Guest Bedroom Update

I did a little more decorating in the guest bedroom over the weekend, and I wanted to share some pictures with you today. 

The antique commode got restyled with the antique drawings, a large clam shell, and a bamboo and jute stool.

I like the orange book mixed in the otherwise neutral vignette. I think a little dose of bright orange invigorates any space.

The right side of the guest bedroom.

The corner seating area.

I still need curtains for the window. I'd love to use any of these linen fabrics from LL Textile.

Live Paisley in Dusty Blues

Thistle in Sepia

Queen Anne's Bouquet

Queen Anne's Bouquet

The left side of the bedroom is still yet to be decorated.

An antique sewing cabinet with a blue and white porcelain lamp. 

I'm going to paint this sewing cabinet in dark navy like this.
 

All Dolled Up

I probably won't distress the cabinet as much as the above piece, but I think the dark navy will look great against the gray green wall.

Across from the antique commode is a queen size bed. As you can see, this side also needs TLC.

So, I went to my Pinterest board for some inspiration. 

A gray green bedroom without a headboard,

image via An Urban Cottage

with a wooden headboard,

image via Crumpled Envelope

or with an upholstered tufted headboard (this one is probably my favorite.) 

image via Centsational Girl

Decisions, decisions...

Happy Monday, everyone!

How do you prioritize your time?

I've been thinking about this for a while, and this is something I haven't found the answer yet.  So, I'd like to ask: How do you create a lifestyle that allows you to do the things you are passionate about?

I'm currently staying at home to take care of my two little boys. It feels like a full time job just managing motherhood and things around the house, including cooking, laundry, and cleaning.

And if you're a working mom, I know this juggling act gets even more serious. You basically work full time during the day, and then only to come home to work on your second shift as a mom. No matter how tired you are after work, you can't afford to take a break. Your need to tend to your family's needs.

You'd stay up late to finish the laundry so that your child would have something clean to wear for school tomorrow. It's like we moms have no time to take a break.

But I know you don't have to be a mom to have a super busy lifestyle. We all have a lot going on in our lives and "slowing down" and "doing less" have become our daily mantras while we pursue a quality life.

So, when you have something you're passionate about, how do you make time for that? 

I've recently started working on my art, and I really enjoy seeing it blossom. I hope to develop that into my career, even though I have no idea what that really means. This blog has been a great place to share what I do and I'm excited about. But I have to admit that keeping a good balance between motherhood and following my passion has become challenging over the past few months. 

My dear friend Jenn once said, "time will appear when you prioritize your time." I think that's very true. What do you exactly do to prioritize your time though, while dealing with the growing demands around you? How do you carve out the time to do the things that you find fulfilling?  

Do you have any advice or tips that work for you? I'd love to know - I'm curious. Would you share them in the comments? 

Guest Bedroom Seating Area Update

I updated the little corner seating area in our guest bedroom over the weekend. 

I added a pillow, artwork on the wall, and a bouquet of hydrangeas. I still need curtains for this room. Our guests unlucky enough to stay in this room are forced to wake up with the sunrise. Perhaps a small area rug under the table would help define this seating area.

The small framed artwork is a copper etching lithograph I found in an antique shop. It's titled "Mobile Home II," and I instantly fell in love with its charm. It's so whimsical and lovely! This is how it looked like when I brought it home.

Even though I liked the artwork very much, I didn't care for the faux finish of the frame. So, I grabbed my trusty Rub N Buff antique gold and did a quick update on the finish.

I just used my finger and spread the Rub N Buff all over the frame. It was easy and the entire process took about five minutes. When it was done, I allowed the paint to dry completely. Then I lightly polished it with a piece of paper towel to bring out some luster.

The finish is a little uneven as you can see in the photos, but that's exactly the effect what I was after.

Now the frame has a warm copper-like sheen, which I love.

A beautiful bouquet of blue hydrangeas complete the vignette. 

Hope you had a wonderful start to the week.

Echeveria

What are your plans for this weekend?  

I started watching some episodes of The Office this week, and I'm now totally addicted to it! I can't believe I forgot how funny this show was. I can't wait to put my feet up on my chesterfield sofa after the boys go to sleep tonight and watch more episodes until I drop to sleep.

Anyway, I just finished the artwork I started last week. 

Echeveria:

I'm not sure if it's completely done, but this is where it is right now. 

I started with a pencil drawing,

then a pen ink drawing and some wash.

