A Window Of Opportunity

One of the designations you may have noticed in my profile section is that of Window Fashions Certified Professional Associate.  This means that I have taken courses and passed a certification test to be a WFCP Associate.  I am also a member of this organization so that I may stay current and up-to-date on new products, as well as skills that deal with business in general.

 

Besides loving fabric and trim, I do love the window treatments they can be made into.  They make a big difference not only to a window, but to the whole room.  A roman shade on its own gives one look and drapes with a valance gives an entirely different look and feel to a room.   Something new are the Masterpiece Shutters.

They offer a new collection of shutters that are painted or engraved to transform your window into works of art.  Imagine having the above shutters to look at as opposed to a parking garage view out of your apartment. 

Also new is a vertical drapery system.  This item won Product of the Year for Lutron Electronics Co. and is an industry first.  How many homeowners with sliding glass doors are going to want this?  A lot!  I can tell you that sliding glass doors present a major challenge to homeowners regarding coverings. 

This innovative product is available in a variety of fabrics and can even be combined with a blackout roller shade for total light blocking.  With remote control operation what else could you need?  

Finally, I wanted to share this beautiful new trim from Expo International {a to-the-trade company}.  This beaded and fabric trim mixed together combines the best of both worlds.  I know that I have had clients express that they can’t decide between just one or the other. 

Now they don’t have to!  This trim comes in a dozen different colors.

I love finding out about all these new products on the market and I especially love it if I have an opportunity to introduce them to a client.  It is always a fun and satisfying experience to have a solution to a client’s window treatment needs, yet still make the room a welcoming and comfortable place to be.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

Ruffles and tassels, and laces and trims, these are a few of my favorite things!  But how to incorporate these into your home if you are a woman, and a woman married to a man who doesn’t want “ frou-frou” stuff all over.  This inspirational collage came from greylikesweddings blog.

Using some of the blogs I follow and others that I have come across recently, I’d like to show you ways you can incorporate a little “frou-frou” into your home without making anyone else in the house feel uncomfortable with it.

One of the lovely bloggers I follow is Sissie from Sissie’s Shabby Cottage.  Sissie loves ruffles!  This is evident from the items she has put together for home decor.  Her pillows are gorgeous; even the addition of just one to a sofa, bed or chair gives off just enough ruffley-ness!

Or what about a cotton table runner?  How perfect for your indoor or outdoor table this Summer.

Another type of ruffle and table runner is this one from Jen at Tatertots and Jello.  This runner incorporates lots of fun colors and the golden fabric of the moment ~ burlap!  If you have some scrap fabric on hand, I’ll bet you could put this together quite easily and quickly.  I love how Jen is using this on a sofa table.

What about a flirty slipcover for a plain chair; like this one from Kelly at Much To Do With Nothing.  She is a master at the art of slipcovers and the skirts she puts on them make me wish her slipcovers were dresses!  Yet the ruffles she adds to her slipcovers {whether short or long} are not over the top.

This chair has now become dressed up for a dining room, a living room or bedroom accent chair, or a ladies desk/office chair.   I also like the idea of using ruffles on a smaller, accent piece ~ like a lampshade.  Which is what Sonya from Beyond the Screen Door did. 

I am so glad she showed us the first application for this pretty ruffled skirt turned lampshade.   I love how this looks!  She wasn’t liking the way it looked here, but was able to incorporate it into the room anyway.

Isn’t this a great idea for a girl’s room, craft room, home office, bathroom ~ there are many ways you could use a ruffled lampshade in your home.  I also think it adds a bit of whimsy and an unexpected touch to a room.

One more something easy, ruffle project would be this great shower curtain from Robyn at Something Pretty.  Simple, not crazy with pattern or color and I think your whole house could live with something like this. 

And if they can’t, these are all great ideas to use in the guinea pig guest room!  After all, that’s what it’s there for ~ to test out all these decorating ideas!

A Few Creative Updates

It always amazes me what a little bit of paint and some scrapbook paper can do.   This was the tiered  basket I bought at Home Goods in silver.

It kind of disappeared into the background in its original color, so I painted it Heirloom White.  I like it much better!

The little tray I bought at Goodwill was a light yellow color and had this beach scene.  It would have been okay as is, except that I didn’t really care for the scene.

Here it is also in Heirloom White and with a red and white sea creature-y scrapbook paper.  I really like this paper and it is a departure from my usual, but I thought it worked well here.

The oblong shaped tin I got at Goodwill, that had a Fall motif to it.

Papered up, monogrammed {from the napkins I bought at Home Goods}, and a few little buttons.  It is pictured here with two sauce cans from the recycling that have also been given a scrapbook paper and ribbon makeover.

I love how quickly I was able to update these items with a little bit of paint and paper.  Now I have decorative accessories that work for me!  I’m still working on the pair of interesting looking mirror/shelf pieces and hope to have them ready next week. 

