Glidden vs. the Other Guy

I was contacted by Glidden to see if I would be interested in "test driving" their paint and compare it to a competing and higher priced paint. This sounded right up my alley so of course I agreed. I was excited when the package arrived, it was much more than I expected...


The contenders: Glidden which has redifined their paint with a new formula, but is still offered at the same low price and Benjamin Moore Aura paint which I have used many times. To be honest I have only painted with Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams so needless to say I was intrigued to see if a lower price paint could contend with my first loves...


Both paints are eggshell white paint in case you are interested in the details. Glidden sample is on the left and BM on the right. This was the first coat applied with a paint brush. As you can see BM covered more of the black strip. They both went on with equal ease and both dried smoothly.


This is the second coat. Again Glidden is on the left and BM on the right. BM did cover the black strip the greatest. As a side note in real life I would never expect a white paint to cover black without using a primer. For example the light blue/gray that once graced my bedroom walls took 3 coats of Sherwin Williams paint to cover.


The second test was done with a roller. On the left is Glidden and on the right is BM. They look pretty similar to me...


And this is the second coat. Glidden paint went on much more smoothly and covered the greatest.


And these were my partners in crime, they thought it was the coolest "project" ever...


So what do I have to say? Well, the next room I have to paint (hopefully the laundry room) will be done with Glidden paint. The ease of using it and coverage with a roller pretty much rocked. Although I may stick with using BM enamel paint for any furniture projects in which I have none in the works, do you hear my husband cheering in the background? Now I just need to head to the Home Depot in order to pick out some paint colors.

*Oh, and obviously I was not paid in any way by Glidden or any affiliates. I did this test completely for the shear joy of it.

Outfit to Room...

I thought to a follow up to yesterday's post I would do an outfit to room using Katie Lee. I love her style and this look does not disappoint...


In honor of her love to entertain in her home here is, outfit to dining room...

{via Maison Luxe}

This lighting fixture would be the talk of the table, well, at least for the first few minutes.

{via Maison Luxe}

Eight of these chairs would lend to an evening of relaxing by the table.

{via Jentrified via Antique on Old Plank Road}

A table to stand out among the crowd.

{via Bailey Doesn't Bark}

I always love to unwind to a cup a tea, but if you prefer coffee then that would be okay too.


Every dinner party is in need of a stunning centerpiece. I think this one should suffice.

Have a lovely Weekend.

Katie Lee and Sagaponack










After seeing a party feature with Katie Lee in the December issue of InStyle I knew I had to see more. She was dressed beautifully whipping up something in a kitchen that made me stop and stare. I did a bit a sleuthing and came across this home. It is a former home of Billy Joel's and her's when they were still together. It is on the market for a mere $22.5 million. It looks like a lovely place for a get together.

{home images via Luxist}

Heels


As the holiday season keeps on getting closer I seem to gravitate towards heels. The higher the better with a little bit of hotness mixed in. These are a few that get my heart racing this year.

{here / here / here / here / here / here}

Adding Charatcer

We rented a wide angle lens for a couple of weddings we shot recently so I thought I would take advantage and get some new pics of our home. I thought I would share over the next couple of weeks. We live in new construction because my husband loves it. He loves me and knows how much I would love a home with unique character so in return he let me change a lot. We are still in process, but for now I am happy.



My husband built me this piece, it helps keep our entry free of clutter.



The main living room. Awkward space, but we worked it the best we could. Oh, and the empty frames on the wall is a project in the works, no need to worry.



This was the sun room, but now acts as our dining room. It works better for the way we live and yes I know there is a lot of furniture in a small space, but my home is small. Did you notice the new/old dining chairs? A Craigslist find. They are all in good condition, but need to be reupholstered. Wait did I say they were all in good condition. Not anymore, little Ellie broke the top of the back off of one of the chairs while with a babysitter. I am hoping to be able to fix it, because one day I hope to have these surrounding a parsons table, but not until my children stop coloring off the paper.


