Garage Games - Final Day

What an awesome past couple weeks it's been receiving your photos and reading such wonderful descriptions and explanations! Sharing ideas with one another has been so much fun and it's made me smile each time I've gotten a message from someone about wanting to try an idea they saw posted on here. That's what the Garage Games have been all about! If you were hoping to send something in and haven't had a chance to, you still have until the end of Sunday to submit. Tomorrow will be the very last Garage Games post, (if I get anything else in today). Tomorrow I'll have Shire girl pull out of a hat 14 names from all the folks who submitted photos. Each of the 14 people pulled will have a chance to pick out a piece of jewelry from this post. I'll contact you in the order that your names are pulled and let you know which items are left.

Winding down our Garage Games are two women who love to decorate with sentiments. It is so warming to walk into someones home and see things that mean something to them. These gals have hit the nail on the head with clever ways to display items that are as close to their hearts as they are lovely.

Our first set of photos comes from my dearest and oldest friend, K. It just so happens that we are related, (cousins), but we have always been friends first. As a newlywed, (going on 2 years - that's still kind of new, right?), a momma-to-be, and a whole country apart from her family, it's very important for her, (and her hubby), to have things around their home that reflect their love and family.

"We just moved to a bigger apartment-like-house this spring. While the extra space is wonderful with the coming expansion of our family, it's also been a little tough to figure out how to 'fill' so much empty space and bare walls. This is our hallway. I had a little table that used to be in our bedroom, but I moved it out here to be a little corner table. It has candles and paper flowers that we got from a wedding we attended. I had kept a bunch of our wedding memorabilia and was in Michael's one day when I got the idea to do a memory box. This holds Kevin's boutonniere, some lace from my dress and a handkerchief a friend made using all of Kevin's mom's sewing materials. I never got to meet my mother-in-law, so it was special to hold this handkerchief made of her materials around my bouquet on my wedding day. Last year, my family came out for Thanksgiving! We saved the wishbone and dried it out-but never used it. I got a cheap frame, hot glued some fabric on the back, took out the glass-and hung this. My husband and I now love this little hallway corner. When we walk down it, it reminds us of family and warm celebrations. It's amazing what a few little things will do to spruce up a bare space!" -KM

This whole display is so clever! Love the wishbone, even though all I can think about is what kind of big wish I'd make on that sucker! :)

Our closer for today is another dear friend...also whom I happen to be related to, (cousin in law). We share a lot of loves, one of which is for interesting looking things. If you like shopping slow, picking things up and inspecting them, she's your girl! Oh, the hours we could kill together! She is a much newer newlywed, (going on 3 months), and has done a superb job nesting in her new home with her hubby and displaying items that have meaning to both of them.

"This photo is of a wood sculpture that Giff and I bought on our honeymoon from a local artist in Oregon. It is made up of 4 types of wood with the main focus being a huge burl which we fell in love with when we saw them in the redwoods. The sculpture is placed on some favorite books of mine in a natural woven basket. One of the books was given to me by a dear friend from my hiking crew, The Glacier Bandits, and is of paintings of the Grand Canyon by a park ranger who lived there for 30 some years. The Grand Canyon was my first major overnight backpacking trip and was a milestone accomplishment in my life. The candle holder is from Crate and Barrel of a perforated metal to let soft light come through when I'm sitting in my favorite chair pictured in the ba"ck of the photo. The chair and ottoman are an original Milo Baughman from the 1960's that I picked up in a snowstorm in Weehawken across the river from NYC. It is rocks and lounges and is my favorite piece in this peaceful reading room completed only with a glass of good red wine!- JB

Everything you can see in this shot has meaning and I love each and every detail!...except the thought of red wine. White Zin or Riesling, please. No, I do not appreciate fine wine. JB does and she's going to try to turn me!! Help!

Amazing photos, my dears, and thank you so much for sending! You still have to the end of the day today, (Sunday), to get yours in and enter the drawing for a chance to win a piece of jewelry from my jewelry box clean out. Chop-chop, as they say in England, (right?) Enjoy the closing ceremonies! Hooray London Olympics 2012!

