Remodeling Roundup

Are you sick of seeing this after photo of my old house yet? I think I'll never tire of it. And cut me a little slack, we've been renting for two years, I like to relive my glory days. Those glorious days of a little remodeling project.

Remember the before? The sensible 5 over 4 and a door with a skinny broken pediment ode to Williamsburg? No shame in this house. But from the moment I saw her I knew she had big potential. And like all true house lovers, I even named her. Belinda.

Remodeling Guy is having a Remodeling Round up tomorrow and I've already got a fun giveaway planned for tomorrow so I'm posting my project a day early. Early bird gets the worm right? Wish I liked worms.



This is the part where I bestow all of my useful knowledge on you. Well it's not much. I knew there were a few things I had to have for this house. Here's what I knew I wanted:

• light colored painted brick
• farmhouse style wooden doors
• a covered porch.
• wide shutters
• pay cash for everything
  

Those were the hills I was willing to die on.


We lived in this house for three and a half years before we could even begin to start the outside. That gave me lots of time to drive around and take photos of all the houses I loved. I measured the opening for the front door and figured out that since we had sidelights, we would have room for the double doors I wanted.


For a girl like me, having the outside of our home made over was one of the most thrilling, rewarding, and fun things I had ever been a part of. Watching something go from average to beautiful is just about my favorite thing. Even if it's not perfect, it can still be beautiful, right?

And for any of you out there on the verge of painting your brick, wondering if it's allowed or legal or OK to do. Yes. It's one of the best design decisions I've ever made. Do you have a project to share? It can be any home improvement project, large or small. Get ready because tomorrow is the big day over at Remodeling Guy's Place!

•••

painted brick color: bone china {old Martha Stewart color from Sherwin Williams}
shutter paint: restrained gold {Sherwin Williams}
doors: ordered from Canada--I wouldn't recommend the company

Housekeeping

Today I'm being reluctant over at 4 Reluctant Entertainers. If you haven't visited Sandy's blog before, it's a place designed specifically FOR Reluctant Entertainers like me.


Thank you so much for your support, encouragement, stories and so on regarding yesterday's post. As usual, y'all never cease to amaze me. You are full of information and funny ideas. I heart you all. We hope to move in the middle of June and yes, there are about twice as many windows as there are here. I feel a mistreatment coming on!

Monday, if all goes as planned, I've got something for you. Something exciting. Something free. You're gonna love it! I hope. I'll tell you more than you ever want to know about it on Monday.


The last of the tassels will be shipped out tomorrow. They are awaiting your love.

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Winner of the L. Herbert prints: Adventures of a Costumer! email me!

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And if you are wondering what in the world that picture is up there with the upside down table and drums. I was moving furniture and I have three boys. Need I say more?

Is Your Rental in Foreclosure?

It's rare for a rental home to go into foreclosure while a tenant is living in the house but, it does happen. Last Friday, a Sheriff pulled up in front of our rental house and handed me foreclosure papers. We rent. We pay on time every month. Lucky for us, we've been onto the whole shebang for a few months and were prepared for this. If you are renting, and suspect the mortgage isn't being paid even though you pay your rent on time every month--here are some tips that I've learned.

{The following thoughts are NOT based on research, professionals or hard facts. They are entirely my ideas based on what's happened in our particular situation.}

1. Gather information

Just because the owner misses one payment doesn't mean the house is going to end up in foreclosure. But, I think most home owners are concerned about what's going on with their personal situation and might not know the best time or way to tell the tenants something is wrong. No one wants a foreclosure and most people hold out hope to the very end that somehow, they'll be able to catch up on their payments. Here are some signs that first alerted us that something wasn't quite right.

• Phone calls about basic maintenance issues are not returned
• Notes taped to the door asking the owner to call the mortgage company
• Very official looking envelopes coming to your mailbox addressed to the owners with a return address from an attorney

My advice would be to make every effort to communicate with the owner. Ask straight out if the house is headed to foreclosure and if there is anything you can do to help. Maybe the owners could try to sell the house and you could stage it for them in exchange for rent until you have to move. Maybe they'll let you live rent free for a month or more while you look for a new place.

