EVERYDAY GOODNESS

Hi Friends! I am back again to share with you some highlights from my week. Here are some things that I have enjoyed admired or been inspired by this week.

1.I have shared with you all my love for Mindy Kaling a few years back. Well I guess Senator Cory Booker SENATOR CORY BOOKER shares my appreciation. I knew we were aligned on political matters but my affection for him has grown after reading the sweetness of this exchange! 

2.I finished ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE last week. It is by far the best I have read this year. The subject matter was a little difficult considering todays political climate but I devoured it nonetheless. The characters and plot line are so well developed with no detail left unexplored. It is no surprise it took ten years to craft. Mystery, youth, circumstance, perseverance and redemption will keep you turning the pages in this one. I highly recommend it!

3.I changed up some dishes in my kitchen cabinets for spring. I always do red and white for the Holidays through Valentine's but it is blue and white for spring and summer this year. Change is good! I will break out the white ceramic bunnies after my girls Birthday this week!

4.For the most part I follow funny people and design stuff on Snapchat but Liev added DJ Khaled for me a few weeks back and his energy has changed my day. Some of his self promotion can be a little redundant but I have never seen someone more positive and appreciative of everything he has in life. Oh and his son Asahd is adorable. If you are inclined to follow him his user name is DJKhaled305.

5. Here is a SPRING HOME TOUR from KRISTIN. She is quickly making her new home her own. 

6. Jenny at LITTLE GREEN NOTEBOOK opened up a super affordable print shop for art. there are a few I will be purchasing for sure. Including these two.

I hope you all have a great week,

Valerie xo

WHEN TO USE A BARN DOOR

I am fairly certain that my love affair with Barn Doors started with these on Miss Patti's dance studio on Gilmore Girls! 

I also love the board and batten on the exterior.

After my post about my mini hallway makeover, quite awhile back, I had several emails asking about our barn door. Now, they are popping up everywhere! It's great because they are such a smart design element that add architectural detail to any space. 

Here are some handsome barn doors used in clever ways.

Image via Pinterest

Image via House Beautiful

Image via Pinterest

What is really great about them is that they can help alleviate doors opening awkwardly into small spaces, which was definitely the case in our bathroom.

Our house, like many old houses, does not have a designated linen closet so I added a large bookcase to function as our main storage unit for bathroom necessities. It had been working out nicely with the only problem being our old door opened into it. Barn door to the rescue! It has added some better functionality, freed up some much needed space and added some nice architectural detail to out little hallway! It doesn't lock like the average bathroom door so we simply abide by a "closed door" policy ... If closed, Do Not Enter! That being said, Fergus, our Bernese Mountain Dog, doesn't seem to understand!

This was the second door of its kind that we constructed as we did one for our little horse barn outside. So, we had a general idea what we needed to do. We built it with the same tongue and groove board used in to hallway. I won't give too many instructions because your door will likely be specific to what type of railing system and the dimensions of the door. If you are interested in building a custom door HERE, HERE, and HERE are some tutorials you might consider looking at first! 

Have  great weekend friends,
Valerie xo

EVERYDAY GOODNESS

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYBODY. BEFORE THIS WEEK IS THROUGH I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE WITH YOU SOME THINGS THAT I HAVE ENJOYED, ADMIRED OR BEEN INSPIRED BY THIS WEEK. 

1. I am going to GIVE THIS A WHIRL! I have plenty of old t-shirts and a pretty good collection of embroidery thread from my high school/university cross stitch days.

MONIKA HIBBS

2. I have been trying to follow these simple tips and I must say, I think sticking to these 5 SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS can make a difference to how well my day goes.

GLITTER GUIDE

3. I don't know anyone who doesn't love a good kitchen reveal. Melissa documented all her ups and downs of the process and the finished results WERE WELL WORTH IT!

INSPIRED ROOM

4. Here is a really  CUTE LAUNDRY ROOM sneak peak from Jen. I can't wait to see it once it is complete!

I HEART ORGANIZING

5. I know the Oscar's are old news now but here are my best dressed this year!

Oh so classy & timeless with sparkle.

This lady knows how to do "more is more".

The color, knot, proportions & lip color. Love!

Va Va Voom in all the right ways.

The neckline and sleeves, perfection. Loving the hair accessory too!

Classic. I love the color. Ballerina done right!

All of the following ladies are stunning and talented women but I would be remise if I didn't mention the gowns I didn't like.

Necklace over the collar, the bow, length and wrinkles and hair all wrong.

Oh No! all dated and overwhelming.

Amazing hair and makeup but she needs color.              