Thank you for stopping by!

~Chelsea

Garage Games - Handy Hubs

Happy weekend, all! These last summer weekends start becoming more and more precious at this point, don't they?! Squeezing in a few more bbq's, trips to the pool, chasing after the ice cream truck...good times.:)

I know this will be difficult to hear/read and you will be utterly depressed and question the meaning of life, but we are down to the final 2 days for the Garage Games. Sad, I know. ;) But, we still have today and tomorrow! If you would like to submit a photo, (or more), please don't hesitate; I'm still taking entries until Sunday evening - which means our last blog post about the Garage Games will be on Monday.

If you are new to my blog, WELCOME! Please see this post to find out what the heck the Garage Games are so you can participate and enjoy! Photos will be accepted until Sunday August 12, (closing ceremonies of the Olympics).

Today we get to 'ooh' and 'aaah' over the handiwork of a couple of our boys. I like to celebrate the partnership between couples in putting together a home. Some men have a stronger opinion than others when it comes to home decor and know how to add their own 'flavor' to the home, and others are equipped with the skills needed to carry out their partner's vision. For me personally, many of my favorite aspects of our home were things I envisioned, explained to Matt, and he worked them out beautifully.

Our first submission is of a gorgeous piece that this gal's husband built himself! Being a coffee table, it gets to be a central piece of the room - and what a beautiful piece it is!

"Here's a photo of our new coffee table that Matt recently built from red oak hardwoods and finished with a dark cherry stain." -JC

Wow - what a masterpiece!

Next up is very cool before and after that utilizes a unique piece of space in this couple's home. My brother and sister-in-law's, actually! My brother in law could easily send hundreds of photos of his handiwork, but this particular project has stuck out to me because of how specifically perfect it is for the space! Many of us have an 'odd' spot in our home. A nook or corner that is just...odd. Maybe it's not a 90 degree angle, maybe it's a curved wall, or perhaps it's just an area that seems hard to complete from a decorating standpoint. Even after you try a hundred different things you still feel unsure how to complete it. My brother and sister in law took an interesting little nook in their home and made it into a convenient and lovely little office area!

"In our home there is a small hallway area, and my wife and I decided it would be the perfect place for a built-in.  Before starting our built-in desk project, we had a tall cluttered bookshelf in the space.  After removing the bookshelf, we put up bead board to define the space.  Once the bead board was in, I hung the shelf for the desk and the shelves for inside the cabinet up above, and worked on the doors for it. Next I took the doors down and painted everything with a few coats of white paint before rehanging the cabinet doors.  The knobs I used on the doors, I had saved from my grandfather's china cabinet.  Now we have a space to use the computer that is out of the way, yet in the open."-CU

Before

After

Now Bella can work from home!

A huge thank you to both couples who shared with us today! I love seeing building projects; very inspiring!

Have a fabulous weekend and don't forget to send your photos if you haven't! 1 more day, sniff sniff ;)

Thanks for reading!

~Chelsea





Garage Games - Make it work!

Hi there! Wow, I can't believe we're down to 3 days left of the Olympics! The past (almost) 2 weeks have flown by and it feels like they've just begun. I have so enjoyed our little Garage Games over the past couple weeks and will be sad when it's over! I might have to do this again soon, rather than waiting another 2 years for the next Olympics.:)

If you are new to my blog, WELCOME! Please see this post to find out what the heck the Garage Games are so you can participate and enjoy! Photos will be accepted until Sunday August 12, (closing ceremonies of the Olympics).

The photos I've posted so far for the Garage Games have been just. plain. awesome. Creative, inspiring, unique, sentimental...and today's photos are all of the above!

Our first photo is from a gal who probably could have sent a hundred more.:) She is wildly creative and talented and we both share a love for furniture refinishing.

"This was a dark stained desk and I used Annie Sloan's duck egg paint on it then waxed it with a combination of dark and clear wax.  Love it.  Definitely an upgrade to the Ikea model that was in my office :)" -T

A stunning desk like this would have me wanting to work overtime! Nicely done, T!

