Scrapbook paper equals cheap art

Reason number 254 as to why a person like me (read: not a scrapbooker) should always have an assortment on hand anyway, especially when one got it on clearance.  Even if one did not really know what one was going to do with it when one bought it....

My upstairs bathroom has yet to be addressed on the ol' blog here.  Mostly because it was "done" when we moved in, and we didn't do much but paint it.  I always felt like it wasn't really us with the white vanity and counter top, but we weren't changing what wasn't broken.  To just slap something up on the wall, i found a pack of white ikea frames and some boring floral artwork.  I'm not really a floral person, but, it was the right color, and it was cheap.  This actually makes me upset-how many times do we settle because of this? 

Since i wasn't hugely happy with it, i always seem to be on the lookout for something else for this bathroom, something to make it more us.  I'm in a constant state of tweaking, and i'm not alone, right?  After looking on etsy for small prints and greeting cards, i went to my scrapbook stash to see if there was something a little different there.  The scrapbook stash had already proved helpful on previous occasions:

coasters

board game covering

The bathroom has greens and browns, and i didn't want floral.  But then i saw this paper that was a much more funky floral, reminiscent even of something tribal, definitely something one would purposefully buy for framing.

Just slightly different from each other, yet definitely the look of a set.  One piece of paper snipped in two different pieces. Total cost: 0 dollars.  Satisfaction over interesting and cheap solution:  Hugeness.  So yes, this was the right color, and it was cheap-but this time it doesn't feel like settling.  I think i may even be done tweaking this space!

Do you have a collection of scrapbook paper for no real reason?  Have you ever used it for a different than usual purpose? 

I'm linking to CRAFT, made it for monday, amaze me mondays, craft-o-maniac monday, diy showoff, just something i whipped up monday, thrifty treasures, metamorphosis monday, motivate me monday, making the world cuter, polly want a crafter, market yourself monday, its so very creative, before and after party,nifty thrifty tuesdays, trash 2 treasure, twice owned tuesday, anything related, take a look tuesday, power of paint, tabletop tuesday,i'm topsy turvy  todays creative blog, show and tell, creative share, make it yours day,wow us weds, penny pinching party, sugar and spice, whatever goes wednesday, idea sharin' wedsnesday,100 Ideas under $100,crazy cute look what i made, show off your stuff, tales from bloggeritaville  hooking up with hoh, strut your stuff, transformation thursday, get your craft on, catch a glimpse, thrilling thursday, fave things fri, everything but the kitchen sink, favorite things friday, show and tell friday, all things domestic ,simply designing, remodelaholic, junkin' finds, catch as catch can, free for all fri show and share day, flaunt it friday, frugalicious friday, feature yourself friday, the shabby nest, fun to craft, fabulous friday finds, all things good, sundae scoop, sunday showcase party, a round tuit, seasonal sunday, tools are for women, too  monthly open house, shanty 2 chic all things good, weekend wrap up

Color color color color color chameleon

For pretty much three years we have downright ignored the upstairs, figuring who is seeing it but us.  Then for my birthday (october) i bought the paint, hoping the boyfriend would paint it as my gift.  He didn't. For Xmas, he got me a wall mounted mirror/jewelry holder which was not being hung til we painted.  So we (he) painted. Now my bedroom is the restful, relaxing space i always knew it could be. 

The paint is Tinsmith, by Sherwin Williams....it is a wonderful gray/blue that really changes with the light.  It is a color chameleon, which is why you will now have Boy George stuck in your head.  Sorry 'bout that!

I love the gold shimmer geometric pattern in the curtains.

This is probably the truest shot of the color.

 The carpet that is staying-at first i brought out the maroons and golds, but after seeing so many retreat like bedrooms via blogs, i wondered if i couldn't bring out the blues instead. I think it works.

That's the catalyst for the painting, that mirror.  Killing two birds with one stone, it houses my dangly necklaces and allows me to see them all nicely (without worrying my cat is eating all the beads) and of course it provides a full length mirror. This is a CSN buy, with no code or no winnings, and i have to say it is sturdy and gorgeous.  They also price matched it with no problem because i found it cheaper somewhere else.  I like my little art corner highlighting free vase.

You can see the difference in color from these pics above and below...the top one looker grayer, and the bottom bluer.  Chameleon like.  Yard sale bird pillows pair maroon and blue.

Ha, this picture is so me.  I like "the finer things" sometimes, and the arts, but then i kick it in my Vans.