This is the former dining room now family room hence the pendant light. The sofa faces the kitchen. I love having this space, it's where I blog and hubby edits. It makes fixing dinner feel like a family affair. Oh, and doesn't everyone have a large tent in their home and lamps without shades? I have the perfect pair of shades living in my head, but have had a hard time finding them in real life. One day I suppose.

So this is it for the main living areas. If you have any questions I will be more than happy to answer them.

Earthborn Pottery Rocks It

I have a favor to ask of you all. It will only take a minute and it would mean the world to me. Well, I recently found out good friends of ours business, Earthborn Pottery, made Forbes Boost Your Business Contest. Um, how cool is that, top 5, hello? Not only are they friends, but it's a family run business here in our little town where we call home. I think winning could be huge for their family and great for our town. Let's just say where we live is up and coming. Most people can't believe that we are actually going to send our kids to the public schools starting next year. Kindergarten, yikes. I really believe in this town with it's folk festival, massive public playground, and town center that one day will be great. It used to bumping back in it's day until they built the interstate and a detour began forcing people and businesses out. I really do believe it could be great again. Anyway, back to the pottery. Here are a few of the pieces...

Unique and beautiful. They truly are pieces of art for your table. So needless to say it would be huge if they won. I am so proud to say I know this family and have seen their work first hand. They are the type of people to give and give and ask nothing in return. Well, I think it's their turn... please vote.

Oh, and Tena you so rocked the video! I think I would have thrown up in front of that panel of judges.

{images via the fabulous Amanda Pair, thanks again for letting me use them}

A Floor to Remember

While being the great real estate stalker I am, I came across this home and immediately recognized the floors.

They are the same floors from a past Cottage Living issue, March 2007 to be exact. This home office was a feature transformation of once editor Jessica Thuston's. Oh yes, I must really love you all to go back through my past issues just to find a date. Let me just say that's a lot of page flipping.


It seems the office is now a nursery. Not sure if she is still the current home owner, but it was still a treat to get a glimpse into this lovely home...








I then remembered this image from the Newlywed Diaries....


Looks like this could be the same dining room only staged for the magazine. What do you think? If so then I just might add that my home is open to staging for any magazine to use, just saying.

*Sorry for the small picture size, but they were too good not to share. That's what I get for ripping them off a real estate site. Blogger won't let me re-size them, boo. This also leads me to say, if any real estate agents would like to send me actual pics of fabulous homes that you know I would love then I will gladly accept them. It makes for a better post.

I Love Type


I rather like this new font by Jessica Hische. It may make for a nice new header for me. Stocking stuffer? I am thinking it may become a must.

*Oh, and I am so excited about tomorrow's home tour post so be sure to come back for a visit. You will be in for a treat.

Being the Flowergirl

The wedding could not have gone more flawlessly. Although the hours leading up to the wedding were an adventure to say the least...


No the bride did not get pulled over, nor is this officer about to strip down. While getting her hair done her car was part of a hit and run. Some guy collided into her car sending it into another making her car non drivable. The bride had a friend and the friend's 5mth old with her so while she got her finishing touches done the officer and I made room in my car to pile everyone in. Umm, not an easy task when you have two car seats and a mess of a car. After I dropped them off I had to head home to pick up Ellie since she was in the wedding. On the way I got a flat tire. Oh, yes you heard me right, a flat tire. My sweet husband came to my rescue.


The bride held it together beautifully. My Ellie and the bride are the best of friends. Ellie was such a trooper hanging with us all day while my husband and I took all the preliminary photos.


Oh, and if we happen to shoot your wedding and our daughter also happens to be in it then you will receive a lot of these shots. Her dress and headband are Crewcuts and shoes are Payless just in case you wanted to know.



Ellie's favorite part was the dancing. My lady is extremely shy so this came as a pleasant surprise as she got down.


