What's Going on in the Basement

I have been wanting to change my basement for awhile.


We are currently using this room for watching TV, working out on treadmill and elliptical/bike, storage and this is where I do a majority of my sewing.  
Whew, there sure is a lot going on in this space.


The room runs the whole length of the house and is approximately 12x30.  We have a room on the other side the same size that is for laundry and storage.  I would like to organize the other side and make it more useful.
In the middle space we have the kids playroom, small desk area and a storage closet.


In need of some inspiration I went to Olioboard and played with some pictures.

This is where I would like to take this room.

Lots of WHITE.

The walls in the main TV room have already been painted an off white that I currently have in my office.

I would like to put down some kind of wood floor with a few area rugs.  The diamond pattern I would like to paint in the stairwell.  

Ok, now I have told you I have a thing for tables and chairs.

Most of the furniture I have pictured I already own and is currently  in the room in a slight variation and I may have left out a table or two and a couple or five chairs.

Hey, a girls got to have choices!

The red accents are for Mr. M. my fireman.  I would like to hang his plaques and add some fireman memorabilia on shelves.  

What do you think?

Have you ever visited Olioboard and designed your own room?

Inspiration

My word is INSPIRATION!

One aspect of blogging that I just love is all of the inspiration I see each day.

So many ways to be creative.

Sewing

Painting

Creating

The week after Christmas, while the house was quiet, the kids being amused by new toys, I took the time to look for new inspiration.
Ah Pinterest
and
New Bloggers

I found several new bloggers

Thistlewood Farm
Clear Blue Sky
The Inspired Room
A Country Farmhouse
Peeking Thru The Sunflowers

and

Some found me.



I was very surprised to find a comment that I along with several other wonderful blogs had been given an award by Holly from Down to Earth Style.



Thank you so much Holly.

Now instead of picking a few bloggers, I would like to thank each of you that I visit daily and visit me.
Oh, I may not always be able to leave a comment or join in your wonderful parties of the day, but,

I am stopping, enjoying, laughing and sometimes crying right along with you.

This award is for you!

So, when was the last time you went looking for someone new?
Someon who inspires you?
Someone who makes you laugh?
Someone who you can empathize with?

To Puddle or Not

I am still working on that window problem.

I finally found some fabric I like the color and not too expensive.

So do you thing this is too much puddling?

Yeah, me too.

Actually that is extra fabric to make two more drapes.  

I was lucky enough to find faux silk in an off white at believe it or not Walmart.

So far I have 20 yards. 

THAT'S A LOT OF DRAPES TO BE MADE.

I am thinking of doing pinch pleats.

This is not how I am going to hang the drapes.

I will install dark color drapery rods above the window.

I have these hanging in the living room to see if I like the look of the pinch pleats or just leave them plain.

I think I am only going to put up one panel per window to let in lots of natural light.

Every time I ask Mr. M. if he like the look, I get the 30 Rock Liz Lemon exaggerated eye roll.

AND

 "what was wrong with the other window coverings?"

That's OK, he is used to me changing things up a bit.

So, what do you think?

To puddle or not?

Pinch pleat or plain?

I am joining My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures.

Let There be Light

Christmas and New Year's has come and gone.

Now we are left with WINTER.

One of the hardest adjustments I have to make after I take down my Christmas decorations is the lack of LIGHT.  

With ten trees there does tend to be an extra amount of light, who knew. 

So I go through light withdrawal.

I am trying to do something about it, but I kind of have this love hate relationship with my windows.

These windows are in each room of the house, except third floor and basement.

HUGE!

Really, they are the same size top to bottom as a door.

That means lots of light, good, yes sometimes.

Bad when you are trying to watch TV during the daytime.

Love-the light

Hate-trying to find curtains, drapes or blinds I like.

These windows are in the dinning room.

I took down the roman blinds I have in all the windows to help me with my light withdrawal.

However, I do NOT like the transom at the top, I am not sure what about it bugs me.

I have tried from the beginning to cover that part of the window.

First there were the shabby chic balloon shade from Rachel Ashwell, but then they seemed to frilly.

Finally I found the roman shades at IKEA.

Love them, however they were recalled.

NOPE, I did not take mine back.

I even tried to find more for our addition.

These are the roman shades and a ruffled drape I have in the office.

If the ruffled drapes were long enough and I had enough of them I would be happy!

Now I am thinking I would like to put up simple floor to ceiling drapes in white linen.

BUT

The cost of buying drapes for 20 windows is a bit much, especially for the ones I want.

So, for now the windows will be bare, and let in lots of light.

How about you?

Are you going through after Christmas withdrawal?

Favorites of 2011

I thought I would join in on the BEST of 2011.
I am joining Debra from Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.



My Favorite Vintage Inspiration Friday post is about my kitchen and you can read about it here.



My kitchen is the main room of the house and where we spend the most of our time.
I also think it shows that you do not have to have an old or vintage home to have the VINTAGE feel.

I also checked my stats and here are your favorite posts from the past year.

For the Love of Cabinets.

TWINS!

and

Lost in Creativeness.

You may notice that the slipcovers seem to be a favorite.

  Mine too!  

I am hoping to sew a few new covers this year too.

I see a lot of painting in my future too!

A few other of my favorite posts from 2011.

Just Not Me.

A Day of Love.

Sign Love.

It was fun looking back through past posts.

This year I am hoping to do lots and lots of painting, sewing and crafting.

Oh yeah and GARDENING.

We only have a dusting of snow on the ground right now, but the seed catalogs have started coming in the mail and I will soon be climbing the walls just waiting to get outside and dig in the dirt.

How about you?
Have you taken a look back through your past posts?
  See any favorites?

I will also be joining Cindy from My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.


Courtney from French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday.

This Post is Brought to You By

Christmas is officially over.

I am itching to put away my decorations.  As much as I do like them, now I want them gone.  I have never been one of those people to keep their decorations up longer so that Christmas melded into Valentines Day.

I have new toys that I want to start using, a wonderful sander for finishing some painting projects I have waiting in the garage.  A new buffet for the basement family room.  I want to get back into the sewing grove and use up some of the wonderful fabric I have waiting for me.

One such new toy is this wonderful laptop I am writing this post with.  Mr. M. was my darling Santa this year and I am enjoying it so.  I am also sitting in his Christmas gift that my sisters and I bought him, a wonderful massage office chair. 

 Oh honey, you forgot to take your chair to work.  I think I forgot to remind him.

As we get ready for the New Year, I always think of things I would like to do differently.  Not so much as resolutions but changes.  I try to make them fun, such as painting the basement or any other room in the house that may need to be freshened up.  Doing more creative projects with the kids.  More visits to the Science Museum, Zoo, Aquarium and other local attractions.   Actually planning a vacation for our family.

 I also try to be more organized each year, I buy the extra buckets and bins for storage and I label them and put them in their spot. 

BUT

Then I forget where they are and I tend to not be able to find what I need, and end up getting duplicates. So, I try, each year to do better, only now I do baby steps because there is just to much mess involved with a creative mind.  

Oh and that other thing I try each year.

I think this year a treadmill might help.

AND

Not eating leftover Christmas cookies for

 breakfast 

 lunch

and dinner.

So, what about you?

Did you get any fun toys for Christmas?

Are you a LEAVE it out kind of person?

Any good resolutions for the next year?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!