Herringbone Pattern Floors

 Yesterday I posted about this pattern done with tile in a backsplash, so now lets check it out on the floor...

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This pattern has been trending for a while and I think it will continue to because it's so gorgeous!

Kitchen Inspiration: Herringbone Backsplash

 I looove this pattern on a backsplash!

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Framed Baby Shirt

 A little while ago I posted about a box I covered using an old shirt of my daughter's:

I love finding ways to save sentimental stuff like baby clothes so I got so excited to see this cute idea done by Liz of Bon Temps Beignet:

She took one of her son's shirts that was bound for the trash...

and her favorite picture of her son wearing the shirt...

haha, look at that face!

and framed them using the shirt as a mat for the picture. 

I absolutely love this idea!! 

You can read the full tutorial for how Liz did it here on her blog.

Guest Post: DIY Book Jackets

 Today I'm over at Priscila Peters Decor  with a guest post about how I make super easy jackets for my books!

Want a quick peek?

I'm making a book cover out of this:

Come see how I do it!

The New Design Star!!

 *Spoiler alert- I'm about to say who it is, so if you haven't watched the last episode yet then stop reading now!!!*






So I was on pins and needles Tuesday night waiting to find out the winner of Design Star! It came down to my two favorites from the very beginning-

Britany 

& 

Danielle

They both are so talented and I absolutely love their style!!

I thought that since I loved them both that the finale would be less stressful for me since I knew that no matter what I was going to be happy. But I was still freaking out by the end wondering who was going to win. Last year I wasn't excited about either of the choices so the finale was a little ho-hum for me. But by the last few minutes of this season's finale I was bouncing up and down on the edge of the couch in anticipation and you'd have thought I was a contestant. That's what I love about reality tv. You just can't get that kind of vicarious living any other way. 

Anyways I thought both girls did a great job on their final challenge. 

I looooved the makeover Britany did:

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Danielle's was completely not my taste (and it didn't seem like her's either) but she did a really great job at giving the home owners exactly what they wanted:

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And the next Design Star is...

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Danielle!

I really really like her so I was thrilled! (But sad to see Britany go home.) 

Will anyone else be watching Danielle's new show "Shop This Room"? It premiers Aug 4 at 8/7c. 

I'm excited to check it out!

My Next Big DIY....

 The next big project that I'm planning to attempt is to make white slip covers for my couch cushions and pillows. 

The fabric that's on it now is microfiber which I'm soooo over. 

We bought it because supposedly microfiber is great for kids because it doesn't stain easily, and I have to admit that while we've had microfiber couches for almost the whole time we've been married (9 years) and have had zero permanent stains despite 3 kids and 2 dogs (which, yes, is impressive)

this fabric is far from low maintenance. 

I am sick of spots like this all over the couch:

Any kind of liquid at all, even water, leaves an ugly ring that I have to scrub with a special cleaner to get out. But guess what?? The cleaner also leaves a ring if I don't scrub at it hard and long enough, so then I have to spray on more cleaner and scrub at that ring....there have been so many times where I'll end up soaking and scrubbing an entire seat cushion just to get out a spot the size of a quarter. It's so frustrating. 

And with two toddlers climbing all over the couch and shoving their faces into the cushions while they drool, the couch gets spots on it constantly. It's driving me nuts. 

I want normal fabric that I can use a regular spot cleaner on when stains happen. And better yet, that I can take off and throw in the wash whenever I want so that the couch is always clean. 

I've been reading up on lots of different opinions on this, and I've decided that I want white fabric because then I can wash it as harshly as I need to and pour straight bleach over any stains. I buy white towels for that same reason, so I figure it also makes sense for slipcovers. 

When it comes to slip covers I definitely like ones that fit tightly like this-

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as opposed to looser, drapey ones like this:

My plan is not to cover the entire couch though- just the seat cushions and back pillows. 

I'm leaving the leather parts alone. 

I won't be getting started till sometime after we get back from Florida. We leave in a little over a week. 

I also can't get started until I find affordable, durable, and washable white upholstery fabric. That's been a little bit challenging! But I'm on the hunt because I'm anxious to get this project started!

A Colorful Picture Display

 

I love this cute photo wall a friend of mine did recently. 

When I first saw it I thought the pictures were in colored frames, but instead she painted big colorful rectangles on the wall, got the photos enlarged onto canvas, and then just hung them over the painted rectangles. Super easy and I love how the black and white photos stand out against the pops of color! 

Wanna see another room in this cool chic's house? Go here!

Ottoman Accessories

 

So I've showed you how Rob and I turned our coffee table into an ottoman, then how we tufted it, and now for the part that I think is the most fun- how I accessorized it!

I needed a tray so that we'd have a place to set drinks and I found this big square one at Crate & Barrel:

It's called the Samba White Tray and it was the perfect size for this big ottoman. And at less than $28 it was a great price for this style tray. 

I brought back the glass bottle with the {fake} leaves from my last coffee table arrangement...

...along with the box that I covered with my daughter's old shirt-

and the coasters that I covered in pictures ripped from magazines.

There's also some newbies here too, like this candlestick from Ikea:

and a couple books I covered-

this one in paper I ripped from the back of a children's book:

You can see what else I've done with that paper here. 

and this one that I covered in this feather printed wrapping paper:

You can see what else I've done with this paper here. 

I set a black book under it because I liked how the colors on the paper popped against the black, 

and because I wanted to really bring in the black and white theme.  

And then to add some texture to the other side of the ottoman I added this sheepskin throw from ikea:

I love how it all looks together!