Next I applied a few colors using watercolor and oil pastel. I went over some details with black and white charcoal pencils for the finishing touches.

Echeveria: Ink, watercolor, oil pastel, charcoal on paper. 

 * * *

Before I go, I wanted to share with you some inspiration from around the web.

1) The World Needs More Artists by Jeff Goins 

2) I've seen other Ira Glass videos, but this one is my favorite. 
 
The GAP by Ira Glass from frohlocke on Vimeo


Have a wonderful weekend!

  

Inspiration | Falling in love with colors

I fell in love with colors,

when I saw this beautiful kitchen designed by Jessica Helgerson. 

Design by Jessica Helgerson. Image via Design Sponge

I don't usually care for all white kitchens, but when I saw this picture I couldn't get my mind off of it. Isn't this so pretty with punches of bright blue and orange? 

The same kitchen, looking into the dining room.

Design by Jessica Helgerson. Image via Design Sponge

There's something magical about the combination of orange and blue. 

Blue is the color of the clear sky and the deep ocean, and to me, the color represents calmness and stability. Orange is the color of the sunshine, happiness, and positive energy. Looking at those colors together makes me come alive in a way I can't quite explain in words.

Today, I'm going to explore the pretty world of orange and blue for inspiration.

* * *

This beautiful plate in orange and blue.

The Painted House

This rolling pin.

Anthropologie

An exotic orange and blue dress.

Anthropologie

"Orange is the happiest color." - Frank Sinatra

Veranda

The deep blue in this rug really speaks to me.

image via Georgiana Design

Beautiful coral draperies paired with blue and white porcelain planters. 

Mary McDonald. Image via High Street Market

This lively living room.

David Bromstad. Image via Better Homes and Gardens

The soft shades of aqua and rust of Mongolian cashmere

The Purl Bee

Blue Moroccan tile and orange leather.

image via Catherine Gratwicke Photography

Faded and pretty.
 

image via Pinterest. original source unknown.

"I never get tired of the blue sky." - Vincent van Gogh

Starry Night Over the Rhone by Vincent van Gogh

Last night, I dreamed I was swimming in a deep blue ocean,

image via amores perros

and watching hundreds of flaming orange flamingos dance in the air.

image via Pinterest. source unknown.

Have you seen flamingos dance? I have in real life when I was a child. It was magnificent. 
  

"Live in the sunshine

Swim the sea

Drink the wild air"

                              - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 * * *

Happy April. Spring is finally here. 

I am inhaling all the colors blossoming in the air.

Do you have any colors that make you come alive?

What I Learned in March

Can you believe it's already the end of March? Time sure flies when you are... having fun blogging! 

Today I'm going to share the six things I learned this month. Are you ready? Here we go!

* * *

1. I don't seems to be able to remember my age anymore.
Ever since I turned 35, I've been having trouble remembering my age. The other day, I drew a complete blank when I was asked how old I was. I blurted out, "Ah am I 36 or 35? I can't remember," and after a moment of silence, everyone started laughing. Can you imagine when I'm 70? I'm hopeless.

2. Art = Joy. 
I finally started to follow my bliss and make art this month. I had denied this part of myself for years, only to find out that I wasn't happy. 
 

Striking Truths

I decided to start with what I already had and just started working. I had no idea what I was doing, so it was a little awkward at the beginning. But once got over my initial fear, what was left was sheer joy and freedom. 

I realized I didn't have to wait for a permission to create something. I didn't have to be certified to be an artist. All I had to do was to grab a pencil and start drawing, letting my passion be my guide. 

I'm planning on finishing up this artwork this weekend. I can't wait to share it here when it's completed!

3. I am an artwork in progress.
Just like the drawing is work in progress, I am a work of art myself, continuously evolving every day. I grab a paint brush and paint my day one stroke at a time. Some days, I make a bad move and try to turn the mess into something meaningful. Other days, I'd be delighted by unexpected outcomes. I'm hoping my life will be one beautiful work of art when it's completed. We'll see.

4. Coffee is not only good for drinking, but also a great medium for painting.
Now I can paint and drink coffee at the same time, preferably from separate cups.

Brown wash = strong instant coffee

5. My 5-year-old son definitely got his artistic talent from me, and he doesn't like to compromise his artistic vision.
While working on his homework yesterday, he decided to show off his newly acquired skill, drawing a skunk, which was not part of the homework, at all.