In our case, we leased our home through a leasing company so we could not contact the owner ourselves. All of our simple, strait forward questions were answered as vaguely as possible and, as of 30 days ago, we were even encouraged to sign another year long lease.



If you suspect the house you are renting is headed for foreclosure contact a local real estate agent and attorney to find out what rights you have as a renter.


2. Tell people

Don't be afraid to ask for advice. Get the opinion from people you trust as to how to handle the situation. If you suspect you'll need to move, tell everyone you know about what's going on and let them know you are in the market for a new place to live preferably with rich owners who will never miss a monthly payment.

Be careful to not be too harsh on the owners. As upset that I am that the owners seem to be pocketing the money every month and not telling us, I choose to not spend my energy being mad at them. For all I know they have a mountain of medical bills, are facing a divorce or job loss. My guess is they are not taking vacations with our rent money. Focus on what you can control.


3. Take advantage of the opportunity and see it as an adventure

Maybe you weren't planning on moving. Consider this a great chance to lower your rent. Right now, with the market the way it is you might be able to find an even better deal than what you currently have. Look for someone who's house is on the market and has been for awhile. Chances are they might be willing to lease the house to you for the current mortgage payment. If they have lots of equity in the house, you could stand to get a great deal. Of course, there's no guarantee a foreclosure won't happen in the next house but, get to know the owner and their situation if possible.

Thirty days ago we gave our 60 day notice. It was a horribly hard decision. Like with tears and stuff. Our goal was to stay in this house for the next few years until we were debt free. We are settled, we don't want to move. We move too much. But the thought of getting kicked out on some random day because of foreclosure was worse than the thought of moving. And we knew that if we choose to not sign another lease here at least we could control when we moved again.


After a day or so I even got excited about moving again. Turns out we found a fantastic home that I cannot wait to live in. I'll tell you more about it as we get closer. The neighborhood is glorious and looking back, I admit, I'm secretly glad this happened to us.

Bird Watching

Hall(way) of Family @ The Devine Home

Frugal Friday @ Cottage Charm and Family Inspiration

The Emotional Benefits to Becoming Debt Free @ Simple Mom

2009 India @ Compassion Bloggers

Attention Moochers :: Free Tassel at Everything Etsy

Have you heard of Everything Etsy yet? It's a one stop shop to pick up tips, be introduced to great etsy sellers, win coveted prizes, and find out all the latest on etsy--all in one easy to navigate place.


Did you know that you can track your etsy shop in google analytics? How useful is that? After reading a post on Everything Etsy about How to Photograph Your Work on Etsy I tried my hand at a little better photography. See I made my own little tassel portrait studio. Olan Mills be put to shame. Yes, that is a bag of flour holding up the entire circus back there.

I am ready for my close up.

This tassel is so all about herself--having to pose all provocatively like that. I had to remind her this was a family blog.

Kim and Nester at Hobby Lobby

Since I'm all about sharing my secrets--I want to make sure you know about Everything Etsy. I have found lots of useful information there and not just because it's run by my sweet friend, Kim a fellow etsy seller and Hobby Lobby enthusiast.


Ultimately, we all dream of an inbox that looks like this. I think I might print that out and frame it to remind me of my glory day. That one day. And most of us can use all the help we can get. Everything Etsy is a great resource that gathers the best information on the net about etsy so you don't have to go searching all over.


And here's the part where I convince you to click over there and see for yourself. EE's got the last handmade signature Nesting Place tassel available right now. And you can win it! Good luck! And my your etsy sales soar!

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Winner of the Pleated Poppy Set:

So Blessed!

How to Make a Centerpiece

You can make a quick, easy and meaningful arrangement using some containers, moss and things you probably already have. If you need multiple centerpieces for a banquet this is a great template to add in anything that will add to the theme. It's easy to personalize and looks exquisite.


We've all got different tastes and we've all got different stuff in laying around our house to choose from. My guess is that you like the stuff you have as much as I like mine.


