Where to start?

Brad and I have been deep in the world of the dream house for the last few weeks. We've met multiple times with two builders, realized the blueprints we've had for over three years are for a house that's way out of our price range, found new plans, modified the plans (thanks, Dad!), discovered that my love of stone comes with a hefty price tag, had many, many discusions about what really matters, and finally we find ourselves in a place where the next step is meeting with banks to find out if they think we can afford what we think we can afford. Needless to say, it's been incredibly overwhelming and exciting. One of the many things I've learned is that it's incredibly important to know exactly what you want. My dream book has come in handy, but I reallized I've focused more on decor pictures than on pictures of things like trim, hardware, windows, flooring, and doors - ya know, all the stuff you have to pick out before you get to actually decorate. So, to keep myself from drowning in the details, I've tried to focus on one thing at a time. Let's talk front doors!

This is a smidgen of what our house might look like. I feel like posting the whole picture might jinx things, so that's all you get for now. And never mind that stone chimmney - we decided at 10,000 + is a lot to pay for something that's not even needed when you go with gas logs.

Here is my top front door choice:

This red beauty if from Pella. It's in the craftsman style, but not too grand for our bungalow.

On the inside it would be white to match the trim. I like the idea of a red door, but I also like these more classice craftsman styles:

Love the dental details on this one!

This one has fun glass and dental detail.

So what do you think? Am I crazy to love the red? Which door style would you pick? Anyone been through the house building process and have some words of wisdom for me?

<3
Hattie

Love for the Roost

I couldn't resist using some of my new scrapbooking goodies to make a fun Valentine's Day vignette for the living room.

For the vignette it'self, I went with the throw a bunch of stuff in a basket method of decorating. I graped a sweet little book of love poems and tied it with twine, a bunch of silk flowers, a few vintage valentines, and a fun hanging heart I whipped up.

To make the heart, I cut a heart shape out of some cardboard.

Next, I made a bunch of tiny tissue paper pom-poms (stack three small squares, accordion fold, pinch in the middle with a bit of wire, and fan out the layers) to glue around the edges. I thought about filling it the rest of the heart with more pom-poms but, 1. I was sick of making them and, 2. I had these really cool paper flowers I got in a scrapbooking kit. After I glued the flowers in the middle of the heart I had something that looked like this:

To finish things off, I glued a strip of velvet rick-rack around the edge of the heart. To hang it, I punched a hole and added a loop of red ribbon.

I'm kinda digging the whole thrown together look of this vignette.

It's a little bit vintage, a little bit junky, and a little bit homemade. Of course, those things are what make it very me!

Are you planning to make any homemade valentines this year? 

<3

Hattie

2 year blogaversery

It's sort of hard to believe I've been doing this blogging thing for two whole years! I have to admit that I love every minute of it, even if the winter deep freeze seems to have frozen my creativity a bit as well. Spring is just around the corner with lots of fun project for me to blog about, so I'm super excited to see what my 3rd year at the roost will bring.

Let's take a nostalgic look back at the past year:

-37,930 of you visited me - can I just say, "crazy!"
- 174 of you "follow" me
- most of you hail from California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Virginia
-my Alice Dress tutorial was by far the most popular with over 12,000 page views!

So, what does the future hold?

- more sewing posts - I have drawers full of Goodwill finds waiting for a refashion.
-more furniture rehabs - with our dream house seeming more like a reality, I'm excited to hunt down and fix up some new furniture on the cheap.
-house idea posts - when you get to pick everything from the door knobs to the shingles, it calls for lots of brainstorming and feedback from blogland friends.
- crafty goodness - because I HAVE to make things. period. the end.

With that said, I'd love for you to throw in your own 2 cents.

- Who are you?
- What are your favorite kinds of posts?
- Anything you want to see more or less of around here?
-What are your favorite blogs? (I need lots of inspiration for the dream house!)
-Anything ya wanta know?

Thanks for being such awesome readers and sticking with me through my blog rut. YOU are the reason I've been able to keep this up for two year and still want to keep going!

<3
Hattie

Cracker Jack Fun

When my mom saw the key necklace I made for my sister, she wanted one of her own, but with a twist.