Linking this post up with the following linky parties:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

It’s So Very Creative at It’s So Very Cheri

Make It Yours Day at My Backyard Eden

Decorating With ~ Birdcages

Birdcages have become such a great decorative accessory for the home.  You can find them just about anywhere ~ home store, garage sale, thrift store.  You can put just about anything inside them ~ plants, flowers, nests, candles, dolls, books and, uh, well, birds. 

Target

 

Hobby Lobby

Overstock

They come in many shapes and sizes, which makes them easy to fit into any decor in any space.  Inside or outside.

Wisteria

 

World Market

Ballard Design

Neiman Marcus

I have this birdcage on a stand filling a corner in my kitchen.  Currently it holds some faux greenery.  I really need to update and pay some attention to it.

I also have this little cloche-like birdcage {from Michael’s} on my kitchen window sill and this one holds a little nest and eggs.

I like how the Ballard Design and Neiman Marcus birdcages are grouped together as wall art in these pictures.  They make much more of an impact as a collection and become a focal point.  Do you have any decorative birdcages in your home?

Goodwill Finds Continued

This post will continue my previous post on my amazing finds at Goodwill this past weekend.  Okay, so remember, no hating and all prices I’m listing were an additional 50% off.

This great Paris lingerie plaque.  It was originally $39.99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond.  Then there was a sticker with $25.00 handwritten on it; maybe for a garage sale.  Goodwill marked it at $6.99, but, as you know, I paid less than that.

Also found this Paris sign plaque!  Brand new ~ look at the back {$2.99}.

Love it!  It’s already hanging in my powder room.

This heavy garden plaque {$3.99}, which I put right outside on my baker’s rack.

This little tray {$.99} which will also be getting a coat of paint and a new paper base.

This charging station {$5.99}, with the original Target tag still on it.

Finally, the piece de resistance ~ this huge key in a frame {$22.99}!  I heard angels singing and a spot of light hit it.  I had to look around to make sure someone didn’t put it there by accident.   This is really big and really heavy!

Luckily I was the first customer of the day and the only one in there at the time, so shoving, pushing and hair pulling wasn’t necessary {I was ready though}.  You know this would be, at the least, $49.99 at Home Goods.  At Goodwill it was marked $22.99 plus it was 50% off day!!   Can I get a fist bump!?!

I think I did really well this weekend and was so happy to find some things I had on my mental list.  Getting everything on 50% off day was a bonus!  The only thing they didn’t have was tiered baskets, so I’ll be keeping the Home Goods one I posted about a couple of posts ago.

Linking up with the following linky parties:

Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous

Not Just A Score ~ A Home Run At Goodwill!

Okay, so before I show you what I got at Goodwill this weekend, you have to promise not to hate me!  Promise?  Good, because I scored so big I was just bursting!  And, oh yeah, it was 50% off day!!!!  Prices listed are without the 50% taken off.  First up ~ I finally found a cloche {$1.99 for the set}!

I also got this little parfait dish {$.99} to use as a stand for it.  I bought a glass adhesive the last time I was at the craft store, so I just need to do that.

Once I get it, this will be perfect to showcase the Fairy Cupcake I won from Tobi at The Pink Pixie Forest.  Look Tobi ~ it’s own special place!

Along the glassware line I also found these great looking bottles {$1.99 each}.  These had been recently added to my mental list.

Two of them have bath salts in them and are still sealed.  I’ll just dump them out and use the bottles.  The other bottle I just loved.  It makes me think of a genie bottle!

I can just see these bottles with labels and some pretty bling on a ribbon hanging off the neck.

This large mason jar {$1.99}.  Loved this and I made sure it still closes properly.  It almost makes me wish I used powdered detergent so I could use it for that and label it “Soap”.

So thrilled I almost let out a yip, I found this soup tureen {$5.99}!  In perfect condition and it had the ladle!  Cross that off the mental list.

Moving on I got this lone bookend {$3.99} with a stuffed bear on it.  I just wanted it for the books section and have already taken the stuffed bear off and tossed it.

Three never used tin pails {$.59 each} and an oblong tin {$.99}.  I’ll probably cover the oblong tin in some scrapbook paper and use it as a storage piece.  The tin pails I have an idea for and I’ll put them on the side for now.

These pieces which I found very interesting.  I had seen them in the window as I was walking into the store.  They really have a lot of detail and look kind of Gothic right now, but I will be painting them Heirloom White.  These were $6.99 for the pair.

My daughter said they remind her of theatre balconies.

This old dictionary {which only goes from L-Z}, but I think the pages will come in handy for some crafting projects {$2.99}.

Now, deduct 50% off all those prices.  Woo Hoo!

Believe it or not, I’m going to have to split this into two posts!  Yes, I got that much!  So I’ll see you back here in a couple of days to show off the rest.

Linking up with the following linky parties:

Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous