This And That On A Thursday!!

    

Once in awhile I like to do a post of a little bit of this and a little of that. No theme just things that I want to share with you all!

I have a couple of new things/gadgets that I am finding to be very nice to have in our new home.

First the laundry room addition. We have 10 ft ceilings and 8ft doorways so I can't hang any drip dry articles on the door tops because I can't reach them.

 We hung this in our laundry room on the wall and it has proven to be a real work horse for us. I love that when it is not in use it folds up and is not obtrusive. Another fun new item that really works like we wanted it to work. You can find it HERE!

This is the perfect night light for over night  guest, We installed it right by the doorway to the guest bathroom I want to order a few more, they are perfect remedy to the plug in night lights that aren't very attractive. You can get it HERE!

I was introduced to this product from my blogger friend Michele  of Hello Lovely Blog. 

These are all natural cleaning products so I love that as well. Here is what they say on their website...

At Murchison-Hume, we’ve got nothing to hide. We’re more than just lavender water and a cute label. There’s some good clean grunt in those pretty brown bottles! We use the cleanest, most effective non-toxic, plant-based formulas available and then we scent them with formaldehyde-free, cosmetic grade fragrances that smell unlike anything you’ve ever cleaned with before. Sure, we’re pretty, but it’s what’s inside that counts.

 I have ordered both scents and I prefer the Australian white Grapefruit scent. If you want a clean fresh kitchen counter this is for you. Plus I love the packaging. I am a sucker for great packaging. The scent carries throughout my home and I love that.

I also have this is both bathrooms.....

After flushing I spray this all around the toilet bowl and one spritz in the air to keep it FRESH!! The container is so cute you can even keep it out, but of course being a clutter free gal lover that I am it is under the sink!! You can purchase both of these products HERE!!

I know I have written about this before, but now that summer is in full BLAST you all really need to try this stuff. It is my all time favorite sunscreen for my face. It has a lovely fresh fragrance, doesn't go on thick, pasty or white and blends in beautifully, doesn't sting my eyes like others have in the past. This is going to be a repeat purchase over and over again. I don't need to look any further.

You can find it HERE!

Oh I almost forgot, I found a new flip flop that fits my narrow foot, is supportive and comfy. I have always worn REEFs but have found in the past couple of years the Slap and Fanning type I like for support have not been offering any new styles or colors. So the hunt began.

I found the brand Spenco.......

 I ordered the black first and liked them so well I ordered a silver pair. The silver are so cute the footbed is cork......

They tend to run long so I would order a size down, if you wear an 8 order a 7. You can find them HERE!

One more shoe report  I got these at Talbots hoping they would fit my narrow foot and they are on a great sale price right now....

This color is on sale but not for the price I got them for, but they do have them in navy at the great sale price....

These are on sale now for $37.49 and they are so stylish on and very comfortable. I think the reason they fit my narrow foot is no one had tried them on. I also read a lot of reviews and found buyers were talking about the narrowness of these. I Love mine and I am so glad I purchased them. You can buy them HERE!!

So that ends today's This and That post!! If you have any great products you have purchased lately please do tell in the comments. We are a community of people that are creative and helpful!!!

Happy Continue Summer 

To You All!!!

 

 

Nordstrom's Sale For Home Items!

 

Everybody and their brother has done a post on the Nordstrom sale, and to be honest it seemed on the clothing end of things everyone purchased about the same items.  I was a bit underwhelmed. None of what I saw caught my eye, but that is okay it never stops me from looking and reading. I try to keep an open mind to new ideas. You never know when something will hit the mark for me.

One such mark was a hit and that was Nordstrom's HOME items. I will be honest I have never shopped their home line and was surprised at some of the items that caught my eye. So today I am going to share some of the things that I really liked that are on sale right now..

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I fell in love with this whole line of bathroom accessories, classic and I think beautiful!

 These are all at a great price point too!!

This next item may or may not be in my home in the future!! LOVE this..........

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These Latte bowls are under $20 for six, that is Homegoods pricing folks!!

With Fall coming right around the corner I start thinking about texture for my home and this pillow would be a great textural addition to any room. It is 20in and a great price!

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It comes in some wonderful colors as well....

I am a marble lover and a cutting board lover, so when you add wood with marble I am in!!

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Another wonderful textured pillow for your Fall/Winter look

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They have so many of their Dash and Albert rugs on sale too!!

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I love using oversized lumbar pillows and even though this is tagged to be a body pillow I can see this on an all white bedding bed in front of white pillows. Great price point too.

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YES PLEASE!!!

I found this piece so interesting to look at, it comes in a nice size of 26 x 26 and again a nice price point. It's called, "Dance on the ceiling!"

This is just a few of the items that caught my eye, there are over 120 pages of Home items that are on sale. Be sure and check it out. I was impressed with the selection and the prices!!

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Have fun shopping!!

 

 

Is Your Home Looking A Little Grannyish?

 

This blog post has been on my mind for quite awhile.  I hesitated to write it because I want to be helpful and not hurtful. You will notice there are no pictures in this post because I wanted to make sure I did not offend someone by putting up a picture of their home, unknowingly. 