Start with shopping the house and yard for some natural items. If you need lots of centerpieces or arrangements, spread the word, find local items that are in season such as pine cones, seed pods, and make sure to add in any trinkets that can contribute to a personal one of a kind feeling that most arrangements lack.


Locate a container of some sort, an urn, basket, bucket, bowl--anything you like. I found these two tin rectangular bins last year at Hobby Lobby.


Put some foam in your container. I like to hot glue mine down so it will stay put.


Then hot glue in some moss to cover up that ugly foam.


I added some natural looking fake greenery {be a P.O.O.P.I.E} to the back just for filler. If you are making an actual centerpiece that will be viewed from all sides, put your filler in the middle of the container so you can fill out each side.


This arrangement will only be seen from the front so I didn't need to make sure the other sides looked presentable. I then stuck in a starfish and two corn dogs. The idea is to add interest and some height. If you don't have corn dogs you can use natural cat tails.


Next a nest. If you hate all things nests, then you can use whatever it is that nest haters use. If you hate all things nest are you even here? Something tells me I lost all my nest haters long before this post. Remember, the idea is to make an interesting arrangement that not only looks good but evokes an emotion. Isn't this centerpiece looking serene?


Fill in with small items found in that potpourri you have that you don't know what to do with. Now we have this arrangement. Quite pretty right? This would make a great inexpensive centerpiece as is. But, it's not done yet.


I want feathers. Alarmingly tall, needless yet magnificent feathers. A little drama goes a long way.


You can change it up to feel more summery.


Winter.


These are a few of my favorite things.


Autumn.


Adorable. How cute is that silver rattle? Wish I was having a baby shower for someone, I'd so be using this as a centerpiece--add in some little white booties and it's instant charm!


The possibilities are limitless. Don't feel like you have to use dusty old pretend flowers to make a lovely arrangement. You could tuck in a framed photo or some personalized ribbon if you are making something for a wedding. I've decorated for wedding receptions before and people go ga ga for tables that each have their own beautiful centerpiece with a unique personality that ties in with the rest of the decor.

Shop the house, use what you have, show off what you love, change it up for the seasons and have fun while customizing your own flowerless arrangement.

Feathers and Eggs and Freebies :: {Oh My!}

my prints are way back there--see them?

Today is the long awaited Feather and Egg Print Mr. Linky Party! It just rolls off the tongue.


Remember how a few months ago L. Herbert designs quickly sold out of a set of four life changing Feather and Egg prints? Then, after all of your riots and such she offered another, different yet coordinating set of prints for all of you to either add to your collection or start your own. There are all sorts of pretty feathers and eggs for you to choose from at her shop.



I'd love for you to join in the party and there are three ways:

1. Link up showing us where you put your prints.

2. Link up asking us where we think you should put your prints--include a photo.

3.Link up showing us where you want to put the prints that you don't have and we'll pick a lucky winner from that bunch and ship them a free set of prints!!!

When linking make sure you link to the exact post {permalink} that you are submitting--not just your blog address. Don't be afraid to try--if you mess up, just try it again or ask someone to help you! Click on your post title on your blog for the permalink to show in the address bar at the top--copy and paste that into the Mr. Linky. I'll watch out for any errors and I'll delete the ones that don't go to the right address. No worries--it'll be fun!

It's not too late to get your hands on the latest set of glorious prints by my love, Laryssa at L. Herbert Designs. I can't wait to see what you've done with your lovely feathers and eggs!

Tuesdays Unwrapped

Tuesdays Unwrapped. Over at Chatting at the Sky my sister is busy not being busy. She's encouraging us to notice the small, unexpected real life that is right now.


This is my Tuesday {as it was my Monday too} a sick baby. I can call a 7 soon to be 8 year old a baby right? Plans for a funny, informative world changing, hot glued tutorial quickly change in the presence of a little boy who needs to snuggle.

What does your Tuesday look like?

