Tag Archives: home decorating

Progress Is Progress

I don’t have anything exciting to share with you today (cue disappointed “awww”), but I feel I owe you all a post explaining my recent absence. The reason for this absence is twofold: too many projects underway at one time, and limited time to actually make progress on any of them.

This is what I mean:

dining room with crown moulding

We purchased crown moulding (yea!) But… we have yet to patch it, paint it, and install it. So now it’s hanging out in our dining room with my makeshift growing table.

painting a bathroom  painting a bathroom

We finished painting the small hallway between our kitchen and powder room (yea!) and started on the powder room (another yea!). But… we haven’t even cut in around all the baseboards yet. Last weekend was our anniversary (6 years!), and hanging out together sounded a lot better than painting!

And in the midst of all these started projects, we still have our day jobs, our dog, our somewhat neglected workout schedule, and all the other joys of daily life to juggle.

One step at a time, right?

BUT I did not forget about my blogiversary this week! Please stop back on Thursday for a special post and my first giveaway!

Valentine’s Day Mantel

I held out on the “winter” decor as long as I could, but it’s time to transition our fireplace mantel to Valentine’s Day!

Valentine's Day Mantel -- TwoPurpleCouches.com

I kept a few of my favorite things from my Christmas/winter scheme, like the mercury glass pillars and the natural elements/twigs (spruced up with a few sprigs of red); then added the awesome red mercury glass Target clearance items, a blown-glass flower, and some red-and-black books for height and color. I also brought Edgar back into the mix. I mean, elephants are a symbol of love and affection, right? No? Oh well. Call it a new tradition, then.

Valentine's Day Mantel -- TwoPurpleCouches.com

Full Disclosure: I fully intended to add a lovey phrase to the red wrapping paper background inside the frame. But the stars, err Cupid?, were against me. I had a phrase all picked out and typed up. I played with font sizes until I got them big enough to show up. And then things started to fall apart – when I tried to print them, the pages were all out of whack, thus splitting one letter onto two pages. When I finally got that sorted out, our printer was out of ink. Or rather, out of black ink. And would only print in blue. Bah! Call me lazy, accuse me of not being a finisher. I don’t care. I’m fine with the hit of red as it is. And who knows, maybe I’ll find renewed energy, and a black ink cartridge, over the weekend!

Are you a finisher or an un-finisher?

 

Lovey-Dovey Chalkboard Art

Love Birds Valentine's Art

The chalkboard bug bit again!

This one was simpler than my Christmas endeavor. Once I knew what I wanted to write, I cut scrapbook paper to size, lightly wrote the words in pencil, and then went over it with white acrylic paint and a fine brush. Easy-peasy.

Love Birds DIY art

Have you tried your hand at chalkboard type?

Update: linking up to these parties:
The Shabby Nest

Friday Finds

I treated myself to a trip to Target on my way home from work last night, and I’m so glad I did! I found some great clearance steals that fit perfectly with my Valentine’s decor:

TwoPurpleCouches.com

Annnnd…. perhaps more exciting, this awesome soy candle in a mercury glass jar. You may be thinking “yea, so?” But let me tell you the best part – it smells exactly like Anthropologie!!! Y’know, those awesome Capri Blue Volcano candles they burn in every store? This one smells exactly the same, and cost a fraction of the price of the Anthro ones!

TwoPurpleCouches.com

Weekly Wishlist: Entryway Tables

This week, I’ve got my eye on entryway-worthy console tables / cabinets. A perfect place to drop your keys, the mail, or create a casual vignette.

 

Pier1 Anywhere Console Table
I like this classic console – you get shelves for displaying and drawers for storing. A perfect combo! / Pier 1 Anywhere Console 

Pier1 Nicola Console
I have a lot of books in my “personal collection” so I love all of the shelves this console offers. And the added interest of the sides. / Pier 1 Nicola Console

Pier1 Bookseller Low Shelf
The addition of the “V” shelf for books is a fun, unique twist / Pier 1 Bookseller Low Shelf

Safavieh Gary Console Table
The sheen + ironwork gives this console an upscale look. For the swanky entryway, of course / Safavieh Console (originally found via RueLaLa)

Pier1 Alexandra Chest
Wanna take the swank up a notch? Then this one’s your guy, err, chest / Pier 1 Alexandra Chest