Bad fit, literally and stylistically.

Lace and layers gone wrong. 80's prom anyone?

Cheap looking fabric, ill fitted and a workout ponytail!

6. You guys this feels like the coldest day of the year. Maybe it is because we were teased with such mild weather lately but today feels like time for some comfy cozy food. Chili to the rescue.

7. You know what's really weird about how cold it is outside? Let me tell you. I am now growing oranges inside, in Canada, in February. Unbelievable! The real miracle is that I have kept my citrus tree alive for six months!

I hope Monday is good to you all,

Valerie xo

PLATE RACK DIY

About four years ago I decided to add a plate rack to the back wall behind our kitchen table.   Prior to the plate rack, I had hung a large clock that came from our previous house, but it was just never the right scale. 

Anyone who knows me well, know that I have been collecting white dish ware since I was first married. There isn't a white jug, cake plate or platter that I don't admire. Having a plate rack would not only add decorative character but it would also be a perfect place to store some extra platters and plates I had on hand.  

To start, I looked up some inspiration pictures in magazines and on Pinterest like these.

The Remoldelista

Vintage house blog

Screenshot from Something's Gotta Give

                                                      
Next, I measured and basically drew out a sketch of what I envisioned and headed out to the hardware store. When I arrived home, with my supplies in hand, I sprung the idea on my husband.  It didn't take much convincing, he thought a plate rack would be a great addition and, together, we could build the plate rack ourselves. However, his agreeable position came with one condition, I must use things I already owned, I could not buy anything new to fill the rack. Agreed!

If you are at all handy and have built things before then with some planning I would give this project about a 5 out of 10 in its level of difficulty. In hindsight, I wish had taken pictures of the process when we were building it but, unfortunately, I wasn't blogging back then.

The process was basically:

• Build a rectangle from 3.5" boards. Just for reference mine is 52"tall x54"wide.
• Cut inside shelves and shelf supports to length. I have two shelves but I cut three to make a support for the top to have a piece of decorative trim and a larger sized topper. My board is 5" wide
• Put shelves through a router to cut out some basic grooves into the boards to give your plates something to rest in. I made two grooves because  have several different size platters.
• Put on your top piece then add the decorative trim mitering the corners.
• Making sure your shelves are perfectly level, attach each shelf and horizontal supports to the frame using both glue and a nail gun. 
• We then put on the front guard trim. I used pieces of decorative trim and inset these between the side panels.
• Next, I filled and sanded the nail holes, primed and painted the shelves.
• To attach it to the wall, we pre-drilled some holes into the support boards beneath the shelves. Once the screws were counter sunk, we used little wooden hole fillers and tidied it up with wood filler and did some paint touch ups!
• Below is a photo with the order in which I did things. 

         Voila! A custom plate rack! If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

This is the order that I put the pieces together!

I am really pleased with how it turned out. While it looks great just as its plain self on an everyday basis, it is also fun to dress it up a little when celebrating special occasions. It is a great place to add a little color and whimsy in the kitchen and it's the perfect place to hang birthday banners and holiday garlands alike!


                     

Have a great weekend y'all,

Valerie xo

P.S. Sorry I just watched Nashville!

EVERYDAY GOODNESS

I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE WITH YOU SOME THINGS THAT I HAVE ENJOYED, ADMIRED OR BEEN INSPIRED BY THIS WEEK.

1. This week I read You by Caroline Kepnes.  Let me start by saying that on the surface this is most definitely not my typical kind of book. Stalkers generally are not my thing. It is written in the second person narrative it took a little getting used to but eventually this book lays out all the traps and you cannot put it down. It is full of characters that are broken beyond all repair. The writing is so good the it is impossible to not get wrapped up in these irredeemable and warped human beings. There are lots of pop culture references which may eventually date the story but it really works to cement the plot here. If you like Gone Girl this is better.

YOU CAROLINE KEPNES

2. Big Little Lies is finally out on HBO Sunday nights. So good. I love Reese Witherspoon playing this type of character. Looking forward to seeing how these story lines play out! 

3. Jennifer shared a very thorough post to help  CANADIAN ONLINE SHOPPERS.There are plenty of great insights to help us navigate the limitations and availability of goods to be shipped to our door. There are also some tips on how a few ways to order things that do not ship directly to Canada.

                               

                               

4.If you love design and sometimes find yourself losing time wandering through pictures of beautiful and inspiring interiors check out PENCIL AND PAPER CO PORTFOLIO. I love there aesthetic.

THEY DID DRAPER JAMES FLAGSHIP STORE!!!