Our next photos are from a beautiful girl who's beautiful wedding I had the honor of attending during a historic blizzard a few years ago. While the conditions on their wedding day were not what they were expecting, this wonderful couple, (and their photographer), seized some amazing photo opps! When I saw her Garage Games photos I got so excited! She found a beautiful, out in the open way of displaying some of her favorite wedding and engagement photos!

"These are pictures of our bedroom and our makeshift headboard.  I wanted to actually get a real bed with a headboard and all when we moved into this apartment, but I couldn't find one that I liked AND was in our budget.  So we kept the free metal bed frame from the mattress store and I went to work arranging some of my favorite photos into a "headboard".  I LOVE photos and all of these photos are of our engagement and wedding...so it's something that's no longer just a fill-in but something that I really like!" -CS

Wow. Are you looking at these pictures?! So dreamy....and it would have taken me for.ev.er to get these frames arranged 'just so'. It looks awesome, C!

These photos were so fun! Thank you girls VERY much for taking the time to send them!

Remember, 3 days left to get yours in! Anyone and everyone is welcome to participate and if you read the original post about the Garage Games, you know there are jewelry prizes involved :)

Thank you for popping in!

~Chelsea

Garage Games - One of a Kind Decorating

Hello, hello! I hope you are having a wonderful week! I confess that I've been a bit lazy these past few days. There are projects in the garage that need my attention, (and very sweet clients who are waiting on them), but every single one, (8 pieces), happens to need the same color, (which I am almost out of), and this particular paint is a 45 min drive one way. Not a fun trip with 3 tots in toe. Friday. Friday is the day! I'll pack some fun snacks and we'll make an adventure out of it - maybe stop at a fresh produce stand for some peaches since I have promised my husband a peach pie this summer.:)

While I have been lazy, you have been snapping away! I've gotten a few more Garage Games submissions and continue to be impressed and inspired by your creativity! Today's submissions have nothing in common except that they are totally and completely unique. I love seeing rooms or pieces that you would never find anywhere else!

If you are new to my blog, WELCOME! Please see this post to find out what the heck the Garage Games are so you can participate and enjoy! Photos will be accepted until Sunday August 12, (closing ceremonies of the Olympics).

The first set of photos come from a woman after my own heart; a mother of boy-girl twins.:) I empathize with her desire to create a fun and unique room for her little ones which isn't layered in typical neutral colors. When you know you're having a baby boy or baby girl, it's fun to create a nursery according to that gender. But, what do you do if you have both genders in the same room, (even opposite gender siblings who aren't twins)? J.A. has a fantastic idea that just looks so cool and states the obvious: this room is occupied by a boy AND a girl!

"These are pictures of the twins' room. I agonized for ages about what color to paint their room as they will be sharing it for a while and all of their bedding is pink and blue. I didn't want to have to redecorate anything to go with a new paint scheme.  All the suggestions I got were yellows, greens, and oranges. Finally, someone suggested grey which seemed like a good idea but...boring.  I came across a blog that suggested painting horizontal stripes randomly around a kid's room to give it some pizzaz. That was the answer!  We decided on hot pink and navy blue. I feel like it was just enough to make it interesting - and we only had to buy paint samples - not whole cans to do the stripes so it felt economical. I was even able to use the leftover sample paint on the "A" and "S" letters that we hung on their closet. I think it ties it together nicely."

 Sweet Annabelle is wide awake and ready to go! Stephen is still in the adorable sleeping crouch - my favorite baby sleep position.:)

Annabelle, probably revving her engine at this point, hehe

Annnnnd, Stephen. Up, but not really. Love these photos!

Our next photo is an encore presentation, (which is totally allowed since I make the rules), from my Mom in law! Catch her first set of photos here!

