Ready For Another Giveaway??

Yay - it's time for another Virtual Room Review giveaway!! Time to win FREE decorating advice for the room that bugs you the most!

Meagan over at Sunshine & Sippy Cups is giving away one of my Virtual Room Reviews here:

Click here to enter the awesome giveaway!

Good Luck!!

(and remember, if you don't want to wait to win, you can buy one in my Etsy shop for $10!)

L is for Lighting

How much light do you need?

Here's a simple formula for figuring out whether or not you have enough lighting in a room:

First, measure your room's length and width, then multiply to get the square footage. 

Next, multiply that number by 1.5 to get the amount of wattage needed to properly light the room.
 
For example, a 10' by 12' room is 120 square feet...multiplied by 1.5 gives you 180. So in that room, you would want at least 180 watts.
 
In an area that's meant for specific tasks like a kitchen island or an area for homework, multiply by 2.5 instead of 1.5. 

Easy as pie!

K is for Keeping Kitchens Organized

The kitchen is generally the busiest room in the house -- used for cooking, eating, storage, homework, socializing and more. Here are some quick and easy tips to help you keep it organized and looking great:

• Create zones -- one area for food preparation, one for storage, one for eating, etc.

• Store items near where you use them. Don't worry about whether it makes sense for someone else -- I keep plastic kid cups in the fridge beside the juice.

• Free up drawer space by using a decorative canister to hold often-used utensils, such as spatulas and spoons.

• Storing small appliances in cupboards will free up counter space and keep the room looking less cluttered. The ones you rarely use can be stored up high or in the back of the cabinet, and the ones you use often in easy-to-reach areas.

• Inexpensive baskets or plastic containers are great for storing bottles of vinegar, oil and other sauces. It's easier to pull a basket out of the cupboard than it is to root around for the right bottle.

• In a small kitchen, putting the sink in the corner creates more usable, uninterrupted counter space.

• If you have space in your kitchen, an armoire is a terrific organizer. It can hold your microwave, freeing up counter space. You can use the shelves and drawers for anything from cookbooks and tablecloths to mixing bowls and baking needs. Paint the inside of one of the doors with chalkboard paint and you have space for quick notes and lists as well.

• Baskets placed in the area between cabinets and the ceiling are great for storing seldom-used items.

• If you're really short on space, add a shelf above the window or door.

• Hang tablecloths on a towel rack attached to the inside of a cabinet or closet door.

How do you keep your kitchen organized??

ShopHappens

I was so excited the other day to get an email from Erin at ShopHappens asking if I'd like to be featured in their Etsy spotlight!

You can check it out below:

Stylish Solutions at ShopHappens

Let me know what you think!!

Guest Post - More Free Decorating Changes from Susi at Design Shuffle

Hi everyone, I'm Susi and I write as a guest blogger for Design Shuffle, a fabulous social media site that promotes interior designers and their work from around the world. My writing focuses on things I'm passionate about: interior design, decorating ideas, home furnishings, gardening, travel and art. I get to look at gorgeous things all day and write about them. I'm a very lucky girl!

I am so happy to be guest blogging here at Stylish Solutions today. Heather was kind enough to allow me to try my hand at a "5 Free Decorating Changes You Can Make Right Now" post. She had such great ideas (like shopping your own home) in previous posts, I hope these are equally as helpful. Enjoy!

Better Homes and Gardens via

First decorating change might be the most difficult. †Get Organized! Organizing your space, especially a home office or kid's room will make a huge impact. Look for baskets and boxes around the house that you can use to collect items and papers.

HGTV via

Look at old things in new ways as the homeowner did in this bedroom design. Previously talked about was shopping your house...I say shop the garage and maybe even your neighbors' garages. Or go on Craigslist and Freecycle to find free things that can be salvaged and given new life in your home.

Centsational Girl via

Decorate the inside of cabinets, hutches, bookcases to give them a new look. You can use wallpaper, wrapping paper, fabric remnants, and even small amounts of left over paint; things you probably already have in the house.

Pinterest via

Use color to create interest. Gather similar colored accessories, anything from books to pillow to china, and display them in groups to make a bold statement. Shuffle colorful accessories, including artwork, around the home and create big spots of color on bookshelves, beds and sofas.

Apartment Therapy via

And the final of my 5 tips: streamline your space. This goes back to number 1, get organized. Clear the clutter from not just the horizontal surfaces but also the vertical surfaces. Try to create calm, soothing spaces where everything visible is pleasing to the eye.