This post is full of information!!The information you are about to read is not just from me, but from some ladies that I truly respect their opinions and design aesthetics.

 So right out of the gate let me say this,

 "If you love your home and the way it looks this post is not for you. If you want to update, or refresh your home and think it is looking a bit tired, and  you are open to some new ideas and a way of looking at your home read on!"

I absolutely love being a Grandma aka: Grammy. However I do NOT want my home to look Grannyish. 

I am not talking Granny Chic which has come into vogue with the 20-30 somethings over the past 4-5 years. 

They can get away with it, they are young and cool!! I have a theory, " If you did it the first go around you should probably not do it this go around." This also can apply to wardrobe, but that is a whole different show!!

Design is always going to be subjective and we  won't all agree on, or like the same type of designs. However there are some good guidelines in design that we can all find helpful.

I asked some designers, and some design enthusiast that I truly respect and admire, what do they think makes a room look like a GRANNY room.

Here is what the pros had to say...... 

Michele Ranard of Hello Lovely Studio is a student of life and design, always learning and sharing her experiences in a beautiful almost lyrical manner on her blog. I always try to read her blog post, her insights are always spot on and that is exactly why I asked her the question. Michele had this to say....

Grannies are lovely; Granny style can be tired. When I think "Granny style," I see: gallery walls of colorful family photos in awful frames, under-scaled coffee tables topped with knickknacks, loveseats matched to sofas, and antique/vintage decor without modern pieces or contemporary art worked into the mix for balance and harmony. 

Does any of this sound familiar? Do you recognize any of these elements in your own home. Maybe it is time to rethink your rooms and decor.

Mary Ann Picket of Classic Casual Home blog and Chez Vous design services was very enthusiastic about this subject. She has a very clean, classic design aesthetic and always makes a home look fresh and current and yet timeless at the same time. I love Mary Ann's design aesthetic and find that we are often times in sync.

Mary Ann  said this.....

TOO Granny:  All matching wood furniture sets.  Try breaking them apart and adding painted finishes and/or pieces made from a different material like stone or metal.

Too many tiny photo frames everywhere:  Store them in favor of few, but larger coordinating frames.  

Man...I could go on...

Amy Perdue, who just happens to be a very talented decorating consultant and my DIL. 

Amy has a very keen eye for good design and what works, I always love to get her point of view. She is young, hip, stylish and has a classic way about her. She is always in tune with what is current but never gets too far off from the classics. This is what Amy said.....

Too many trends in one room

Fake Flowers/plants.

Clutter, or collections of little glass figurines

Plastic on couches

Plastic fruit, pretty much anything plastic

dated blinds

dark wood paneling

Even though some of the, "Granny," look is in, you have to do it just right. Afghans and doilies are cool, but  only if used in the right way. 

 Amy even sent a picture of Granny chic done right!!

Beth Woodson and Kristy Woodson Harvey, a mother daughter team that write the beautiful design blog Design Chic.  If you need a daily dose of fabulous design, these two ladies are your source!!Kristy is also a well known author. Her latest book, 'Slightly South Of Simple,' is a MUST read. I had a hard time putting the book down. You can find it here.

I loved what they had to say and a couple of things I had'nt thought of, but totally agreed with.......

1. Victorian paint colors like rose or pea green instantly make us think “Old Lady House!”

2. We may be changing our tune soon because we know florals are in and chintz is making its comeback. Even still, we can’t help but think of Granny when we think of chintz.

 

Before I asked all these talented ladies what they thought, I wrote my own  list of what I think will make a room look Granny and not in a good Granny Chic way......

This is my list.....

CLUTTER! Not every surface and wall need to be addressed with decor.

Artificial floral arrangements of poor quality

Too  many matchy-matchy  furniture pieces or fabrics

Too many dark woods

Inappropriate sizes of furniture pieces, and too many pieces of furniture in a room.

Poor lighting

Too many brown, reds, and golds

Plants on top of kitchen cupboards

Dated furniture of poor quality

Dated  or worn carpeting on floors

Overly dressed windows/heavy treatments

Bowls of potpourri

Too many throws or afghans

Too many collectables or vintage pieces of poor quality. Always try to buy the best quality you can afford.

Bustle back furniture or recliners,

Lace tablecloths and doilies on all the table tops or worse yet on the backs or arms of furniture.

Too many things displayed on fridge

Dated wallpaper with borders

Decorative towels with embellishments

Matching rugs and toilet seat covers

Too many iron grill-works on the walls
Trying to look like a home in Tuscany 

Lots of information to digest. What is a homeowner to do? 

Take a look at  what you have that is dated and tired. Be brutally honest with yourself. Unless it is a true antique and you have had it for the last 20 years it is most likely looking either a little dated or tired and needs to be addressed.

Find images of rooms you love and dissect them piece by piece. Study the picture and figure out exactly what you love about this room and then try to duplicate it in your own interpretation that fits your style, home, and budget.

Remember this post is not to put anyone to shame, but instead to open your mind and eyes to new possibilities. 

BTW: Please excuse the discrepancy in the size and color of some of the print. Blogger's editor was not working with me today. Ugh!!!