Battle of the couch.

I really don't like my couches. I really, really don't like them. Most people would say why not jsut get a new one? well, they ARE new. Like a couple months old. I had a white couch that I LOVED, but I have two bigger dogs so it got dirty all the time. I bought it used and had it for a couple years so it was time for an upgrade. I never really buy new things, so for once, I really wanted a new couch. At the same time, Kelsey was moving into her own place and didn't have living room furniture, so I promised it to her. Well, she was moving soon so I didn't have a lot of time to really think about what I wanted because I didn't want to be without a couch and i didn't want her to be without one either, so I didn't really think about what was best for us and kind of just went with what I thought would be most aesthetically pleasing and bought this one. HUGE mistake. One of my dogs has long, white fur and she sheds like nobody's business and on a very dark couch it is so noticeable. You can see every.single.hair. We have tried everything to stop her shedding and nothing has worked, so after a week of vacuuming it for half and hour a day, EVERY day, I was over it. I AM over it. I have been begging Zack to let me get another one. He wants to kill me. Haha. I know Ill talk him into it eventually, but for now I am just looking for the perfect one. My PLAN is to get this one from Ikea.

Its the Ikea Ektorp sofa in Blekinge White and what I love most is that it looks a lot like this one from Pottery Barn that I cannot afford, so its a win for me.      

Zack isn't exactly thrilled about having a white couch again but the covers are washable on this one so if I DO ruin the cover, a new one is only $100. Cant beat that. I am definitely thinking this will be our next big purchase unless I can find a used one on Craigslist, which I am really hoping for. Fingers crossed! 

xoxo,

Jackie

Its only July but...

I am well aware that it is only July. Don't remind me. Colorado summers are nice, don't get me wrong, but Colorado in the fall is just amazing. We are one of the only states that actually gets all four seasons and I love that about Colorado, but i get most excited about fall. I just LOVE fall and lately I have been thinking a lot about how I want our home to look in the fall, [mostly because hobby lobby put out all their fall and Christmas decor and it got me in the spirit] and I've come up with a mood board [told you I love mood boards!] for how I will be decorating this fall!

I don't usually decorate for specific seasons and usually even for Christmas I just put up a tree and call it good, but not this year. This year I want to go all out! As you can see I'm still sticking to my neutrals with just a few pops of colors thrown in but what can I say, Im a creature of habit!

 I'm getting excited, even though we don't really get our first frost until Halloween I feel like fall is just around the corner and I cant wait to make all these changes!

xoxo,
Jackie

Faux Fire

I have been really wanting a fireplace for so long. Our last few homes have had them and I totally took them for granted because now I miss it so badly. It may only be July but the holidays will be here before we know it and I really want to have a pretty mantle to hang the stocking this year. Last year I made a wooden sign and hung the stockings from it and I just hated it! Its definitely not the same as hanging them from a mantle.

So, I am Zack is going to build a faux fireplace! Well, he doesnt know that hes going to, yet, but I know once I show him my plan he'll be on board! It should be fairly easy since we already have the frame mostly built with the tv stand. I found this tutorial online and it is looks SO similar to the tv stand frame that all we'll have to do is make some basic modifications and add some plywood, trim and paint, plus its already the size we need so it shouldnt be too hard.

a ROUGH sketch of the tv stand frame

I really like the look of a simple paneled fireplace like this one and this one.

 just without tile, since it'll be fake and with a rustic wood top, like this, just not as chunky. Then, Im going to throw a basket of aspen logs in for the "fire" and Ill have the perfect place to hang my stockings! 

I was working on my own sketches the other night and came up with one that I think we can do. Its been a while since I've been this excited about a project so hopefully we will be able to get started right when we get back from Cali.

my ROUGH sketch of what I want it to look like 

xoxo,
Jackie