So there are my 5 free decorating changes you can make right now. Hope you found them helpful and inspiring - perhaps you'll add some of them to your interior design ideas file. ~ Susi

This content comes courtesy of†Design Shuffle, where you can find and share talented interior designs from from New York interior designers, Los Angeles interior designers, and more, check out the latest at Design Shuffle.

Personalized Photo Coasters

While my main business is offline colour consultations, I've been slowly working at filling up my Etsy shop with some handmade home decor stuff as well as virtual consultations. I've become slightly addicted to making tile coasters - my newest ones are done with photos:

A set of 4 is only $15 - and they make a great gift idea (Christmas is only 4 months away!). Visit my Etsy shop here for more details:

Personalized Photo Coasters

Did You Win?? (Little Giveaway Reminder)

Just a little reminder to anyone who has entered one of the giveaways to win a Virtual Room Review - some bloggers email the winner, some post it on their blogs instead and give you a certain number of days before they choose a new winner...so don't forget to check back there and see if you've won!

Another Virtual Room Review Giveaway!

Congratulations to everyone that has won so far!

This week Heather at Thrifty Mom Spot is giving away my Virtual Room Review!

Head on over and enter for your chance to win an interior decorator's FREE advice and get some quick & easy help with that problem room:

Win a FREE Room Review at Thrifty Mom Spot!

If you haven't heard of a Room Review, you can you can see what I mean in my Etsy shop here. 

(And if you don't want to wait to win, you can always buy a Room Review in my shop for only $10.)

Good luck!!

J is for Junk

No matter how nicely decorated your room is, if it's full of junk (more politely known as "clutter"), all you see is the mess. The first step in fixing up any room is to get rid of the extra stuff hanging around. I admit, this is one of my biggest issues...I have a habit of leaving piles of paperwork all over the house. If it's got a flat surface, you're pretty much guaranteed to find my stuff lying on it.

On the other side of this, one person's junk is another's treasure. Some of the nicest home accents turn out to be yard sale or Value Village finds, painted or re-covered to turn them into something great. A can of spray paint and a bit of imagination can turn almost any "junk" into something you can use in your decorating!

Have you turned any "junk" into something decorative?

More Giveaways For You!

More chances to win today! 
 
Two new giveaways start today - Angie at Country Chic Cottage and Kari at Alas 3 Lads are each giving away one of my Virtual Room Reviews. 

Who couldn't use a FREE interior decorator? 

It's a great way to get advice on what to do with those problem areas in your home - that one room that just doesn't look quite the way you want it to...

Win a Free Room Review at Alas 3 Lads

Win a Free Room Review at Country Chic Cottage

And the other 2 giveaways are still open until Tuesday:

  

One Mama's Daily Drama

 

Frantically Simple

Go check them out - enter one, enter 2, enter them all...improve the look of your home and discover some great blogs at the same time!

I is for Inexpensive

One thing I love to do is see how much I can do decor-wise for as little money as possible. Here are 3 easy updates that cost next to nothing:

• An affordable way to get the look of custom-made draperies: simply add fabric borders to the bottom of your existing drapery panels.
  
  
• You can also enhance your throw pillows by adding some fringe, buttons or beadwork.
  
  
• Plain bed linens can be given a new look by sewing a band or 2 of satin ribbon or braiding a little way in from the hems of the pillowcases and sheets.

Each of these is an fairly quick & inexpensive way to make things look a little nicer!

Giveaway Time Again!!

As I mentioned down below, a few different bloggers will be giving away my Virtual Room Reviews over the summer (you can see what I'm talking about at my Etsy shop here). If you don't want to wait, you can buy a Room Review in my shop for $10 - that gets you a list of tips and suggestions you can implement right away to improve the look of your rooms!

Congratulations to the winner of Giveaway #1 - Gale over at Such Fun to Give!

The next 2 giveaways start today (and run until August 9th). Check them out at Frantically Simple (there's a hooker-boot wall involved!) and One Mama's Daily Drama - and enter for your chance to win :)

My plan was to have a giveaway each week over the summer, but apparently scheduling isn't one of my talents...I somehow scheduled 2 for most weeks. It works out well for you guys, though - more chances to win and more great blogs to discover! 

Super Awesome Giveaway You Should Enter at Frantically Simple

Another Super Awesome Giveaway You Should Enter at One Mama's Daily Drama

Good luck!!