Pretty calming to the eye After/ Harsh and jarring Before

 The cream and gold furniture looks even worse against the painted wall, but bedroom sets are expensive, you guys! Where have you gotten yours?   It's funny to see how our tastes change with the influence of others, don't you think??

 made it 4 monday/,  amaze me mondays, craft-o-maniac monday, It's a blog party, diy showoff, just something i whipped up monday, metamorphosis monday, motivate me monday, making the world cuter, polly want a crafter, market yourself monday, its so very creative, before and after party, anything related, take a look tuesday, tabletop tuesday, transform tuesday,  todays creative blog, show and tell, make it yours day, penny pinching party, sugar and spice, whatever goes wednesday,  idea sharin' wedsnesday, look what i made, hooking up with hoh, strut your stuff, transformation thursday, get your craft on, everything but the kitchen sink, favorite things friday, show and tell friday, show and share day, flaunt it friday, frugalicious friday, be inspired, feature yourself friday, the shabby nest, fun to craft, fabulous friday finds, 100 Ideas under $100, along for the ride, show off sunday, sunday showcase party, not baaaad sundays, A Round Tuit, seasonal sunday, sister sister sundays,  monthly open house, thrifty treasures, nifty thrifty tuesdays,trash 2 treasure, twice owned tuesday, tales from bloggeritaville, crazy cute, junkin' finds, i'm topsy turvy, creative share, theme party thursday, catch as catch can, free for all fri , all things good, boring to better, remodelaholic, power of paint, my style evolution

2010-A Rehashing

2010-the year of the blog.  Ok, maybe i'm the only one calling it that, but since that's when i started mine, and therefore started documenting everything, that's what "the ten" felt like for me.  Let's go on a virtual best of 2010 journey together...hold hands and look both ways.

"Here comes the Sunroom", and quite possibly my favorite post title.  Gotta love a gal who works in a Beatles tune.

Took the Bedroom from boring blah to ahh-Truly a Christmas miracle that we finally painted but no new photo til next year.  Currently the furniture is smooshed in the middle of the room and walls need one more coat...not exactly the grand reveal i'm going for.

Added a  Big a$$ garage that i had to pretty up quick and cheap...

Began work on the basement renovation, which i am happy to report is looking more and more like usable space every day.

Shared why i can't paint my kitchen white, in haiku form, no less...

Found a newfound love for thrifting and craftiness...

And professed my undying affection for this little gray one.

Next year promises a finished basement-lordy, i hope so-a bathroom revamp, continued random musings, and more cat cuteness.  I truly appreciate those of you who have been with me on this journey this year-your encouragement, your comments, your friendship...your ideas that allow me to expand mine...bring it on, 2011. 

I'm joining Rhoda's year end party.

Bedroom-from boring blah to ahhh

This is by no means an earth shattering before and after, but i think the feel of the space was really changed without spending a lot of money and without doing anything major. Our whole upstairs was really an afterthought, even 3 years later, and this girl has had enough! 

 

Here we have the only space the bed can go, in front of the window, so i wanted to create a statement wall that could sort of act like a headboard, or at least an anchoring point.  These maroon curtains were left over from college days, and i stupidly thought i could save money by using what i had.  I know you can't really tell, but the accents were Parisian influence...the Arc de Triomphe watercolor that my SIL gave me, some Toulouse Lautrec prints, the Eiffel Tower lamp.  This was still the rudementary stages, sans carpet and chaise.  However, it did (and still does) have  hideous 80s furniture and piles of laundry.  Keepin it real yo, keepin it real.

With carpet and chaise.  And laundry pile.  I really like the bedding, it was new for the space, so i wanted to find a duvet to save money.  Why yes, those are barely off white walls.  Aren't they lovely?

The carpet that i need to--sorry.

The carpet that i need to work with, trying to pull out the blue/gray this go round.

Ta da!  Ok, there isn't much different except the drapes, rods, art switcheroo, lamps, and duvet, and there's a big ol' bed crinkle, but i think this feels more relaxing with these tones.  I think it says "a real grown up couple lives here."

More art switcheroo to bring in the cool blue, and paint sample on the wall.  This color (Benjamin Moore Nantucket Fog) isn't gonna work, it is too blue and i am afraid all over will be too dark for the space.  My other color contender is Baby Fawn. 

That's it tucked into the art, but it's just the chip.  Detail of the drapes.

Hideous 80s cream and gold furniture, though luckily it goes with the golds.  I wish S would build something that would go that whole length and be a little higher. More paint sample.  See free vase?

Trying to give you a better sense of the space.  It isn't a large room, but it is certainly not small.  There is plenty of space.

I took this sitting between the dormers so you could see how much room is at the end of the bed, and where the tall dresser is.  I have a new bed skirt, but it has yet to go on. 

View from behind the bed...i love when the leaves grow in b/c it hides the neighbors house.  You can see their brick on the bottom right. The cat loves this view, too, and talks to the squirrels and the birds.  Rather annoying in the morning when she climbs on my head to get up there.

So this:

to this:

Imagine how nice paint would look, eh?

1. Sherwin Williams Black Fox-too dark?

2. SW Earl Gray...too blue?

3.  SW Roycroft Mist Gray..too light?

Better stop now...

Linking to these parties + it's a blog party, crafty day @ along for the ride, a round tuit @ jembellish