Re-Thinking the Mom Cave

It all started with this...

Remember this roadblock to my Mom Cave/home office makeover?  Should they stay or should they go was playing in my head.  While the moldings are pretty in some spaces, I'm kinda over them in here and the limitations they place on wall art.

My fear is that should I try to remove them, the damage to the wall could be extensive.  They've been in place for 26 years, caulked and repainted multiple times etc. I have been firmly in the camp of keeping my beloved purple walls (read about that HERE). I had decided to go creamy white below the chair rail, leaving those moldings in place. But repaint the entire room after repairing walls? So frustrating!  Everything else was moving along (slowly).  This could bring it all to a screeching halt.  But the white moldings on the purple walls was just too much going on for me now.  What's a girl to do?

Don't you love it when inspiration/distraction arrives in the mailbox?  Enter October's House Beautiful. 

Hellooooo, Lover!

And these images...

*Sigh.*

Masterful use of the color purple in a decidedly feminine space.  But look at the wall color.

And when you see all the lucious fabrics and throws out now in aubergine and lavendar -- even Target is in on the action with Sabrina Soto's new line!  Rooms with purple walls are not easy to accessorize.  I can't believe I'm actually saying this: Rooms with cool gray walls look lovely accessorized with purple.

So...

Amazing how many different shades of gray there are!!

Yes, I'll have to a little repair work anyway.  Wonder how I'll feel about those pesky white moldings with soft gray walls?  Or maybe I'll just do as Elizabeth at The Mustard Ceilings suggested and paint them the same color so they just blend in (you planted a wonderful seed there, Elizabeth!)?  Maybe the same shade of gray but in a semi-gloss?

And here's how my art for the Mom Cave is coming along--  I'm tempted to hang them and see if I can work around those DMs (darn moldings) after all.

Aren't they awesome?

Ok, so weigh in and let me know your thoughts!  Go gray and have fun with pops of my beloved purple?  Preserve the purple paint? Keep the moldings?  Kick 'em to the curb and deal with the wall repair?  Can't wait to hear what you think. :)

Happy Decorating!

Art for the Mom Cave and a Road Block

I'm sooooo excited about the art for my home office {Mom Cave}!  Here's a hint...

"Emily's Girls" by the fabulously talented Inslee.

And then there's...

My go-to frames from WalMart (inexpensive and sturdy!).

Are you getting the picture?  I framed all of my treasures from Inslee, but held off hanging them.  You see, my beloved purple office/mom cave has got some molding in the upper portions of the walls that's just gonna have to go.  I've been fighting it, because it means repairing the walls after removing the molding AND repainting {which probably needs to be done anyway}.  In other words, this on-going Home Office/Mom Cave makeover has mushroomed.  But I realize that it's better that I really do it RIGHT and make it just like I want it.  Here's what I mean...

Just as a disclaimer, all of this molding was in place when I bought the house. :)  I've managed to work around it but am now tired of doing so... you can see how it limits your options for wall decor!  The area below the chair rail will keep the molding but become all white, so my lovely purple will have greater pop on top.  That's the plan!  Thoughts??  Feel free to share!

On a side note, my blogging schedule has been a little sketchy these past few weeks while I get my People and myself into our new "normal" this year.  Thanks for bearing with me!  I plan to be back on my regular publishing schedule after Labor Day.

In the meantime, head over to Inslee's delightful online shop and check out her prints, notecards, calendars, and more!

Happy Decorating!

Easy Peasy Lamp Shade {How To}

I am loving my new lamp and lamp shade combo in my Mom Cave...er, home office. :)  I know I have to share the space with the other four peeps in my household, but it's slowly evolving into more "mine" than "theirs."  Thoughts?

Anyhoo, the lamp shade I revealed over the weekend was a super easy project that makes a big impact when you walk into the space. 

Start to finish, I spent about 50 minutes on this.  And maybe $5 tops.  The lamp and shade I purchased with a Target gift card I'd received for my birthday.  The craft paint and sponge brushes I already had.  The stencils came from the WalMart craft section (a favorite haunt of mine) and cost under $5 for the package.

I decided on the large damask stencil and gray craft paint.

I started on the back of the lampshade where the seam is.  I figured if I was feeling my way with this, better to goof on the side that would be facing the wall anyway!  I wanted to see a full damask pattern in the center of the lampshade all the way around and parts of the damask on the top and bottom.  So the full one came first.  I totally eyeballed the middle of the shade (my scientific method you know), used two simple pieces of masking tape to hold the stencil and got started!

Notice I left the edges of the tape loose so peeling them up and removing the stencil was a clean and easy motion.  I used the paint sparingly, brushing lightly to fill in the blanks.  If it looked too light or I could see the fabric through the paint, I went back and dabbed lightly.  This stencil has lots of curly q's, so I had to brush in different directions very gently for even coverage and clean lines.  I also wiped the stencil off with a wet rag periodically (especially the back side) to ensure no extra paint went awry.

By the time I had worked my way around the entire lampshade, the paint was dry enough to start on the bottom layer.  Again, I just eyeballed placement of the stencil so pattern would look even (or close to it!).  Notice I added a piece of tape at the top to help further secure the stencil. The painting here was a little trickier since the edge of the lamp shade was involved, but again, slow and steady was the key.

You can see how I ended on the back seam of the lamp shade again.  The lines are not as precise due to the seam here, but again, this side will face the wall. :)

Once I had the bottom row done, placement of the top row was easy peasy.  I simply lined them up.  This time I started on the seam and began working my way around.  Slow and easy.  Looking good!

And here is the finished product!  The gray and white look super crisp against my purple walls and I adore the damask pattern.

Love, love, love!

So, there you are -- what do you think?  Easy peasy way to jazz up an inexpensive lamp shade!  Loving the bang for the buck on this project.

Linking up in these fabulous places:

Home Stories of A to Z {Tutorials and Tips}

Between Naps on the Porch {Metamorphosis Monday}

The Mustard Ceiling's Mix and Mingle Linky Party

Happy Stencilling!

The Mom Cave

An idea whose time has come-- the Mom Cave!  Don't we all crave our own little space?  Our little corner of our home that we can decorate in girly ways, that will serve as our sanctuary when the kids and husband have taken over every other square inch of the house?   Do you already have a room that could serve as your Mom Cave? 

HomeGoods (one of my favorite budget-friendly decor stores) has cleverly floated this concept out into decorating cyberspace and is giving away a Mom Cave created by YOU and designer Elaine Griffin!  Head on over to their website to watch Elaine's advice on pulling together your own Mom Cave and to enter to win.  In the meantime, take a peek at these beautiful Mom Cave spaces.  What would yours look like?

Love all the workspace here... think how many projects she can have going on at once!

This is so serene, but I think I'd have to warm it up with an area rug.

Elaine's Mom Cave Essentials!

What would your Mom Cave Essentials be?  Check back later this week for Willow House products perfect for your Mom Cave!