Home Grown - Issue 2

I just received the link to the 2nd issue of Home Grown - Parenting in the North...this month my article is about all 3 of the rooms in our Dream Room project for sick children. 

Home Grown - Issue #2

Take a look and let me know what you think!

Alexander's Room is on CTV News!

CTV News did a story about our room makeover project for Alexander today. You should be able to click on the link below to check it out:


http://northernontario.ctv.ca/timmins/index.html?video=509801

Before & After

Before

The problem: This client had purchased a brand new dining room set and was having trouble figuring out how to accessorize the hutch - what to buy, how big it should be, where to get it, how to arrange it. It didn't need to be used for storage, only display. The dining area is open to the living room, so they wanted to make sure both ends of the room worked together.  

The solution: We looked to the colour of the dining chair seats for the colour scheme - green, rusty red, and a hint of gold. Step one was shopping in the client's home - they had a set of old dishes packed away that fit perfectly with the colour scheme. Green and golden yellow ceramic plates and bowls that were just sitting unused in a cabinet.

 

After

Step two was heading out shopping for the rest of the pieces needed to fill in the gaps. I found some large square plates in the colours of the dishes we had taken from the homeowner's cupboards, and used them behind the stacks of dishes to give the displays some height and tie things together. Without the plates behind them, the stacks looked incomplete. I also found a great trio of candle holders (top right corner) that were exactly the right colour - putting them on the top shelf spreads the colour evenly so no particular spot is off-balance.

We added a few family photos in matching black frames, and word art that the homeowner spray painted black to match. Now it co-ordinates with the rest of the room and makes a great focal point.

Giveaway Time!!

Over the next 6 weeks or so, a few wonderful bloggers will be giving away my Virtual Room Reviews (check them out at my Etsy shop here if you just can't wait to win - $10 gets you a list of tips and suggestions you can implement right away to improve the look of your rooms!)

The first giveaway starts today (and runs until August 1st) over at MamaZen Blog - go check it out and enter for your chance to win :)

Super Awesome Virtual Room Review Giveaway!!

Good luck!

H is for Hardware

Hardware is a small thing that can make a big difference. Don't want to spend a lot to re-do a kitchen or bathroom? Replace the cabinet hardware for major impact. I've had a lot of clients that were looking for a new look in the kitchen but couldn't replace the cabinets or countertops...we replaced the hardware and painted the walls, and the room took on a whole new feel.

You might remember my post about my own budget kitchen makeover - the cabinet hardware made a huge improvement:

Before: Ugly handles that don't fit

Before & After side by side

After: Way better!

Even furniture can benefit from new hardware...so many times you find the perfect dresser, armoire, sideboard, etc...but the handles are horrendous or don't go with the piece (or the room). New handles.....and voila! The piece works! Before we installed built-in cabinets in my office, I had an old desk and my dresser from when I was a baby...I painted them black (Ralph Lauren turret stair) and replaced the chunky wooden handles with new ones that really changed the whole look of the room and updated the furniture.

Take a look around your home - are there any pieces that could benefit from new hardware?

G is for Grocery Store

Yes, I said grocery store. Most people don't think of grocery stores as having much to do with interior decorating, but you can find a lot of stuff there that can be used to decorate your home:

• pumpkins
• gourds
• lemons
• limes
• oranges
• walnuts
• dried fruit (cranberries are a great colour)
• dried beans/legumes (black beans are great for filling the bottoms of vases)
• coffee beans
• cinnamon sticks
• pomegranates

Pretty much any of these can be put in an apothecary jar or clear vase (ok - maybe not pumpkins - use those more for centerpieces!).

F is for Fabric

One really easy way to update almost anything is with fabric. (This is one reason I always travel with the paint swatches from each of the rooms in the house...it makes it much easier to match fabrics than doing it from memory). 

I'm in the middle of updating our dining room chairs right now. The original seat covers are an off-white cotton - nice because they're washable, but they do nothing for the room.

Before 

So I popped over to Fabricland the other day and found some fabric that picks up the wall colour (BM rustic brick - which looks really orange in the pictures for some reason...). Total cost for the project was $40 - would have been less but I forgot we only have 4 chairs (no, I don't know how you forget how many chairs you have, but I did) so I bought too much - it will become living room throw cushions when I have time. The actual re-upholstery part was simple - unscrew the seat, pull the fabric tight, screw the seat back on. Now as long as the cat doesn't claw them, we're good to go!

