Rooms and Burnt Squash

Last weekend was so crazy busy with the derby, two i.e.ps. to be written, a trip to w/salem, early/late church, dinner plans......   

I was really excited that this weekend I had no plans and no school work or meeting to prepare. Its funny how your body automatically goes into lazy drive when you have a down weekend. It took me all day to clean up and fold laundry, when last weekend I did it within hours because I knew I had something else waiting for me to do.  I guess we need those slow downed times or our bodies would just go on strike. 

 One thing we finally finished this weekend was giving our living room a facelift.  Our living room is TRULY a LIVING room.  The one room where we all gather, eat, talk, play, do homework, read, work on the computer, etc.  It is where we truly LIVE.   Our living room was much like me....in MAJOR need of a full body makeover and face lift.    Like most folks, we had to budget our money and purchase wisely.  Basically I was limited in what I could do, but I did put my living room on a diet of Burnt Squash.

This is the before:

no color. blah.

These curtains were well worth whatever was spent.  They were  given to me as hand me downs my first year as a teacher.  They were suppose to be temporary until we could save for a different set.

I've had them hanging at this window for 11 years! 

I had plans to add more pictures to this wall...I swear.

Before Carlee was born Darren bought us two beautiful end tables and a great coffee table that doubles as two backless chairs (on clearance).  

1.  The coffee table had to go to the basement with the promise one day we will have time, space, and use for a coffee table.  2.  The two end tables were already getting some wear and tear thanks to all the activity surrounding it with two children.

This describes our marriage perfectly.  

I wanted color.

He wanted cheap and white.

We compromised. 

One accent wall (Burnt Squash) with the rest white (Wedding Chapel).

Darren is a very talented painter.  

He is a perfectionist and carefully fills the holes, sands, and prepares before painting.

This is how it turned out.

Burnt Squash

Connor calls it gold (which I HATE).

I had to fix a place for the toys.

I have no problem with toys in the living room with the agreement that Connor keeps them separate from Carlee's bucket and that everything is placed in this corner (or the trash) by the end of the night.

Project II- Carlee's First Year

(like the gold Burnt Squash background?)

We hung the pictures above the television, to bring out the Burnt Squash- Man I love to write that word.  

It isn't Gold!!! You hear me, it isn't GOLD. 

I found some fabric to cover the end tables (would you say, Monroe Bisque??) until Carlee and Connor are a little older 

(we have some absorbent bath towels under those cloths too).  

I went bold with the curtains (and each panel was under 10.00).

I really like the color.  

The only problem is... if we close the curtains, the living room looks like a seedy night club.

Yeah. We will be keeping the curtains open. 

 I guess it's no secret I love, love, love photos.

This is what we have on the wall...with the hope of adding more as our children, cousins, and other family grow.

My picture frames before were a light and dark mix. 

 Darren thought a uniform color would look better.

Family- where life begins and love never ends.

While I was fixing up the living room, I found these curtains for Carlee's room.  The curtains are sheer with silk brown/pink ribbon and tiny pink/brown dots.  

These are also the colors in her room.  

$3.00 a panel!!!  

I think they look lovely.

In the world of paint cans Carlee's room colors would be 

Blushing Bride 

and

Rich Coffee.

I want to work as a person who names paint colors.

And then I went to the kitchen for a snack and I realized my kitchen wall looked like crap non-creative,

and I was broke.

Connor has been bringing home so many creative pieces of work from school, I thought I could showcase them.

I used my old light frames

and some of his past and present work. 

This is C's interpretation based on the Tree of Life painting by Gustav Klimt.

He did this in Art class (I want to go to this teacher's class!!!)

Would you say there is some Burnt Squash coloring in there? I swear I'll stop now.

This is a snowman designed in kindergarten from alternative materials from home.  

This is a picture of Connor when he grows up.

He is a reptile catcher who is feeding his Anaconda in this picture.

This is from Connor's Thanksgiving unit in kindergarten.  He was an Indian who designed his own vest.  This is a piece from that vest.

This is from music class.  This is Connor playing his favorite instrument- a guitar from his Uncle Joe.  Carlee is watching Connor play.

I'm exhausted...I think I'll go rest and make my self a delicious snack the color of Cabin in the Woods and drink a refreshing drink the color of Lobster Bake.

I could go all night on this color thing.