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Don't forget--tomorrow's a Mr. Linky Party to share where we hung our feather and egg prints. I know this will be a smaller group but it will still be fun and inspiring! See you then--I'll have it up at 9am.

Tassel Alternatives

This lamp is so modest and fully clothed in the glorious and alluring item: The Tassel.


Here are a few quick and simple ideas of how to stop the embarrassment of having an unadorned lamp.

1. Embellish an Existing Tassel:


This tassel right up there is and embellished tassel. That means it's not made from scratch. It started out as a pathetic, anorexic tassel and I nursed it back to health with the help of my glue gun, full fringe, ribbon and a neat little metal thing I had laying around. Maybe you have a tassel that's a little skinny. All you have to do is wrap a few layers of fringe around it...Extreme Makeover: Tassel Edition.


2. Substitute with an Ornament

You can also hang a favorite ornament from that pokey out switch on your lamp. I got this bird a few Christmases ago. It has never seen the likes of a Christmas tree.


A friend sent me this cross a few weeks ago. I hung it on the lamp in the kitchen in lieu of a tassel.


3. Use Your Imagination:


I found this bag while out junking this weekend. It's entirely too small for an actual real woman to use but it did have one good quality...


Those big furry pom poms look great wrapped around that lamp switch thing. Won't this be charming in the winter?

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Last Wednesday's Tassel Sale was a success thanks to all you rabid tassel fans. After only 21 minutes over half the 100 tassels had sold. Once we hit the hour mark, there were only 14 tassels left. And shortly thereafter there was one solitary and lonely Baby's First Christmas tassel left and I had to take him out of his misery.


My plan is to open up the shop again later in the summer. I'm experimenting with the best way to keep from wanting to burn down my craft room and sealing the door shut with hot glue... taking good breaks seems like the obvious choice. My plans are subject to change based on what kind of mood I'm in.


Some of you didn't get the tassel that you wanted --I'm so sorry. I had no idea how quickly these little gems would sell out and I promise, if I ever do this sale again I'll open later in the day to accommodate you west coasties.

Now, back to our topic:

What do you hang on your lamps? Or is your lamp a nudist?

Bird Watching

Use What We Have: Ugly Craigslist Canvas @ Like Merchant Ships

I Painted My Counters! REALLY! @ Whimsies & Whatnots

Distressing Secrets @ Sanctuary Arts at Home

Make a Sofa Table for Under $20 {for real!} @ Thirfty Decor Chick

In the mood to sign up for or be a part of some giveaways?

Apron Full of Giveaways @ The Mother Load

Giveaways Galore @ Money Saving Mom

Spring Giveaway Carnival @ Heavenly Homemakers

Colored Lamp Shades

Yesterday someone asked me if I was gonna write about lamps this week like I promised. I replied with a sarcastic "do you even read my blog?--I wrote about lamps on Tuesday". She told me that I wrote about sofa tables Tuesday. And I realized that what started out as a lamp post turned into an ode to a sofa table. Apparently, I cannot even keep a strait thought for 3 paragraphs.


This is one of my favorite lamps. Its classic urn style base in a matte white looks great in every room and that shade. That black, ribbed, corrugated, gold foil lined shade. It's heavenly. It casts the warmest light. If I am cold, I just turn the light on and some kind of physiological thing happens and I start feeling warmer. Warm light makes me happy.

Every home could benefit from one black lamp shade. Just make sure that the shade you purchase is lined in gold fabric or foil. Once, I got a great deal at a yard sale on a black lampshade. It wasn't lined. When I got home and put the shade on a base and turned the light on....PURPLE.

Source

The same goes for a colored shade. If you are in the mood for some color make sure you test out the shade with a light bulb before you commit. That red shade that looks so great in the store could very likely turn pink the moment you put it on the lamp base.

I bought that lamp in the top two photos 5 years ago at Target. I think the base was $29 and the shade $15. It was easy to pick out the right size shade for the lamp because at the time Target had the lamps and bases color coded like Garanimals. It's so much easier to buy a base and shade together--if you are shade shopping don't be ashamed to carry your lamp base into the store and try different shades on it to see what you like the best.