F is also for facebook - where you can head on over and "like" my page to get even more tips :)

E is for Entrance

Another easy tip for today (I guess E could also be for Easy!): If you don't have room for a table in your home's entry, install a crown-molding ledge/shelf with a mirror above it to create a spot to drop your mail and keys. 

A mirror is a necessity before heading out the door, and can also help the space seem bigger, so you get a 2-for-1 there. You can try a shallow shadow box for keys instead if you don't want a shelf to collect clutter.

If you don't have a front closet, try adding some hooks to the wall for jackets. If you can squeeze out the space, add a high shelf above them that can hold baskets.

(E is also for Etsy - head on over to my shop and take a peek!)

D is for Doors

Quick and easy tip today - to add a bit of character, paint or stain your doors a dark colour.

Shutters, Blinds & Shades

I'm happy to announce that as of this week Stylish Solutions will be carrying Maxxmar Window Fashions.

This means I'll be able to offer my clients better pricing than before for quality custom window treatments.

If you're in Timmins & area, contact me for your FREE quote on shutters, blinds, cellular, roller & roman shades.

C is for Context (and colour!)

One thing that's important to remember when choosing a colour - from the time the selection is made until the room is complete - is that the colour means nothing without context.  Many colours look great alone, but look awful when paired with other items. Some colours look fabulous in one setting and ugly in another (one common reason people call me to choose a colour is that the colour they chose because they liked it at a friend or neighbour's looked completely different on their walls with their furniture!) It's important to consider the whole picture when putting together a room - quite often a colour can give you that "what were you thinking?" moment while you're painting...because you're seeing it on the wall alone, not surrounded by the items it relates to. I often remind clients to wait until the room is put back together before they make a final judgement on whether they like the colour. I've specified a couple of bolder colours this month (these 2 above...going in 2 different homes) - and when I look at the paint chips they can seem pretty "out there", especially for living room walls...but once they're put beside the furniture and accessories that have bits of the wall colour in them, they end up looking exactly as they should.  Context counts!

B is for Baseboards

An easy way to heighten your baseboards and make them seem more substantial: add half-round trim a couple of inches above your existing baseboards, then paint the trim, baseboard and wall in-between the same trim colour. This makes it look like your baseboards are bigger than they really are.

Media Coverage for Alexander's Room

We're starting to get our much-needed media coverage for our Alexander's Room Project. People seeing the story in the news is what helps us get our donations so we can actually do the room, so we're very happy to see the stories starting!

Moose FM website

TimminsToday.com

We're also talking to our CTV contact about a story, so stay tuned! 

Giveaway Extended

The giveaway over at Wildesigns has been extended - head on over for your chance to win a free virtual room makeover!

http://wildedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/06/manic-monday-heather-of-stylish.html

A is for Accessorizing

Based on what I've been hearing from clients, one thing that causes a major decorating headache is accessorizing. What to buy, how many, where to put it. Accessories may be on the smaller side, but they have a big influence on how the room looks.

image from Pottery Barn

Here are a few general guidelines and tips to make accessorizing a little easier:

Group your accessories in odd numbers (three or five work nicely!).

Group together items of various sizes - avoid putting all one size together. Mix it up by putting tall with short, wide with narrow, etc.

Try grouping items of the same colour together.

Displaying collections against a contrasting background makes them stand out.

Try grouping like items together as well. A seashell on the table, one on the mantel and one on the floor are "3 seashells in a room". Put them together and they're a "collection".

If you have a huge collection of something particular, display some and put the rest away - then rotate the pieces every few months to change things up a bit. 

On a bookshelf, add some accessories so it's not just books - mixing together books and accessories adds a bit of interest and variety.

If you have mismatched or ugly accessories that you can't bear to part with, try painting them. A can of flat white spray paint can fix a lot! A group of mismatched accessories become a collection when they're unified by white spray paint - try vases, ceramic birds, pumpkins, etc. Anything you find can be painted to tie together.

Try one or all of these tips and see how your accessorizing improves. Let me know how it goes!

Home Grown

I was recently invited to contribute decorating articles to a brand new online magazine and I'm thrilled to announce that it has officially launched today:

Home Grown - Parenting in the North

Click on the link to check it out (and let me know what you think of my summer decorating tips)!

Decorating From A to Z

I've read a few articles lately that follow an A to Z format, and decided to give it a try here on my blog.

Stay tuned for the first of 26, coming up soon!

Dream Room Project is Back Again!!!

I'm happy to announce that for the 3rd year in a row, Designers Unlimited's dream room makeover project is ready to go! 