Title: "Sprayed by a skunk"

He convinced me he was going to draw a pretty butterfly flying around the goat. While I wasn't looking, he went on a mission to work on a skunk. Not just any skunk, but a spraying one. 

He truly is a one of a kind. He never worries about what other people might think of him. I'm so happy he is able to embrace his unique design and thrive on it.

6. I miss Michael Scott from The Office.
I recently took a survey for Emily's blog, and the last question she asked was, if your life was a TV show, it would be... I answered it would be "Friends," then immediately regretted I should've chosen "The Office" instead.

Don't you just love Michael Scott? I miss his awkwardness. I have to watch the show again this weekend for some good laughs.

Haha! Go Michael!


What did you learn this month?

And oh, more importantly, if your life was a TV show, what would it be? Share in the comment? I'd love to know!

* * *

Today, I'm linking up with Emily at chatting at the sky for her What We Learned series.

When You Make a Mistake

When you make a mistake, what would you do? 

I'm talking about the kind of mistake that hurts and does some damage to other people. What would you do when you make a mistake like that? 

Last Friday, I had one of those moments. The moment of failure as a parent. 

I had a huge temper tantrum in front of our boys and my husband, Steve. Is a mother like me even allowed to have a tantrum in front of her kids? 

Perhaps, tantrum isn't exactly the right word for what happened. I was frustrated with Steve and got emotional. I yelled, did some name calling, exaggerated facts, and stomped my feet. Yes, I'm a feet stomper, and I'm not proud of my own behavior.

How and why that happened isn't important here, because we all know life happens. Your day-to-day stress builds up. You may be undergoing hormonal changes like I am. Some days, your life feels like a never ending juggling act rather than a blessing or an exciting adventure. You feel worn out. Your mind gets foggy and you aren't sure what really matters anymore. 

When you're feeling like that, it only takes one trivial thing to put you over the edge and let the floodgate open. 

And I lost my cool, completely.

The kids had seen everything that happened. The damage was done. Why couldn't I just stay calm? 

Curled up in my bed, pushing my head against a pillow soaked with tears, I felt like a failure.  
I was feeling guilty, ashamed, and still upset about the stupid little thing that brought that much of anger out of me. I wondered what kind of damage I did to our kids.

The damage has been done and I can't erase what happened. What should I do now?

I knew I had to so something. But my mind was numb and the feelings of guilt and shame kept coming back in waves.  

What should I do? 

I said a quick prayer asking for help, and then I turned to facebook. Isn't that what people do when they are desperately seeking for answers? Probably not. But somehow that's what I did.

Then, I came across this video clip that gave me the answer I needed.

                                                                                                     (You can also watch the clip HERE.)

When you make a mistake, can you turn it into something good?

After watching this video, I realized I didn't want to be wasting my precious minutes moping around in bed. I wanted to make every moment count. Staying in bed while knowing my kids are still upset from my behavior was not what I wanted. 

When you make a mistake, can you have a do-over, or is it too late? 

So, I took a deep breath, gathered up all the courage that I had, and went to talk to Steve and the boys who were getting ready for bed.

I left all the self-defense, pride, and justification behind on the wet pillow. The only thing that was left inside of me was honesty. I was feeling raw, vulnerable, and authentic. Those were the only things I could offer to the boys. Would they be enough to patch up the scar?

I wanted our boys to see what it's like to make a mistake. I wanted them to know how we humans fail sometimes and still have to move forward, hoping to make something good out of our failure.

I had a heart-to-heart conversation with my boys. 

I apologized and told them I'm not perfect and I do make mistakes.

We discussed why it's so important to learn from our mistakes.

I told them I love them more than anything in the world and would do anything for them.

When the conversation was over, the boys gave me a big hug. Their wide smiles assured everything would be okay. We cuddled each other and went to sleep dreaming of a brighter day tomorrow.

It hurts to make a mistake when you are a mom and you are feeling like a complete failure. It hurts to make a mistake when you know you're hurting your loved ones. 

But I'm not perfect and I know I will make a mistake again.


I understand some mistakes are bigger than others and may never be forgiven. The damage you've done may be too wide and deep that the scar may never heal back to normal again.

I want to believe, however, we can always ask for a do-over. You can always try to put things right again with your offering of honesty and love.

I hope something new, unexpected, and beautiful would come out of our failure when we ask for a second chance.

It's never too late to have a do-over.