framebridge

I was so excited to drive up to the house and see a big cardboard box on our front porch recently. Apparently my little squeals of delight were contagious, because after a few minutes the kids caught onto the excitement, though not exactly sure why…

I received my very first order from Framebridge! I've been wanting to try them out and for Christmas got a gift certificate.

I went with four Instagram minis and did all white mats but with different frames. The process is so easy. Framebridge gets the images from my Instagram account. I choose which photo I want, then choose between a white or off-white mat, and pick one of their 25+ frames. Their frame collection is awesome; I did have some trouble deciding.



They come ready to hang and include a pouch with a nail and care instructions. I really like how they put felt dots on the backs of the frames to prevent scratches on walls.

I absolutely love the way they turned out!

That one is now hanging on a wall in the children's bathroom.

This one of Joseph running through a field is currently on the door to the hallway from the breakfast room where framed family photos cover the walls. I'm crazy about the burl wood.

The ones below (from Joe's 20th Naval Academy reunion) are stacked just inside the dining room if you're coming from the breakfast room. I love how the gold bamboo and the fluted antique gold complement each other.

Looking forward to using this company again. If you know me, you know I love framed art and photography. And I really love the affordability of going this route. I recommend!

old houses and a dream

I've been taking the kids for long walks this summer. With the knee thing going on, running can sometimes be a problem but I don't have trouble walking - even while pushing the weight of a 4- and 3-yr old. They like getting outside and are usually pretty good in the stroller. Occasionally we have little squabbles like, say, when one of them thinks both sun canopies should be down and the other doesn't, or when someone's legs aren't on their side. But, generally speaking, we enjoy our time outdoors walking around Sandersville. When we go, I am seeking a good work-out so we go, hills and all, for 45 minutes to an hour or more.

I like to look at houses as I run or walk by. I examine them - good design choices and interesting ones - and consider what I might do if that particular house belonged to me (or dream it did belong to me). Sometimes it's as simple as a paint job, in other cases there's a whole laundry list of things that come to mind. It is a passion, even if just in my head for now.

Buying, restoring and renovating an old house is a dream of mine. When I say old, I'm not talking about 1970. I'm talking more like 1870 - or somewhere in the early 1900's. Joe and I own a small bungalow in Ardsley Park in Savannah, built in 1930. It was where Joe lived when we got married and our first nest. And that little two-bedroom, one-bath house with a screened porch has a special place in my heart, even if I did complain a bit about the infinitesimal closet space. I spent a lot of time on our front porch swing and making that house our first home together… But, I digress.

There is no shortage of old houses in this small southern town with great character. Recently I snapped some pictures with my phone while on a walk with Hannah and Joseph of a few on my route. A few I'd like to get my hands on…

I love that one above. There is an entrance on the side there with a little porch. The roofline, the wood siding, the huge original ornate front door… And here's another one:

Might not seem like anything to you, but that's the one I'd like to re-do the most. Cannot get enough of that porch!

This one was built in 1900 and is for sale and listed for $75,000:

The only thing I can think is that it's in real bad shape inside. Also for sale, over 100 years hold, and in need of a lot of TLC:

It's way too big for me, but has great potential. This one is in good shape, I just love it:

I'm not interested in flipping houses, but if there was someone here that would do that to some of these, I would love to watch! And with three of these fixer-uppers being on our main street, it would sure make the drive/walk that much more beautiful.

Maybe down the road I'll have my dream of restoring an old house. Or my dream of building a new low-country one. Or just my dream of having my own house to do whatever I want with! I have lots of dreams in the house department… But for now, I live vicariously through my family and friends building, renovating and decorating theirs. Not to lose sight of my blessings, I am grateful that our church here has a nice parsonage (way nicer than some of our peers' parsonages) for us to live in. Don't think I'm not thankful!

big boy room {beds}

There is a cute little, relatively new, consignment and antiques shop in Savannah. Joe and I visited back in May and got lucky, finding something perfect for Joseph's big boy room on the first stop on our hunt. Of course, just as happened with my wedding dress (among other purchases), sometimes when I find something perfect (or darn close to it) on my first try, I doubt my decision and keep looking…eventually leading me right back to the thing I saw in the first place.

And that's what happened. A few weeks later when we were back in Savannah, I called Clutter (cute store name, huh?) to see if the beds had been sold. They hadn't, surprisingly, and were loaded in my car an hour later. They were even better than I remembered, made of mahogany and in good condition. I stored them at my mom's house until we exchanged beds for kids week before last.

Joseph was one step closer to having a big boy bed…or two.

My plan is to create a "big boy" room from a nursery, on a very small budget, not changing wall color, rug or any other furniture. Essentially, the only difference is the beds. Not a lot of fun for a designer who likes to make changes, move things around, decorate and re-decorate. But such is the case. And again, the budget is itty bitty. The challenge is finding bedding that will work in the space and figuring out where to put everything.