Last year's room for Sarah Valade turned out so well, her mom is joining us to work on this year's room, which is awesome!

This year's room is being designed for Alexander Chevrier, a 5 year old boy with Muscular Dystrophy. Planning is underway and over the next few months we'll be gathering materials and donations to put together a fresh new space for him. So far our paint has been donated by Timmins Decorating Centre - we're off to a great start!

Here are a few before shots:

I can't wait to get started - this is my absolute favourite project of the year!!

Manic Monday at Wilde Designs

Happy Monday!! 

I'm super excited to be featured over on the Wilde Designs blog today...go check it out (and enter the giveaway while you're there!!).

Manic Monday at Wilde Designs

Check out the rest of Beth's blog while you're there - lots of great stuff! 

Over the Top Kid Bedrooms

I just came across an article online about parents who go overboard decorating their children's bedrooms - some spending a year's worth of college tuition (one room was $75000 - crazy!).

Seriously, what child needs a $7000 light fixture?

After watching the video, I think the parents have a few issues...

You can check the article out here : Over the top kid rooms

Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments!

Outdoor Decorating Mistakes - Part 3 & 4

Third on the "outdoor decor mistakes" list is ignoring the landscaping. A little bit of landscaping can go a long way toward giving your home curb appeal. You don't necessarily need a huge garden full of a variety of flowers - if you don't have a green thumb, an urn on either side of the door adds colour without taking a lot of work. Hanging baskets of flowers can be another low-hassle option. Stones and shrubbery can look great as well. A small fence can also add curb appeal - as long as you choose a paint or stain colour that works with the rest of the house. And the last mistake, on the opposite side of the spectrum - excessive lawn ornaments! While one or 2 decorative items can add a bit of pizazz to your yard, an entire family of gnomes paired with a well (or 2!), a collection of pots, wooden cutouts, and multiple sets of windchimes detract from your home's look. A smaller number of well-chosen items will have more impact.

Outdoor Decorating Mistakes - Part 2

Another outdoor-decor problem? Not considering the more permanent fixtures when choosing a decor scheme.  I've been watching a home reno near my mother's house with interest - the owner chose a stucco colour that they thought would be a neutral: grey. Undertones are a tricky thing, though - the grey chosen has very strong purple undertones, which are brought out even more by the sun (the way your house faces has a big effect!)...so the house actually looks purple. Not necessarily a problem, and it can actually look great depending on what you put with it...but this particular house has a warm brown roof, and this particular roof does not work with the shade of purple on the house. The already-there colour of something permanent like a roof (which is generally not changed for years) needs to be taken into consideration when choosing everything else.  Aside from the roof, pay attention to brick, stone and siding colours.

Biggest Decorating Mistakes - Outdoor Edition!

A while back I talked about the most common decorating mistakes people make (if you missed it you can read the article online here). Now that the warmer weather is here (I think!), it's time to focus on the outside of the home too.  Many people focus on their home's interior and ignore the outside - but it's the first thing people see. And unlike the interior, everyone can see it, not just the people who come inside. The most common outdoor decorating mistake starts at one of the most important areas in terms of making your home look attractive - the front door.  Many people either ignore it or paint it a colour that does nothing for their curb appeal (or worse, works against it!). The front door is a big part of how your house looks. For such a small surface area, it has a huge effect! The wrong colour on the main door makes the colour of the house look "off". The right front door colour can pull everything together and make your home look inviting.  You want to choose a colour that stands out but that works with the rest of the home - brick, stone, trim, accents, etc. (And this colour is very rarely, if ever, white - don't be afraid of colour here!) Take into account the different colours found in the brick, whether the colours are warm/cool, dull/fresh, etc.  A small can of paint and a few hours will make a huge difference in the look of your home!

Product Review: DIF Wallpaper Removal Gel

Sad confession: I'm starting to get used to the smell of wet wallpaper. Special thanks go to the previous owners who wallpapered my dining room ceiling over the years...I guess I should be glad they stopped at 6 layers, right? DIF gel wallpaper remover to the rescue!  Over the past few years, we've used a number of wallpaper-removal methods...different chemicals, fabric softener, steam, and a variety of tools. This one is by far the best we've found. Just spray it on, scrape it off. It's a no-drip gel, so even on the ceiling it doesn't make a mess.  Wallpaper removal still won't be a fun job, but it will definitely be less hassle!

SOS - Looking For a Dress (not decor related!)

I'm trying to find this dress, any size, new or used...as soon as possible. If anyone has any idea where I could even begin to look, please let me know in the comments!