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Mr. Linky Party! Remember the Feathers and Egg Prints that we all got from L. Herbert Designs? I've gotten so many requests from people who want to share where they hung theirs that I thought it would be fun to do a Feather and Egg link up party thing. I'd love for you to be a part and it's not too late to order if you still want a set of prints. Doesn't matter if you have the first set, second set or both--even if you haven't hung them yet, maybe you want to do a post asking where we think you should put them. See you Wednesday April 22nd!

Have a great weekend! My sister is in town and we get to hang out and giggle and act like weirdos. Then we top it all off by shopping at our parent's neighborhood yard sale. We have the makings for a perfect weekend!

When It's Strictly Black and White:: A Guest Post

The following is a guest post written by Kelly

...it's fabulous. Shades of gray need not apply.

I was extolling the virtues of this project as one of the easiest decorating affairs ever to adorn a wall, but after seeing the Nester's fantastic framed fork (alliteration is pretty), I'm saluting it as such! Before I go nuts in my silverware drawer, which is on the to-do for the week, I'll pull myself back to the task at hand...sharing how to create an art gallery that makes your eyes smile, your brain happy and your wall all the more dapper. Especially swanky on a wall doused in new construction cream, huh? (Wherefore art thou, Sherwin Williams?)

I forgot to add, that this project is 100% recessionista fashionista approved. Every single frame was snatched up for a buck each at the dollar store, and the artwork was either printed on my home printer (and it's rinky dink, so think how much better yours will look!) or hand-drawn.

Personalizing your gallery is easy when it's so inexpensive to create, which also lets you change out pieces as you find new line drawings and other black and white art that you love (remember, it's still art even if your printer spits it out - as long as it makes your heart happy, it's art!).

Inside of my frames, you'll find an old-fashioned alphabet primer, a line drawing of a butterfly, a hand-drawn flower inspired by a Verona teapot, a Jane Austen silhouette, the opening lines of Pride and Prejudice scrolled out in the free Jane Austen font from dafont.com. a C.E. Brock line illustration from Persuasion (is my adoration of Miss Jane that obvious?), a Charles Spurgeon quote and a map of the London Botanic Gardens. Actually, glancing at photos of it right now, a simple black umbrella (a la Mary Poppins perhaps) would look especially smart as an addition to this lovely family.



The World Wide Nest has lots of free domain images for you to print and use at your leisure that Google can sniff out for ya, and your local public library is a lovely resource for photocopying illustrations, sheet music, maps, recipes and vintage advertisements. Also, don't neglect the beauty of what your little ones can do with a sheet of white paper and some black colored pencils. No matter how you ink it, black and white are an enchanting combination. Never have two such colorful characters been, well, you know. Pun totally intended. Now get to print in'!

By Kelly of The Barefoot Mama and Best Dressed Nest - Ideas, inspiration and fun as a mom of two little ones decorates her new home in real life with a nursing baby in one arm and more "Country Living" projects in mind than frazzled mama brain makes possible. Not best dressed yet, but it's fun just entering the pageant. And, yes, I do promise to work for world peace.

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PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL TASSEL SALE
STARTS TODAY!
{9 am est}

information is already posted at the shop
so make sure you read the welcome message about shipping and purchasing
UPDATE:
21 minutes into the sale and over half the tassels have sold.
insane.

Lamps and Sofa Tables

I've told you before that our living room is small. Like really small. So small that when people come over who have seen photos online, say "Oh...you weren't kidding this is small." One person told me it was smaller than their apartment living room. Then we have this small scaled yet still demanding sectional.

The room is too small to have some sort of table on each end of the sofa to hold lamps so the solution is a sofa table. I've broken a few design rules here. The table isn't actually accessible. My 7 year old squeezes back there and sits on the window sill and colors but normal sized people are out of luck.


And some smarty pant McSmartness will tell me that that huge urn of sticks is completely out of balance and out of place and my picture is hung too high and they will be totally correct but I will have to say "IDHTBPTBB on you" that's what happens when you are addicted to moving furniture.

