food ready to be served.....

I made Kahaluu punch...(which later I added some UV Coconut Rum to...YUM-O)

I needed somewhere to put the drink umbrellas......I tried "sand" (which was really crushed up graham cracker) and that failed....So I wracked my brain and came up with this.....

The waters even got label-ed......


I made these wreaths for the front door (I will do a separate post about these)
And for the party I added these pennants (made from paint chip samples)
We bought some glow in the dark leis (that we thought would be so cool BUT they were a pain in the butt! We had to put them together) and grass skirts.

ALOHA

Use what you have decorating

HAPPY Friday y'all! Here's what I had.....an empty lil hallway niche.....maybe most people would just leave it as is.....NOT me!

I had this pile of stuff in the basement......things that might not ordinarily "go together" and I said to myself when time permits I will paint the green table a lime green....

And here they are in their new home.....as I look at it I think I don't think i will paint the table lime green after all.....I like the contrasting greens with the white....
Again, most people would be satisfied with the silver dish full of fall plenty BUT not me.....

I added the two silver frames...."Be Thankful" and Number 7 (which I made)
These were from Home Interiors back in 2003....they were gold and silver....I was going to pitch them until I decided to try and modernize them with some FUN FUNKY Apple green paint.....
LOVE them now! SO glad I didn't just throw them away! Layers are my thang....jewelry, clothing, home decor, etc! Here is an example.....I added a pearl candle ring to each sconce

I LOVED the glad spring candle line - did you have a chance to try it? I can't remember the name of the green scent BUT it was so fresh....limey and clean. Here is all I had left of it.....

After I cleaned the old wax out, I added in the center of the candle ring.....I think it's the right mix of fancy and cool! AND I went green by recycling the glass candle holders!

Try to mix it up this weekend in your own home! If ya do, leave me a comment, I'd love to come by and check it out!

WIWW Fur Colllar

I am linking up with Lindsey at the Pleated Poppy http://thepleatedpoppy.com/2011/09/what-i-wore-wednesday-36/

I have 2 outfits this week (although i was bummed I missed my cute jeans and leopard rain boot shot form Sunday...BOO).

This was Monday's outfit.....it's was a cool morning and I wanted something comfy....the black boyfriend cardi is my go-to.....

Black Boyfriend Cardi - Target 2009

Black Tank - Wal-Mart $1.00

Jeans - Lane Bryant

Jewelry - See Below

Then I wanted to add some fun to my black.....So I added these accessories! FUN color, simple and easy!

Orange Beads - Thrifted, Rosettes - Purchased from a Vendor at Kane County...LOVE the color combo, the bling and the pearls.

Here's what I wore today.....
Just kidding! I was taking pics of this fur collar to list on ebay.....I would totally keep it BUT I already have 2 others and 2 vintage coats with fur collars SO I am sadly giving this up.....

Here is what I really wore today.....Not sure I am feeling this look.....I went to church this morning at my kids school.

Grey Nine West Button up - Thrifted

Gold Belt - Old Navy - YEARS ago

Jeans - Lee custom fits

Cross Necklace - Galena Boutique Purchase

A Paint Job

As you know there was a time that I barely blogged.....because I was busy doing lotsa home projects! Here is one.....

AFTER:

BEFORE:

Like Where's Waldo.....do you know the changes? Some are subtle (the shelf color went from brown to black, the vintage thermos' are now elevated on glass candle holders) and the biggest change - from canary yellow to GREY!!
Since we painted the walls, I wanted to freshen up the vent covers too.....I started by painting them white....once mounted they looked fresh and clean....but then I had the idea to paint the top half the same grey as the wall, so I taped it off and painted.....what do you think?
Have a GREAT Monday! Off to complete some more projects.

Stumped

Ok, not really! I am in L O V E! With my fab silver tree stump side table!

Remember I tried selling her back here? At Kane County in July.....all the women oohhed and aahhhed and all their men shot down "$25.00 kindling". Sorry boys that y'all didn't see the potential in this fab lil lady! (I secretly was happy because I wanted to keep her)

See how happy she looks? This lil vignette was born from left over flea market finds that didn't sell and my NEED to fill an empty space!

When we moved in 2 months ago THIS is what that same window looked like.....canary yellow (the stuff wasn't ours, it was the previous tenants)

SO after scrubbing it all down with bleach, and painting a pretty silver grey, we were left with this empty spot (I still need to paint this trim)

I KNEW the stump would've perfect in the living room.....it started in the corner BUT wasn't being showcased, so I moved her out to the center.....

My guy suggested adding wheels - BRILLIANT!!!
Of course I happened to have some on hand! That I picked up at the Salvation Army one day (they were marked $2.99). I KNEW one day I would have a use for them! This theory doesn't support trying to be financially sound....

TA-DA!!! Her she is ready to move!
Wheels on, accessorized and FAB!!!