"This is a piece we designed and had made for us while in Bogota.  The decorative tile is also a

part of our backsplash in our kitchen.  Behind the glass of the top drawer on the left are coffee beans.The most difficult part was trying to explain what we wanted in Spanish! The irreplaceable pottery pieces were made with love by our grandchildren with a little help from their parents. The large fish, created on Tybee Island, GA.,  and the handcrafted alligator were from very special people."



Could you imagine designing your own piece of furniture? How fun! This is absolutely stunning!

Thank you J.A. and D for such creative and one of a kind photos!

4 days left to submit your Garage Games photos! You never know who you'll inspire - I've received dozens of messages from folks who are already planning to use some of the ideas they've seen posted here over the past week and a half! Love it!!!

Thank you for stopping by!

~Chelsea

Garage Game's - The designer within!

What an awesome weekend we had! Spent lots of time at the pool, played with family, friends and of course, watched the Olympics! The garage was busy, too; Got one custom order finished and photographed on Friday, another dropped off on Saturday, and two more coming in today. I've also got some crazy fun personal projects to work on as we are so close to moving Shire into Mason's bedroom and setting the boys up together in one room. Add to that our front landscaping which we are in the midst of completely redoing, and our kitchen cabinets which I am toeing the line, ready to start painting. This sounds like a lot, but we are pretty good at pacing ourselves. We tend to chip away at things around here rather than hit them headstrong all at once, (for the most part)! I'll be updating the Portfolio Album, (on the left), with photos of recent pieces as they are finished, so be sure to check that out!

We had two submissions for the Garage Games over the weekend from a couple of clever and talented ladies who would probably tell you they are neither clever nor talented, (oh humility can be such a double edge sword!). But, their photos and descriptions beg to differ!

If you are new to my blog, WELCOME! Please see this post to find out what the heck the Garage Games are so you can participate and enjoy! Photos will be accepted until Sunday August 12, (closing ceremonies of the Olympics).

Our first photos today are from one of my all time favorite people; my sister. She is a recent college grad and in that wildly unpopular transitional stage of life as she looks for jobs. She hasn't had the opportunity to decorate a place of her own yet, but wherever she has lived, she's always had a killer bed. Even her dorm bedding was fresh and fun, just like her. Some of my favorite memories are just lying on my sister's bed chatting, laughing, and getting a back rub ;)

"I love my bedspread! I chose it when I was in high school and moving into my older sister's (Chelsea's) bedroom. I was getting really into the color green at the time, because of its subdued and peaceful nature.  I saw this in a magazine and knew it was perfect! I have so many options with it because of the different colors and patterns. My wise Mama paired it with the small green and pink plaid pillows, which I've learned don't MATCH, but GO. I've had it for five years on my bed at home and still love the beautiful designs. I think that as it gets worn and torn after several more years, I'll like it even more!" -C

Just looking at these makes me want to snuggle up for a nap on her bed.:)

Our second guest today is a friend from our life BC - Before Children. That feels like another lifetime ago! I'll tell you what, keeping in touch with friends who knew us before we were parents just warms my heart. People who knew me as me before I became a Mom are so special. This friend, in particular, was an encouragement to me BC, and after. She is dear and I wish we lived closer! Her photos will strike a cord with anyone who has young kiddos, (or maybe a kid-at-heart). :)

"I recovered my kitchen chairs with this awesome fabric. I had a white based covering on before but it quickly got gross.  So, this time I bought some plastic to cover the chairs as well.  So glad I did that! Literally within 48 hours one of the girls spilled.  They thought they were in big trouble! But the plastic did its job and protected the chair.  It is amazing what new fabric and a staple gun can do!" -L

Notes on type of plastic, from L: "I just got the middle weight of plastic tablecloth at the fabric store.  I felt each of the different weights and picked  the one I thought would work and be easy to work with."

Brilliant, L! Now she can have the fresh, colorful and fun fabric that she wants on her chairs, and let her kids be kids. A win-win situation for all parties!

Thank you very much to these amazing women who shared their beautiful, (and handy), work with us today. You guys are awesome!

If you're thinking about what you want to submit, don't wait too long! We've got less than a week to go for Garage Games submissions. I am SO excited to see what is sent in over these last several days!

