House of Hydrangeas

Today, I'm so happy to finally share with you guys the nursery board I've been working on the last couple of weeks.  When Aimee and Joe first contacted me a few weeks ago to see if I could help them put together a nursery design for their first baby, due in July, I was more than thrilled.  Lucky for me, they already had great taste and some ideas for a jumping off point.  When they informed me that they really liked my style, shown in my other design boards , I knew we'd make a great team.  They were very active in the whole design process, which made my job much easier. The first thing I did was come up with a layout for the room.  The room being used for their nursery was a large size for their 1960's house at 18'5" x 11'5".  Therefore, proper furniture placement was a big issue.  Aimee and Joe didn't want the room to look too barren with just a chair and crib and needed help finding the right pieces to fill the space.  After some brainstormin...

While working on my most recent nursery board, I discovered some very cute, new (at least to me) toys.  They are called Anamalz , and they are so adorable.  The first thing that caught my eye was their simple wooden design and bendable legs.  These natural toys have a nod to the past while embracing the eco-friendly wave of the future.  And what makes them even better is that they are offered in just about any animal you can imagine.  I think they make a great little accessory to add to your child's nursery or toy box.   Check them out here .  They range in price from $7-$10. Camel Elephant Moose Sheep

Here goes folks... OPI I'm Indi-a Mood For Love.  This is my new spring/summer polish.  I think it's so fresh and bright and will add a great pop of color to any outfit.  I picked mine up at Publix but I know they have it at Amazon too. Another thing I picked up at Publix, Rice Works Sweet Chili Crisps.  These caught my eye as a great alternative to regular chips (they're made from brown rice) and the flavor just sounded so tasty.  Let me tell you, it was!  These little things are sooo addictive and sooo delicious!  I bought my first bag and then was back the next day picking up three more while they were on sale.  Definitely a new fave! We have a public library right down the road from us, and I went and finally went and signed up for a card this week.  I hadn't had a library card for years before we moved to Oklahoma, but ever since then, I'm all about them.  I rarely read books more than once so why should I have to buy one ...

While out running errands yesterday, I stopped by Office Depot to pick up a ream of paper they had on sale.  I found what I needed and headed to the cash register.  When I was getting out my money to pay, I saw something bright out of the corner of my eye.  I looked down and saw a pile of animal rubber band bracelets for sale.  I know these were all the rage back in 2010-2011, but I never got into them. However, when I saw the 25¢ price tag, a Pinterest light bulb (Pinterbulb?) went off in my head.  I remembered an idea that I had pinned awhile back that suggested using these bracelets as wine charms.  There were 20 bands in the bag which equated to 1.25¢ a charm.  Sold. And what makes these particular bands even better?  They are tropical themed--perfect for our new home in Florida! Oh I can't wait to use them!  Thank you Party City  Office Depot for making my day! I'm not sure if these are for sale at every Office Depot, but I...

Hello friends! I hope you're having a nice end to your work week.  If not, maybe these five things will cheer you up :) 1.  Sweet wedding tablescape.  I love the muted tones and vintage pieces used in this tablescape.  It is so soft and romantic.  I bet you have a newfound appreciation for all of those brass candlesticks you see at the thrift store now, don't you? :) 2.  Herringbone throw.  I ordered this herringbone throw from Pure Fiber after seeing it on the Today show's Steals and Deals segment a couple of weeks ago.  I'm still waiting on it to come in, but the wait is well worth the deal.  I've been swooning over these throws for a long time but didn't want to shell out the $100+ for one.  Mine ended up costing me $44 (shipping and tax included)!   3.  A well designed nursery.  If you follow the House of Hydrangeas Facebook page , you know that I've been working on a nursery board for a new client this week. ...

Next up on the house tour is our cocina. One of the things I loved most about this house was the open floor plan. The kitchen isn't closed off to the rest of the living space, and because of the all of the recess lights and white cabinets, it seems even more airy and open. I like to keep the front of the refrigerator empty, but I have to keep it real and display some personal pictures and invites on the side.  :) We now have plenty of counter space and storage. Hooray! I got the rug by the sink for $15 from Target right after we moved in.  I love how it compliments the countertops. My mom found that pretty turquoise ceramic bowl on top of the fridge for me at HomeGoods.  I need to find a better place for it though. And last but not least, here is closeup of my favorite part of the kitchen.  The glass front cabinets that allow me to display all of my favorite dishes.  Now even if they don't get used all of the time, they'll still be seen. ...

Now that I've raved about our new coffee table, let's get back to the house tour. If you walk past the dining room on the left, you come up on our kitchen and eating area.  Here's the view into our kitchen... By the way, I got those iron bar stools at HomeGoods (love that place!) before I moved to Dallas in 2007.  They were $20 each and had a gold flower in the middle of the back.  I painted the gold flower black and added some $10 cushions I found at World Market.  Five years later, I'm still a big fan (especially knowing what I paid for them!).  But I digress... If you keep walking past the kitchen you'll see our server and empty eat-in area. Pretty barren, huh?  This is one of the problem areas in our home.  Our old home only had room for a formal dining area, but now that we have extra space, we have nothing to fill it.  Extra space is generally not a problem, but it is for me because we're renting.  Since I know this won't b...