Entryway Makeover

When we set out home goals for this year, we decided that this would be a year of smaller, less expensive projects.  I am happy to say we have completed our first project from that list.  The front entry of our home is a bit awkward.  There are lots of stairs and doorways.  Here is how it looked last fall, before we added the white planking.

The view from the family room into the entryway.

We liked the look of the chalkboard print in the before picture, but wanted it to look a bit more finished.  I had found some ideas on Pinterest of some chalkboards trimmed like windows.  I first saw one years ago on one of my favorite blogs, Mallairdville Manor, and it's been on my to-do list ever since.  Billy used some old trim that we had in our basement along with some leftover chalk paint.  He used the same method of trim as he did around our windows.  He wrote a post about it here.  Total cost for our new entryway chalkboard was $0.  I am really happy with how this little project turned out.  It will be fun to add different chalk art with the seasons.  I am always pinning ideas on my chalkboard art board on Pinterest.  Also, we made sure the opening is the same size as the engineering prints are from Staples so I have the option of getting one printed if I am not in a chalkboard art kind of mood.

The deer head over the chalkboard was a Target clearance find after Christmas.  It was about $10.  I added one of my preserved boxwood wreaths (purchased at HomeGoods last year).   We also purchased this red cabinet from Target.  I like the punch of color it adds.  The March issue of This Old House Magazine is in our wire mail basket.  We hand them out to guests as parting gifts when they leave (just kidding!).

We added a couple of more clearance finds to the top of the cabinet.  The teal glass lamp was a steal at $14 (70% off from, you guessed it, Target).  All other items were also from Target.

I added a saying that I printed using Picmonkey and enlarged with Blockprints for the chalkboard.

Here is a copy of the saying I used on the chalkboard.

I am really glad that we finally got around to finishing this project.  Our entryway is the first place our guests see and definitely worth the effort.  And just for the sake of keeping things real in a house with 3 boys, here is what the chalkboard looks like this morning:)  My little guy had to add his own personal touch to the bottom.

As always, thanks for reading!!

New Barstools

For Spring, I wanted to add some pops of color to our neutral living room.  We had painted the walls a greige (Behr Castle Path) last Fall and since putting all of our Christmas stuff away it felt pretty plain. We picked up these stools at Target and I love the color it brings to the space.

This & That {Late Winter Edition}

Happy weekend, friends!  We are back from winter break in the Adirondacks and I am ready for Spring!!  I am ignoring the weather reports of the upcoming return of the polar vortex in NJ and adding lots of Spring touches around our house.  I can't wait to share them with you.

I bribed forced the kids to get out of the truck to take this family shot in front of a barn near the house.  They were thrilled.  The sun was in our eyes and there is an antler sticking out of Billy's head, but I still love the picture.

Winter Reading

With all of the snow we have been getting this very long winter, there's been lots of opportunity to sit by the fire with a book.  I thought I'd share what we've been reading.

Target Clearance Frames & Waterlogue prints

I have mentioned many times before my love of clearance items at Target.  Seriously, it's an addiction.  Add to that the pictures I printed using the Waterlogue app, and that makes for a happy day for me.

 I wanted to get some prints made of the pictures I created using the popular app.  I didn't want them to be glossy.  Or look like photographs.  And I wanted them today.  Well, duh.  There is a printer sitting there next to me.  I should print them on my very own printer!  I purchased some linen business cover stock at Office Depot and proceeded to print out some of my favorites. The linen paper adds a great texture to these prints.  I love the way houses come out with this app.  So I scanned some pictures of the houses we have renovated and put them all in one frame.  This now resides in our foyer.  I love being able to see all that we accomplished in one frame.  I look at these pictures and see a load of sweat equity and a ton of amazing memories.  We brought our babies home to our first two homes.  And the middle house with the front porch that Billy built me for my 30th Birthday ten years ago, well I think that may always be my favorite.  My babies were babies in that house.

Frame from HomeGoods- $19.99