Cheap chic

Last week I ordered Target's Modern Stool with a bit of trepidation. I had promised myself I would not but any more cheap furniture but The desire for an X-bench of sorts won out. It was $54 but with my Redcard discount and free shipping it was less than $44.

I pleased to find that it was not completely crappy but the pale blue velvet, while not awful, was not how I intended to leave it.

I decided to use one of my Le Lac scraps to cover the cushion.

Keeping the buttons wasn't going to happen. 

I played with the place ment of the fabric before I started stapling. As a side note, the iconic Brunschwig fabric Le Lac is lightwieght and not meant for upholstery. This little bench won't see daily use as a seat so the light fabric is fine.

The rest was super easy. I just stapled along opposite edges pulling tight but too tight.

I folded under the edges for extra strength.

Since I am the world's most impatient person, I made a folded corner as opposed to sewing it.

 The entire project took me less than 30 minutes. The only thing I do not like is the rubber foot cover/floor protector thingys. They give it an institutional feel. I plan on replacing them with something better.

I am pleased overall with the bench and for $50 total cost it is cheap chic.

The great monogram debate

I bet you had no idea that there was any debate about monograms. Let me explain. A few months ago I expressed a desire for Euro square shams and made the mistake of mentioning a monogram on them. My husband went on a purist rant about the purpose of monograms.

The rant consisted of information that I originally gave him. You see, monograms were created as a mark for personal items and household items to identify their owner.

Such items that the help might otherwise help themselves to.

Silverware was an obvious target.

Dining chairs...not so much. I even think I once called them ridiculous because the weren't the sort of thing a guest would abscond with.

Today monograms are merely decorative but don't say that to my husband.

He is the monogram police.

He will not like it if you have monogrammed towels or pillows and he won't even talk to you if your chairs (gasp!) are adorned with an initial.

I did not get the monogrammed shams. I just had some custom pillow covers made. That showed him!

The bottom line is that I am regretting the historical information on monograms that I innocently passed along.

I have lovely antique linens and silver with various ancestors monograms but I would like something with my initials and I can't have it without an eternity of remarks on the absurdity of such things.

I did convince him that coolers are an acceptable use of a monogram.

Shaken not stirred

In a few weeks some good friends from Pennsylvania will be visiting. This will be their first visit to our house in Virginia and we are all excited.
I have been trying to get a few odds and ends together before their arrival. My deck needed a serious "zhush" so that they have a comfortable place to smoke. It will be a rather grown-up sort of weekend so I am glad to have my older kids to care for the little one while we behave badly.

Just to get in the mood I am showing a round-up of bar carts from my Pinterest board Bar Carts.

First is my own set up that will need a little thoughtful stocking.

There are some fabulous carts here.

This is probably my favorite

Which one is your favorite? Do you have a bar cart?

The key to my heart

I saw this chair on Pinterest and said, "Shut UP!!" As it is I have an unhealthy preoccupation with chairs but throw in a Greek key and well... you'd think I had Tourette's.

I know its trendy but I have a massive crush on anything with a Greek key motif.

I think I might need this

Hate the room--Love the consoles

I've got Greek key trim on my curtains in the formal living room but I am hungry for more.

What design tidbit are you crushing on?

KerrySteele.com !!!!

I am pleased to announce that I have launched my own website for my art.

KerrySteele.com has images from my portfolio and news about exhibitions and links to blog features about my art.

 

I am hard at work fine tuning things on the site and adding to the portfolio page.

Take a look  and let me know what you think.

A little pretty

I found these unusual orange-y red roses at the grocery the other day and was smitten with the color. The fact that they smelled fabulous landed them in my cart and I have been admiring them since.

Have a great weekend!

My new obsession with natural cleaning

Love this stuff!

I must admit that I am not averse to old-fashioned harsh cleaning chemicals but lately I have reason to avoid them to a small degree. It started a year and a half ago when we bought our current house. Our master bath has a soaking tub and an enclosed shower with a sliding door, the latter of which, is pretty basic.  No marble, nice tile, and in fact it has one of those yucky textured fiberglass floors.

The first time I had occasion to clean it (15 minutes after the truck pulled in) I naively sprayed  some sort of soap scum/ disinfectant and climbed in for a scrub session..... I almost passed out from the fumes.
I was at a loss and just sprayed the whole thing down with bleach on a regular basis and let the soap film accumulate. *embarrassing*

I figured a no chemical approach was best so I grabbed my old friend "Magic Eraser" or its less expensive knock-off and some baking soda. I happen to believe that this "Magic Eraser" is one of the greatest cleaning innovations in my lifetime but was sad to see it disintegrate along with my motivation at the strenuous scrubbing required on my shower.

These "erasers" are fabulous for no chemical cleaning and will even remove "Sharpie" ink from skin. Don't ask me why I know this.

I digress...

 I remembered my favorite stainless steel cleaner one day and went to work on my shower yet again. It was better but still not ideal.

Fast forward to last week. I made an impulse purchase of this Method product, all the while thinking that I was wasting my money.

I recall the daily shower spray promises of 15 years ago and just thought that this was a natural version of said product.

 Not so.
My shower is clean or at least much better. This fabulous stuff is just a spray a day and the glass door is much better looking without a daily scrub and that stupid floor doesn't look nasty all the time.I am truly amazed.
I still go germaphobe crazy with bleach on a regular basis but I am kinda liking these newer natural products that actually work.

** I was not reimbursed in any for this post nor was it sponsored.**