It's purple, by Oasis, from Sears. Manufacturer and Sears are both a dead end.

"Happiest Weekend of the Year" Update

The 2011 Home Show (or as I call it "the Happiest Weekend of the Year") is officially over. Actually, it's been over for a couple of days now, but it's taken me a bit of time to get my stuff unloaded and sorted (my living room is still full of display boards, ballot boxes, backdrops and tablecloths!).

My area of the booth...unfortunately I forgot to take pictures until we were already taking the booth down.

We had a great time this year - it was one of my favourite Home Shows yet, since I started doing them in 2006. We had a great combination of ladies in the booth (we do it as a group - 4 different businesses)...everyone got along fabulously. We had something for everyone - interior decorating, photography (Kayleigh of All Things That Grow Photography and her awesome Saturday stand-in Yewa), yoga (Natalie of Northern Lotus Yoga) and income tax (Sue of SL Income Tax Services). We also had Avon, thanks to Kim (the mom of our last kid's room makeover recipient...proceeds from her Avon sales go towards medical travel, etc. so we were pleased to see that every single one of her brochures was taken!).

The crowds weren't huge, but it was a steady flow of people coming through, and I spoke with a lot of nice people who will hopefully become clients. 


One thing we did find kind of odd is the number of people that would walk quickly down the aisle, trying desperately not to look at anyone and ignoring every booth - most of the time with an angry "don't talk to me or look at me" expression. It takes some effort to go to the show - you have to decide to go, get ready, drive to the arena, find a parking spot, stand in line, and pay to get in...it seems funny that people would do all that (the "paying to get in to something you don't want to see" part is what I really don't get!) and then try so hard not to look at any of it.


Other than that, it was great - I can't wait until next year! We've already started talking about the 2012 booth, and have some great ideas :)

A Budget Kitchen Makeover

A while back I did a blog post about our ugly kitchen (you can check it out here) - the previous homeowners had re-done the kitchen with things they liked, not worrying about whether or not they went together (they didn't). We did a quick makeover to keep me from crying every time I walked into the room - a temporary fix until we were ready for a bit more work.

Here are the original before shots - busy backsplash with dark grout lines, orange wood, ugly brass handles...

And the in-between fix - painted the busy backsplash to get rid of the headaches, added a valance (made with $4 placemats!).

I still didn't want to spend a lot of money, and the cabinets and counters were in good shape. We painted out the wood trim, changed the cabinet hardware (29 handles...), painted the walls and backsplash, and added some new accessories. The entire thing was done for less than $200.

Final Results:

Now I actually don't mind spending time in the kitchen - it feels much cleaner and more open!

Bedroom Before & After

 

This bedroom was a blank slate - the homeowners wanted to buy new furniture, bedding and accessories after moving into the empty room.

They found a bedding set they liked, then called me to choose accessories and accents and a paint colour to tie it all together....







The result is a restful room where the homeowners can relax after a busy day.

A soothing palette of greens and blues makes the room a peaceful place to curl up with a book or get a good night's sleep.

The homeowner also decided to replace their smaller window with a set of doors opening onto their back deck, which makes the room seem more spacious and allows them a great view of the backyard.

Blog Changes....

I've been playing around with the layout of my blog - I think I like it better this way, but time will tell!

In other news, I now have an Etsy store - a place for my online consultations and handmade home decor items - and miscellaneous crafts made from leftover decorating materials.

www.etsy.com/shop/StylishSolutions

Take a look and let me know what you think :)

I'm a Guest Blogger :)

About a month ago, Jodi at Living Life Photographically asked me to do a guest post - being the procrastinator I am, I'm pleased to say that I finished it yesterday!

Head over to her blog and check it out (check out her Etsy shop while you're there, too - I especially love her glass pendants!):

Hanging Artwork & Photos

Product Review: FROGTAPE

I finally had enough of my kitchen last week and decided to paint the wood trim above the cabinets white (which of course led to painting the backsplash and walls!). It's no secret how much I dislike painting (and how awful I am at it). Clients often ask me if I paint as well, and I always tell them I would have to pay them to let me paint, that's how bad I am... I especially hate taping - it never seems to help me anyway, and I end up with rough edges and with paint everywhere. This time we used Frogtape ("the only tape treated with Paintblock", according to the package)...and I have to say, I love it (well, as much as someone can love painter's tape...). Peels off easily and leaves a nice, straight edge - it's like someone else painted :)