Meet Chev.....

To make a long story short, we completed the chevron wall over the weekend.  Well basically we just touched up any mistakes that were made and I snapped a few pictures over the weekend. 
Speaking of the weekend.  Scott and I got to catch up with family and friends who were visiting from outta town.  It was just awesome to see everyone!  Friday night we went out to dinner with his side of the family and chatted away with aunt Lynne (Hi Lynne!) who was visiting from Illinois. I just love hearing all about her adventures and travels.  She's just so much fun to be around.  Then on Saturday we partied the night away at my aunt and uncles surprise twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.  It was such a blast.  They both were completely surprised and overjoyed with all who came to celebrate.  I cant remember the last time my grandpa was in Wisconsin.  He has really bad asthma, so a three hour drive from Illinois isn't always possible.  BUT and my grandma both came and it was such a blessing to have them here!  Love and joy was definitely in the air that night. 
Needless to say I didn't get a chance to sit down at my computer very much this weekend.  But I did want you to meet Chev! Ha!

I LOVE the chevron......just still on the fence with the color.  I'm considering painting it the same color as the door in the picture above.  We'll just have to wait and see.  Oh and I don't know if I mentioned this but I REALLY want hardwood floors and chunky white baseboards!  Like YESTERDAY!!

Next up.....more pictures of the "before and afters" and some tips and tricks on how to paint a chevron wall.

xoxo Joanna

What's a Chevron?!?

Yes these were the exact words out of my hubby's mouth when I told asked him to help me paint a chevron wall in our home.  He absolutely had no clue what it was.  So in true Joanna fashion, I wasted absolutely no time showing him all of the chevron goodness I've been pinning to my Pinterest account.  You see, I've learned that I shouldn't dare try to explain or describe anything in depth verbally when it comes to home related things.  Really, I'm sure he just tunes me out and probably sings the "I love fishes" song in his head after about the first five seconds I start vomiting words about things such as layouts, window treatments, and carpet swatches.  So when it comes to project time and I think he has somewhat of a clue.....he really has no idea!  So NOW I've gotten better at not wasting my breath and instead grabbing the computer to show pictures.  Lots. And. Lots. Of. PICTURES!! Thank goodness for Pinterest!  It's saved my marriage.

Which brings me to my point.  Last week I convinced him that the small narrow wall in the entryway was the perfect accent wall to paint CHEVRON.  Low and behold.....he AGREED!! Finally. But before I show you how the before and afters of our project turned out, here are some of my fave chevron projects I've been drooling over!

Chevron Pumpkin DIY. You still have time before the BIG DAY!  I heart Halloween.  How cute are these:

via: Social Graces

 

Accent Wall: Super cute for a craft room or even a nursery.  But man is it dedication.  The taping is the hardest part.  I think she used a stencil which is probably a bit easier:

 



via: Decor and the Dog

 

A small dividing wall just like ours.  Love the mirror and table combo.  I'm looking for furniture pieces like this.  I like the glam of the mirror but the shabby chic of the table.  That's the feel I'm going for in our house. Glam Shabby Chic....I like it:

 

 via: Apartment Therapy

 

 My inspiration photo.  I love pretty much everything they've done in their home.  One day we'll add wood floors and chunky white baseboards like theirs.  It just feels so homey:







via: 896 YDC

 

The "tutorial" I went with to paint our wall.  I love the black and beige.  The color I went with is a bluish slate color.  We already had it on hand so it made our project FREE.  I'm reconsidering re-painting it a brownish black.  Re-considering is not the same as actually doing it! Let's just make that clear. haha.  That would take effort and TIME......and right now I'm just going to live with the bluish slate:

 





 

via: East Coast Creative

 

Chevron AND burlap together?!?! Be. Still. My. Beating. Heart. I love me some wreaths and this just may have to be the next one I make.  Would be so cute for fall:

 

 

via: Our Unexpected Journey

 

 

So ya, just a few of my favorite chevron looks from around the Internet.  Man are people creative with their homes aren't they?!?  I know that overwhelmed feeling my husband gets when I babble of a million and two things I want to do to this teensy tiny home of ours.  I don't blame him for rocking in a corner after listening to me after even five seconds!  For me its the opposite than it is with him.  Pictures overwhelm me.  Its like the "thirty-one" flavors in an ice cream shop.  How do I just pick one?! I want them ALL!  Or in this case, I want to do all the projects I come across.  ALL OF THEM.  Then I tell myself, "Ok Veruca Salt pick just one thing at a time and one THEME at a time and STICK with it!".  It's not as easy as it sounds people!!  Am I the only one?!? 