Back to lamp placement in a tight space--this is just one solution. I've always had a table or dresser behind this sofa because at least one back side is usually not against the wall and it's nice to have something to look at besides the plain, naked back of a sofa. My guess is that 50% of the sofas out there right now could benefit from a sofa table of some sort. Just make sure the table isn't higher than the back of the sofa and you'll want a somewhat squatty, Oompa-Loompa lamp so the light falls at a comfortable level.

Do you use a sofa table?

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Like this post? You might like these too!

There's No Wrong
Imperfectly Beautiful
Decorating With Lamps Part 1

Perfectly Beautiful Tassel Sale

Remember when I told you that one of the costs of crafting is creating items that for whatever reason you choose not to sell or they just end up not selling? Remember how I told you that I had a whole stash of tassels that didn't make the cut of my persnickety eye? Or eyes since I have two of them?


After reading your comments and emails and etsy convos pertaining to these homeless tassels where you preached to me my own message that it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful, I got the stash out and started poofing up the poor tassels.


And you know what, they are pretty good tassels. There were a few that had broken parts from over the years and I tossed them but for the most part they just needed a bow or a pom pom or a kiss.


I've got almost 100 tassels that will go on sale Wednesday at 9am eastern time in the etsy shop. Some of them aren't quite my taste but they are all Nesting Place quality. Some of them are my taste and y'all decided that you didn't want them at the price I was asking. Some of them you will think "these are the most adorable ones I've ever seen--what is wrong with this woman?". Some of you will wish I will stop talking about tassels because you are not a tassel person. Anyway, everything will be super marked down.

Most tassels will be $8-$15 depending on the cost of materials I have in them. I will be listing them over the next few days and immediately marking them as "inactive" so that I can activate them all at the same time on Wednesday. I may list a few on Thursday or Friday if I get lazy. The tassels will only be listed for 7 days and then that's it. They will be removed, never to be seen again. If this sale is a success, I might do it again next year.


As for the tassels that are currently listed, there are 4 left and the etsy shop will close Tuesday and my plan is to open once a quarter for regular, top of the line, Nesterized, irresistible tassel sales.

This is so exciting for me. I keep picturing that scene from Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer where all the toys from Misfit Island get delivered to the children on Christmas Eve.

These darling tassels will finally have a home! I hope.

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Related Posts:
Tassels 101-What's a Tassel?
10 Minutes to a Room You'll Love Part 1
Etsyology

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Check out these giveaways today:
Inspired Room: $100 in Cold Hard CA$H
Customized Canvas Print: 4 Reluctant Entertainers

Our Redeemer Lives

Bird Watching

Decorating With Love @ Forever Wherever {I LOVE this, I LOVE Kim!}



There Will Be Tables and Chairs @ Cucumbersome

Recycled Yellow Paint Reveal @ Like Merchant Ships

CEO of Her Home: my friend in real life and fellow blogger, Jen was interviewed on the local Fox News Channel!

Cadbury Creme Filled Cookies @ Make and Takes {dying for one right NOW!}

The Importance of Family Rituals @ Simple Mom

$200 Anthropologie Givaway @ Lola B's--I hope you win!

The Pleated Poppy

I love the Pleated Poppy. I wear Lindsey's Posy Pins all the time. I wear them with blouses, sweaters, sweatshirts, tank tops, on my bags, and pinned on my notebook.


After I saw this post I asked Lindsey if I could pick out some fabric and have her make some Posies just for me and Nesting Place readers.


I sent her some of my favorite fabric from my stash and she's been cutting up a storm. There are 49 more sets of pins available and they are sold in sets of three for only $15 a set. Can I say the word set any more? Somebody get me a thesaurus. Each um...set will vary slightly but they will all be using the beautiful blues and browns. I love how the thick upholstery grade fabric curls up over time. Poor, poor Lindsey having to cut everything. I hope her hand transplant went over well.


