Notes from the Studio: Home Sweet Home

Time for a Little Redecoration

I gave my husband a full week after we had returned from our month long trip to let him know it was time for some redecorating in our home. As you can imagine, it didn't go over so well.

"We've just returned from an amazing trip, and you want to redecorate?"

As I scanned the 2 rooms in question, "Um, yes."

There was a grimace on his face. I'm sure in the back of his mind he was thinking this Fall would be the perfect time to just relax for awhile. Get back into the routine of school, work, and life, and possibly watch some football too. I can only guess a "fun" and most likely costly redecoration project was not on his radar.

A couple weeks have passed now since I sprung the news, and I've been slowly making progress. First, I've pulled out a pile of magazine cut outs I've been storing away, and have been doing a little low-tech Pinterest work by gathering up all the inspiration I can find. Of course, I'm also doing the high-tech approach and pinning away on my Home Sweet Home board.

Lastly, I've started to dig in to Holly Becker's Decorate Workshop book. Oh, what a feast for the eyes, with very "Betsy-like" exercises to help me think about the spaces I want to update. One of my main goals in redecorating is to add more personality to the spaces, specifically my family's personality. This book is definitely helping me pull out that information.

I'm also seeing a little softening up on my husband's part. We had to do some cleaning and moving around of some rugs this week (another long story, but let's just say the dog was involved), and it gave us a chance to see how much lighter the rooms feel without the dark rugs. I guess I should thank my dog for her troubles, since it looks like I'm getting my chance for a little redecoration after all!

I'll definitely post some updates along the way, and may just have to poll you wonderful readers when I'm stuck on finding what I'm looking for. Given how fast things move around here, it could take awhile, but I'm sure in the end, it'll be worth it!

Jars, Jars and More Jars

To go along with my last post...

how 'bout adding some jars to that game room motif?

Wouldn't these look cute on the mantle,

in a bookshelf or on a side table?

Game pieces are always a hit,

but what about these croquet balls too.

Great vintage wood balls...

I love this idea too!

Cards from any questionare-type game

would be a great addition to my family's dining room table.

It would be really fun at a dinner party as well!

And, then there's the paint brushes in jars...

this may not go well in the newly anointed game room,

but sure could make a great arrangement

pretty much anywhere.

Think of all the rest of the jar decorating possibilities throughout the year...

• Halloween- candy corns, spooky fake spiders, toy eyeballs, etc.
• Thanksgiving - small gourds, fall leaves, acorns, nuts, etc.
• Christmas - ribbon candy, peppermints, small ornaments, bells, tinsel, etc.

and the list goes on.

Have you used jars to decorate in your home? What do you put in them?

Pictures above were taken at Martis Camp, Lake Tahoe.

Frame a Game: Playroom Decoration Idea

Vintage Board Games in a Frame

Here's another great decoration idea from those creative interior designers up at Martis Camp in Lake Tahoe... using board games and game pieces for decor. I've seen this idea before, but when I saw it again... I snapped some pics, and had to share. In looking through these, I've added a few ideas of my own too...

Above is simple, yet sweet... framing a couple vintage board games. Searching etsy.com or ebay will bring up many vintage board games for sale. Another idea... frame one of your favorite current board games... it doesn't have to be vintage to still be cool!

Domino Frame

Isn't this frame idea cute? Think of all the other game pieces that could be glued to a frame...

• Dominoes
• Monopoly Money (decoupaged)
• Assorted Plastic Game Pieces
• Candyland Cards
• Playing Cards
• Dice
• Scrabble Pieces
• this list goes on and on...

I do love the old Pin the Tail on the Donkey game that's being framed too!

Game Collage

Now this piece is awesome... a collage of all sorts of vintage game pieces and board games... from money, to marbles, to cards and scrabble pieces... To make this on your own is easy. Again, you can definitely go the vintage route, or how about just taking some of the games from your cabinet that everyone has grown out of, and putting something together. The collage should bring up many memories of the hours spent playing the game!

Here are a couple more shots of details of the collage....

I hope these decorating ideas have been inspiring... I'm in great need of new art for my family room, and after writing this post, I think I'm going to head out, pick up a canvas, and have a hot glue frenzy-- gluing anything and everything to the canvas... board games, game pieces, the works. I'll post something once I've come up with it!