Thank you for stopping by!

~Chelsea



Garage Game's - Mommas gettin' crafty!

Greatness.

It’s just something we made up.

Somehow we’ve come to believe that greatness is a gift reserved for a chosen few,

for prodigies, for superstars,

and the rest of us can only stand by watching.

You can forget that.

Greatness is not some rare DNA strand, not some precious thing.

Greatness is no more unique to us than breathing.

We’re all capable of it.

All of us.

Best commercial, (it's by Nike), I've seen during the Olympic Games. This message can be applied to anything we decide to do. I thought it fitting to start with today because I have truly been blown away by not just the quantity of participation for my little blog's Garage Games, but the quality as well! In my down time I enjoy flying through decor magazines and books and marking pages with ideas, rooms, and tips that I would like to try. Why am I looking to these professionals for guidance? I haven't received one photo submission from anyone who is a 'professional' in home decor, but each one has been unique, creative and completely inspiring! Creating a home that reflects you is not something that requires an education in home decorating. All the bits and pieces, large and small, that you put together to create a space that is pleasing to you - that is perfection and greatness!

If this is your first time visiting my blog, I am so glad you are here - you're just in time! I'm doing our very own Garage Games right here on the blog over the weeks spanning the Olympics and asking anyone and everyone to email me, (chelseasgarage@gmail.com), at least one photo of a home decor piece/project/craft/room that is reflective of their style and personality, (you are welcome to send in as many photos as you would like). It can be anything you want so long as it represents you. I will post the photos right here on the blog as they come in as a fun way of sharing our creativity and inspiring one another. At the end of the two weeks we will do a random drawing of all the people who submit photos for a chance to win a piece of jewelry from my jewelry box clean-out! I love accessorizing and have 14 fun pieces that have served me well for several years now, but alas, it's time to change things up and pass them on! So, please don't hesitate to submit your photo(s); you never know who you'll inspire and you could get a cool piece of jewelry out of it! See this post if you'd like more details and a peek at the jewelry pieces! Photos will be accepted until Sunday August 12, (closing ceremonies day for the Olympics).

Today, we've got two young mommas representin' their stuff! One is a momma-to-be, {such sweet days}, and the other with almost 10 precious months of experience under her belt.

Our momma-to-be shares the most pure and genuine inspiration behind her great worthy Living room photo. 

"Our family/living room's focal point is a quilt I made my husband (boy friend at the time).  The quilt is a tribute to lewis and clark with compasses and canoes.  The sofa we saved from my father and I have decorated it with pillows I picked up in France!  When I sit here I think about the adventures my husband and I had in france and the love we share when we started our relationship." -N

This is beautiful, N. Such a great reminder that a personalized space takes on a beauty that cannot be matched.

Our next momma put a finishing touch on her nursery/guest room that is as warm and inviting as her own heart.

"When I was decorating Norah's room, I knew I wanted some color and fabric on the wall. I found some fabric online that I LOVED, so I ordered it not knowing how I would end up using it. I saw a picture in a magazine of some fabric-filled embroidery hoops and decided to give it a try. It's so easy! I just took the hoop apart, closed the fabric inside, and tightened the screw on the hoop to secure it. Then I just pulled the fabric taut so that there were no wrinkles, and cut the excess fabric off, leaving about an inch of extra fabric around the edges. Next, I used a hot glue gun to glue the extra fabric down behind the hoop. Finally, I just hung them on the wall with nails. So simple!" -M

Oops! How'd this get here?! Who doesn't want to see a flippin' adorable baby??? Hi, Norah!

A few thoughts regarding the hoops, (from M):

-Do NOT buy your hoops from the quilting section of a craft store—they are super expensive there. Go instead to the embroidery section, where they should be only $1-4 each. You can also check thrift stores or buy them on eBay for a very inexpensive price. You can paint the hoops or leave them plain. I have even seen some of these hoops hung on the wall in a cluster without any fabric inside—an easy way to fill up a big wall space!