Of course, there is a giveaway--so now there are only 48 sets left. So you'd better leave me a comment to win one and high tail it over to the Pleated Poppy and place your order--if you win you can give the other set away. Be sure to check out the other wonderful items listed while you are there!

Decorating With Lamps Part 1

my sister's house

After yesterday's post where I told you of my lamp obsession so many of you came out of hiding admitting your ever growing collection of lamps. Right now the lamp count is tied at 41 for the freaks with the most lamps. Love both of you dearly you lucky loaded lamp ladies! And hey, did y'all see Self Confessed Lamp Tramp even stopped by!

Sarah said

I currently have...not enough! I hate overhead light but I struggle to pick out lamps and figure out where to place them. Help!!!!!

April commented:

I have six lamps. I would like to have more in my living room, but my furniture is pulled away from the walls, so if I had a lamp on my end table, the cord would stretch across a walk-way. I wish I could figure out what to do about this.

Tina asked

Can you mix and match lamp styles? Do they all need to be similar metals/finishes or do you just "buy what you like". I am breaking your rule of not decorating because of "the rules" and being afraid.

Well ladies, I'm not a certified lamp expert but I can tell you what I believe:

• Yes, mix and match styles
• Yes, mix and match finishes
• Yes, buy what you love
• Yes, stop worrying about rules
• Yes, there are tricks to lamp placement
  

Nester's Lamp Guidelines {not to be mistaken for rules}

• I love 3 lamps in a triangle in a room
• Aim for the same height of lampshades in a room
  
• Be selective of shade colors
• The base is part of the decor
• Set a budget and stick to it

I had no idea we would have so much to talk about just on the topic of lamps. I'll start next Tuesday and we'll talk lamps once a week for a few weeks and hit on each of these bullet points above and more if I feel the urge. Maybe we'll even have a Mr. Linky Lamp Party!

sister's floor lamp

Lamp Tramps Unite!

Using Lamps in Your Home :: A Must

I have 18 lamps in my house. Some women collect shoes and bags, I collect lamps and pillows. Correctly placed lamp light can transform the mood of a space, make you look younger, help accentuate the positive in a room and eliminate the negative and look pretty while doing all of that. Lamps are the workhorse of any room. I believe that every room can be improved by a lamp. Turn off that dreaded overhead light and plug in a lamp! You will love the warmth and coziness it will instantly produce.

How many lamps do you have in your house?

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Do you subscribe to Nesting Place in a reader? If so I fear I've wrecked it all up. Some of you are getting the updates but I think some aren't. And if you aren't I'm writing this to you and you can't read it anyway so it's pointless. Help! Anyone a feedburner expert?

Solution for that Hole Above the Fireplace

Special order shutters from your local home improvement store can be made to fit whatever size hole your contractor gave you for your television.


They come with a nice frame that hides all the hardware and you can install it yourself. I took these photos at my parent's house and my dad said if he can install them then anyone can.



A great alternative to looking at a big hole full of TV and wires day in and day out.

I have shutters too but I hang them Sanford and Son Style.

What do you do with your TV hole?

Bird Watching

Little Green Notebook

Make an Ottoman From a Coffee Table @ Little Green Notebook

Painting Kitchen Cabinets Part One but you must also read Part Two @ Remodeling Guy

Rental Re-do: How to Build a Baby Closet from a Boring Bar @ Small Notebook

Scrapbook Matted Birds @ The Shabby Nest

Flea Market Find @ The Lettered Cottage

DIY Bed Canopy @ The Inspired Room

Good Enough @ Remodeling This Life {a fantastic read!}

Nest Files: My other blog

And by the way, I was so NOT fooling about the last post. I love the framed fork! But I can totally understand those of you {my Dad included} who assumed it was a joke, for my next trick, I'll be framing a diaper.

Frame It :: Framed Fork

How cute is this shrimp fork all framed up?

I just hot glued it to some scrapbook paper in an open frame. If I ever decide I don't want it there I can simply peel off the hot glue.



Even cuter with a bow. I'm thinking a wall of framed silver will look darling in my kitchen.

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