5. I am not sure if you read my post about decorating tips which points out that far too after we are using rugs that are simply too small for our rooms.  Emily shared some really AFFORDABLE LARGE RUGS  this week. Check it out. Maybe you are just on the hunt for a new rug! 

6. Thanks to the reader who remembered that I owe you guys a reveal of our closet from a few years back. I promise it is coming!  In the meantime I think you should check out CASSIE'S CLOSET MAKEOVER. It is so organized and that carpet....oh my.

7.  I am really looking forward to the Oscar's on Sunday. I have seen a majority of the movies and am routing for a few performances. Here is my the new Oscar de la Renta straight off the runway that I will be wearing while on my sofa eating nachos! ;) 

 

Enjoy your weekend friends!

Valerie xo

PRETTY POSIES EVERYWHERE!

I get it Miranda Priestly, florals are nothing new for spring fashion! But as someone who appreciates color and loves a good floral print I can't help but notice them blooming everywhere in stores for this spring!

Devil Wears Prada

There truly is something for everyone. With a wide variety of pretty posy frocks and accessories available at everyday retailers. I thought I would am share a few from the dozens I have rounded up today!

1. Floral Pintuck Swing Blouse-Old Navy

2. Floral Pintuck Swing Blouse Black-Old Navy

3. Floral Sweatshirt-J.Crew Factory

4. Floral Maxi Shirt Dress-Banana Republic
5. Floral Embellished Cardigan-J Crew

6. Respectfully Retro Midi Dress-Modcloth
7. Primavera Floral Scarf-Loft
8. Pyrus Poesy Floral Blouse-Anthropologie
9. Venette Drops-Bauble Bar
10. Nina Floral Midi Skirt-Anthropologie
11. Banana Leaf Print Dress-Eshatki
12. Sophia Floral Print Rain Boots-Target
13. Floral & Frills Blouse-Zara
14. Dillon Fit Floral Blouse-Banana Republic
15. Primavera Pintucked Blouse-Loft
16. Floral Peasant Blouse-Target
17. Grant Street Grainy Wallet-Kate Spade
18. Floral Off Shoulder Dress-Banana Republic
19. Cameron Street Floral Margot Handbag-Kate Spade
20. Pink Spot Floral Olive Blouse-Boden
21. Mirrored Floral Topper-Talbots
22. Painted Tulip T-Shirt-J Crew
23. Coral Ditsy Floral Sneaker-Old Navy
24. Right As Rain Coat-Joules

Can you tell that I'm getting a little desperate for spring?
Have a great day friends,
Valerie

EVERYDAY GOODNESS

HERE ARE SOME AWESOME THINGS THAT HAVE INSPIRED ME FROM AROUND THE WEB AND IN MY LIFE THIS WEEK.

If you need another product to make your love of Rifle Paper Co. products even more, I have found it for you. RIFLE AND KEDS  have partnered to bring you these great kicks. They have helped to convince me that spring is just around the corner!

RIFLE AND KEDS

Ever since NICOLE shared these slipper chairs on her Instagram, I have been smitten. I am planning to present them, in a client meeting, I have coming soon. Hopefully, they like them as much as I do!

HERE IS HOW NICOLE USED HER CHAIRS.

                         

     SLIPPER CHAIR                           SLIPPER CHAIR

GREY GARDENS is up for sale. It can be yours for just a cool $20 million! I love this property and the whole story surrounding it. Those Beale women certainly were fascinating individuals. If you haven't seen the original documentary, or the remake, you should. The Mazels were brilliant documentary film makers but I really think that the HBO film showed Drew Barrymore's best acting to date. Speaking of Drew Barrymore, SANTA CLARITA DIET is out on Netflix and if you find yourself snowed in like I did this past week you should check it out.

JULIA'S GREY GARDENS TOUR

I have followed the HUNTED INTERIOR for years now. I really appreciated Kristen's blog about how things take awhile to evolve in your own home. I feel the same way in my house. Most rooms are about 75% complete. Even though we have been here for almost eight years, when you are trying to create a cozy family home that needs a mountain of work, nothing happens overnight! I really appreciate how her room is coming together more now that she has finished some of the details.

HUNTED INTERIOR    

Ask any one of my friends and they will tell you that I love to go to the movies. One of my favorites, without a doubt, is Love Actually. Just this week it was announced that there will be a new SHORT FILM of the movie made, to help raise money for a great cause. I'm really looking forward to it. Here is the first image released of the reunion.

Anyway friends I am off to make some lasagna and brownies for my girlie who is coming home from university for the night!

Valerie XO