Oh, and don't you worry we got plenty of the bride and groom too. My husband should post on his site sometime within the next week or so if you want to see more. The brides bridals are currently up and she is stunning.

Happy Weekend


I am still not back to my old self, but was pleasantly surprised when I went to my back garden and found these flowers in bloom. I have no idea what they are, but the butterflies seem to enjoy them. Today is going to be a crazy day for us. We are shooting a wedding that my litttle Ellie also happens to be in. If you happen to be of the praying type I would love to make it through the day without getting snot everywhere. Oh, and if my head would stop pounding that would be a plus. Anyhoo, I can't wait to share the wedding with you all next week. Ellie, I mean the bride, will take your breath away.

A Local Home














The blog for Tracery Interiors turned me on to a new local magazine B-Metro. A home that they worked on was featured and I must say I am in love. This is one of the finest renovations I have seen and it's local. Now to the lovely men who own this home... may I come over for a cup of tea? Okay, okay what I really want to say is can I come over and drool over your gorgeous home?

Want some more goodness?... they have a blog that goes through the process of this home renovation. Be sure to visit 11 Bonita Drive.

Feeling Moody

I am feeling incredibly under the weather. It does not help that little man does not understand time change and gets up way too early, that neither of the kiddos wanted to partake in nap time yesterday, and my head very well may explode out of shear pain. Needless to say I am moody and these images make my moody self quite happy in a moody way of course...

{via Newlywed Diaries}

{via Elements of Style}

{via Apartment Therapy}

{via Pink Wallpaper}

{via Alkemie}

Now I am hoping to spend most of the day in bed. Well, that's if the kiddos don't mind movie after movie.

Worth a Thousand Words


I love this kitchen. I really, really do. It has nothing to do with what I am doing today, but oh well. Today I have an install for a client who also happens to be a friend. It was a simple job, just pull together a guest room with what she already had and add some gorgeous custom drapes, reupholster a chair, etc. So simple you would think it would go ever so smoothly. Well, it didn't. The ever so lovely curtain rod I had ordered came split down the middle. Then the reorder took another month to come in. Ugh. Deadline, what deadline?

A Few of my Favorite Things


Fancy me.


Love this dress from Bellebas found on etsy.


A pretty much want this. {Hubby this would make an amazing stocking stuffer, just sayin}


These shoe clips sure could dress up any pair of shoes.


I rather like this pretty neckline.


This fabric sings to me.

While I was at the beach I received a year book type award for best looking blog. I was among some of the best blogs out there, needless to say I was flattered. Thank you Sidney for including me, it was almost as good as getting Miss Hayden High School, ha! Oh yes, you heard me right I was a pageant girl.


I hope you all have a lovely weekend. Today I am volunteering at Ellie's preschool for the first time, yippee!

Feeling Industrial











Remodelista featured a "steal this look: the entry" for this modern farmhouse. I love the industrial elements and wanted to see more. After seeing snippets of the indoor space I decided to share it all with you. What I love is the neutral palette with splashes of green. Bringing this gorgeous garden in is simply stunning. All the raw wood, metal, and classic lines keeps this home from feeling country and I am in love. If you too feel the love then it can be purchased for a mere price tag.

{images via Redfin}

Keeping It Green DIY

Although fall is my favorite season it does make me sad to see my garden fade. Most of the front garden is evergreen, but the porch which normally houses a few pots of flowers was looking bare. This time around I wanted something that would last and that was easy to manage. I really just did not want to have to think about it too much, so instead of flowers I used reindeer moss that had been dyed a bright green. I bought it from a local garden shop and could not be more pleased with the outcome.


Creating this look was super easy. I simply hot glued the moss to a half round circle that I picked up at JoAnn Fabrics. The circle fit perfectly into the mouth of my pot and stays there quite nicely. Ugly on the bottom...


Fabulous on the top...



A little color in the garden could not make me any happier.