Thank you very much to these busy gals who showed us that great decorating doesn't have to be expensive, time consuming or frustrating. The loveliest decor is that which reflects the heart.

Please send in your photo(s) before the Sunday August 12 deadline! I'm looking forward to seeing what comes in over the second half of our Garage Games!

Thank you, as always, for stopping by!

~Chelsea

Garage Game's Pics: Hold onto your socks!

Hi there! Well, the Olympic Games and Garage Games are almost half way through and what a first half it's been! I am enrolling this one in gymnastics asap! The basement sofa has been doubling as gym apparatus by which she leaps, flies and 'tumbles' from.

Shire isn't the only inspired girl around here. I have had a blast looking through the photos you have been sending for our Garage Games! If this is your first time visiting my blog, Welcome! I am so glad you stopped by - you're just in time! I'm doing our very own Garage Games right here on the blog over the weeks spanning the Olympics and asking anyone and everyone to email me, (chelseasgarage@gmail.com), at least one photo of a home decor piece/project/craft/room that is reflective of their style and personality. It can be anything you want so long as it represents you. I will post the photos right here on the blog as they come in as a fun way of sharing our creativity and inspiring one another. At the end of the two weeks we will do a random drawing of all the people who submit photos for a chance to win a piece of jewelry from my jewelry box clean-out! I love accessorizing and have 14 fun pieces that have served me well for several years now, but alas, it's time to change things up and pass them on! So, please don't hesitate to submit your photo(s); you never know who you'll inspire and you could get a cool piece of jewelry out of it! See this post if you'd like more details and a peek at the jewelry pieces! Photos will be accepted until Sunday August 12, (closing ceremonies day for the Olympics).

Today, you are in for a treat! This girl is my hero. She and her hubby bought just the perfectly imperfect house to transform into the home they wanted. Her use of color and pattern is brilliant, (always has been), and her style is branded by the encouraging words that are printed in the most clever ways throughout her home. They put their own hard work into these renos - and they have 4 young {beautiful} kiddos! Like I said. Hero.

{Half Bath Before}

{Half Bath After}
"When we moved in this bathroom was terrible- the wallpaper alone was enough to make me leave and never come back. We put hardwood in the entire downstairs, so it made sense to contine it in the bathroom. I wanted a pedestal sink, but because of the plumbing, this was the only kind of sink I could have (big bummer, but it turned out ok.) The bead board on the walls serves 2 purposes: it is pretty, but it is also covering up a multitude of sins- remember those fiberglass towel and toilet paper holders? You have to get those suckers out with a hammer. :)" -SB

{Laundry Room Before}

{Laundry Room After}

{Kitchen Before}

{Kitchen After}

" I have always wanted to do a kitchen remodel and was excited when we started this adventure. I never have had a problem making choices and always know just what I want, however I must say that the decisions for very overwhelming. I was excited about the easy ones, but by the time I was deciding where I wanted electrical sockets I was totally annoyed- it seems I am a big picture person more than a detail person. Anyway, I knew I wanted white cabinets, chrome hardware, and a farmhouse table. I also read some good advice in a design magazine that said don't go budget on everything and at the same time, don't spend big money on everything- pick 3 things to splurge on. So I choose to splure on my sink, my lights, and the appliances.  This house is old- built in the 60's- and I wanted to keep with the "old" style while having something new. I also knew I wanted it open and airy,

and room for all my babies to gather around the big table." -SB

{Living Room Before}

{Living Room After}

"This room was a huge transformation, mainly because it was closed up and covered in paneling when we moved in. We painted the paneling, opened the wall, and painted the fireplace and doors. This room went from a dark hole to a cozy, light room- I love the transformation."

 Somebody, call HGTV.:) Thank you, SB, for sharing the fruit of your blood sweat and tears. I know all the good moments and memories in this new home will more than pay off the work that went in. Well done!

Tomorrow will feature two sweet young mommas who's beautiful home decor reflects their beautiful hearts. 10 days left to submit your photos for the Garage Games!

Thanks for popping in!

~Chelsea