She gave me this great American Tourister luggage key, but also wanted me to work in some super fun vintage Cracker Jack charms. Each charm has a special meaning, so it makes the necklace even more special.

I started by attaching the key and a few beads to a chain with jump rings.

Next, I decided how I wanted to arrange the charms, and attached them with jump rings as well.

This is a super simple way to make a unique and personal necklace. I love that this was easy to make but still full of whimsical, vintage goodness!

look for your own Cracker Jack charms at flea markets, junk shops, and on eBay!

<3
Hattie

my version of a snow dance...

... seems to be working! A snow day is keeping Brad and I warm and cozy at home while snow/sleet/ice/freezing rain falls outside. So what is my secret to this snowy weather?

A snow tree! When I put the Christmas decorations away this year, I wasn’t ready to move along to spring or valentine’s décor, so I decided to reuse some of my wintery Christmas decorations.

I cut my glittery paper snowflakes from the garland I made, and hung them from the branches of my naked advent tree.

I threw down a snowflake table runner I bought half price at Target’s after Christmas sale, and used red and white plates to set off the tree vase, a simple white pitcher, and red lantern.

My kitchen feels so cheery and welcoming, especially with the nasty weather outside!

How do you decorate for winter?

<3
Hattie

2011 Goals

Now that January has had a few days to settle in, I figure it’s time to look back at my goals for 2010, see how I did, and make some new ones for 2011.


2010 Goals

1. Re-organize the bookshelves

I kicked major home improvement booty on this goal, if I do say so myself – and I do! For well under twenty bucks, the bookshelves went from this look (it still makes me cringe!)

To this look.

I am a happy crafter!


2. De-clutter the counter top and the office/craft room

I only met this goal halfway. The counter tops still look like this.

They aren’t horrible, just not as styled and neat as I would like! The craft room, on the over hand, went through a major overhaul. This junky mess,

Became this lovely workspace!

Keeping it this neat is a struggle, but I do what I can.

3. Save like insane people for our future house.

Heck, yeah! We are still the crazy, “live on one income and save the other” people, but it has started to pay off. We have started to talk to some builders to get ballpark prices, and we just may be able to break ground before the end of 2011!

4. Have more people over.

This was kind of a fail. See this year’s goal list!

5. Learn to sew and complete a big project.

I thought my big project would be a sofa slipcover, but it turned out that this little dress tutorial sent my blog stats and follower numbers spinning.

Who would have thought? It knocks my socks off!

6. Make fancy cupcakes.

Done.

And done! Yum!
----
Now, on to my goals for 2011

1. Redo our coffee table

I love our thrifted coffee table, but I think I’ll love it even more with new hardware and a dark stain on the whitish/blondish bottom

2. Be a better blogger

I’d like to set up a more consistent posting schedule. Take better pictures, and comment more on other blogs. All of this takes a lot of time, but I really want to try!

3. Top the Alice Dress

I’m not looking to create a sewing tutorial that tops this dress in blog hits, but I would love to make something that shows me that my sewing skills have grown more skillful and creative.

4. Have more people over

Last year I really wanted to deepen and expand our friendships, and that has happened through a table group at church and a monthly girl’s night with three friends from college. What hasn’t happened is an increase in hosting people in our home. I’d like to invite lots of friends over for dinner this year!
5. Do not bring anything into this house that won’t also find a home in our new house.

I have a feeling this is going to be super hard. I have a thrifting/dollar store/sale rack weakness.

Before I buy any new junk, I need to ask myself. Do I love this? Am I willing to go through the trouble of packing this up in a year or so? Can I visualize this in our new home? I’m going to try to stay strong!

I think that’s enough to keep me busy for one year! If you’ve listed your own goals/resolutions on your blog, please leave me the link in the comments! Hang in there! We’re all in this together (name that TV show!)

<3
Hattie

Watching My Mailbox

... for the 2011 IKEA catalog!

Check out the online version while you wait - lots of fun new stuff and cool room ideas!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's - I'll be back tomorrow with my resolutions!

<3
Hattie