Here's my starting point:

I liked Joseph's nursery. {I would rather not have carpet, but I live in a parsonage, so I'm limited to the changes I can make.} It has evolved over the last three years with subtractions (the changing table) and additions (the teepee, his second birthday present). When I put the room together, I selected things that could be a part of his room for years to come. There are many special elements and things that are very old and have been a part of our family for a long time, so I'm glad that I created a room that could grow with him, so to speak. We'll see how it turns out. I do like how the beds look in there…

We didn't have the mattresses when the kids came home from Camp Meme, so Joe took the one off of Hannah's trundle to put across some wood slats. Joseph was very eager to sleep in a big boy bed when he got back, as we FaceTimed while he was in Savannah and he saw the work-in-progress.

Figuring out the beds - and by that I mean mattresses and box springs - was a headache. The beds are lower because that's just how they made beds back then, and a standard box spring at 9" would put the mattress (also 9") so high it would cover up the beautiful spindles. Which is the whole point of these cute antique beds we love. 

I bought the mattresses from a wholesale mattress place in Savannah, but they were out of stock on the low-profile box springs. I researched a few options: go with bunkie boards, have boxes made with 2x4s and plywood at the local building supply company, or special order low-profile box springs to be shipped to a store here. You can buy low-profile foundations (4" or 5" height) online, but they are hard to find in twin size (without also buying the mattress) and they are expensive when you go that route. Due to cost, practicality, and options #1 and 2 making the beds a little low for what I wanted, I ended up going with option #3. We are cooling our heels while we wait for them to arrive.  

I'm ready for this bed saga to be over. I have mattress pads, duvets and sheets and have ordered duvet covers. Keeping my eye out for cute stuff like throw pillows to add to the mix. And the best part is - Joseph is so excited! About the beds…not about throw pillows. When planning this room, Joe often reminds me it belongs to a boy…and boys don't care. 

But I do…and so it will look nice. :)

i dream of chairs

No really, I do. All kinds of chairs.

I love the little white chair in Hannah's room. {I can't believe I never posted about it, but I just went back through the archives and could not find a single picture, except the time she somehow got it into her crib. This is an old picture from my phone from when I found it at Nadeau in Savannah. I bought her two...you know for tea parties, or whatever. I also bought one for my sweet goddaughter last Christmas.}

I love the vintage children's lounge chair I found for Joseph's room when he was itty bitty. {I used it for both his three- and 15-month pictures, too.} I love the white table and chairs my siblings gave Hannah for her second birthday. It is used everyday in the playroom. I love the time-out bench I bought at Scott's in August. I always have my eyes out for chairs for some use or another...

So, today I saw this chair for sale for $149 on One Kings Lane:

My heart skipped a beat. It is not technically the Philippe Starck Louis Ghost Chair (that retails for around $400 a piece), but it is pretty darn close. Probably a good thing they were sold out of the translucent. I might have bought one (or two) without a second thought. I have wanted a Ghost chair since I started art school years ago. The fact that I don't have any place in mind where I would put it has not stopped me from keeping it on my wish list. It doesn't exactly go with most of our furniture, but that hasn't stopped me either. When it comes to home decor, my thought is: if you love it, get it. You will find a place for it.


While we are on the subject of chairs, let me introduce you to Constance:

I love her. And think that she and three of her friends would belong nicely around our kitchen table.

Very similar. I saw these at Scott's in October. I was drawn to them like a magnet and I haven't found anything I like more.

The kitchen table I speak of is the same natural wood one with white legs I had in college. Came with four chairs. Y'all know the one. Chances are you've owned one or know somebody that does. It was classic first-apartment material and it worked. It has been moved 8 times at least. It has paid its dues. And the top is now distressed. The kind of "distressed" that only small children can do...little dibbits from tiny silverware. It's got the sentimental quality, and lots of memories to go along with it, but that does not mean it needs to stay!

We've thought about buying new but we haven't stayed in one place long enough to justify a space-specific purchase. I want round. I would like 6 chairs to fit around it. I want it to be perfect. We live in the breakfast room. We walk through it every time we come and go. It's where we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner almost every day. It's where we do projects, paint nails, dye Easter eggs, and sing Happy Birthday. It is where I've hung tons of pictures. The walls are filled with framed family photos and art. Just looking around stirs so many wonderful memories. It is my favorite room.

Finding the perfect table and chairs is on my "one day when we..." list. I'm just thinking - or my husband is just saying rather - perhaps we should wait until the kids get a little older. If you could only see the things I find under the tabletop and on the chairs with the boosters attached. I don't have to worry about that now with my good ole college friend...

So two chairs, very different but love them both.