 

Hope ya'll are having a great start to the week so far.  See you soon with pictures of my chevron wall! YAY!

 

 

xoxo Joanna



Halloween Display 2013

Hands down probably one of my favorite holidays to decorate for!  I feel like you can't really mess up Halloween décor.  It doesn't have to be perfect or neat.  Actually it should be the opposite of those things. Creepy, crawly, spooky and fun.  I'm the type of person that likes to decorate for Halloween separately.  So we usually display our Halloween décor in October and than transition into more Thanksgiving/Fall themed décor the beginning of November.  I know its a bit more work but I just have so much fun with the creepys and the crawlies that it's hard for me to combine all Fall décor together.  Does that make any sense?!?

 

I don't really stick to a theme or anything, its just more of a color scheme. I like it to be mostly black, white, and silver.  As I've mentioned before in other blog posts, I like to start decorating the white shelves in our kitchen.  They are small enough where its not to overwhelming and we get to enjoy the décor more since its probably one of the most used rooms in our house. 

 

 

 

 

I think the graveyard in the apothecary glass is one of my faves.  I did this last year and I'm pretty sure It'll become a yearly tradition.  Oh and the wine bottles dripping with "bleeding" candles were fun to make as well.  So actually both of these will be yearly standbys I'm sure.

I don't know this man in the picture.  It's one of those holographic pictures. When looking at it from different angles his face turns into a skeleton.  How fun?!  Both the picture and frame were dollar store finds. 

 The stacked "books" on both shelves were actually from the liquor store.  I believe my hubby bought bottles of rum that were packaged in them.  I didn't want to throw them away and figured I'd use them for something!  Perfect for my little display. 

 

The creepy crawly spiders were the only items I purchased this year.  I wanted to fill in the area between the two shelves because eventually I'm going to add another shelf in between.  This for some reason reminds me of Ron Weasley saying "why couldn't it be follow the butterflies"! Name that movie!!! 



 

 

 

So that is basically where Halloween begins and ends in our home.  A little bit of ripped up cheesecloth, some dripping blood candles, creepy crawly spiders, and one diggin (haha) graveyard sets the Halloween mood for us. 

 

Oh and P.S.: The cabinet will soon get a makeover.  I'm painting it white so it blends in and doesn't stick out like a ghost shopping in a grocery store.  Ya know?!  I'm hoping its all done before I show my Fall/Thanksgiving display in a few weeks. 

Hope you ENJOY!

xo J.D.

 

 

 



Stop and Smell the Roses

Wow!! Is this for real?? Am I really dippin my toes back into the whole "blog world" water?!?!  Long story short.....I miss it.....like really REALLY miss it and I want it back!! It's been almost one whole year since my last blog post.  Things have been changin and happenin around here and I failed to document any of it!! Makes me so SAD, but that's what happens when life gets in the way.  Sometimes you just forget to stop and smell the roses.  Which is kinda ironic.  It's really why I started this blog baby of mine in the first place.  You know....to stop and truly smell the roses!! To stop and take it ALL in as I try to document the small milestones (or should I say blessings) just as much as the really big ones. So from here on out I want to do just that.  Stop and smell the sweet sweet roses, ya know?!  To really try to remember to write about not just the Good, but also the bad.....and hey while we're at it why not even the ugly?!?  Have I ever showed you a picture of me in the morning?!?! UGLY! Haha.  So here's to a fresh new start......and baby steps.....like little itty bitty teeny tiny baby paw steps!! 

Oh and a BIG P.S.:  If you haven't already noticed, I changed the header (once again) and the name of my blog.  I figured it was more "us"!  Sweet July nights (July of 2005 to be more specific) bring one of the happiest memories of my life.  It's when I first laid eyes on my handsome (now) husband and July also marks our wedding anniversary each and every year.  So its an extra special month and I just thought it was more suiting.  No pun intended considering the blog uses to be called Suited Perfectly for Eternity!

xoxo Joanna

Countdown to Christmas: Our Entryway/Living Room

 

Wow I am so SO glad that this snow storm.....deemed "snowmageddon" by the media.......is past us now. It had snowed about sixteen inches total all day yesterday AND then we had very VERY strong winds last night to boot.  Scott's company made the decision Wednesday to close and cancel all of their shifts for Thursday.  They've NEVER closed for snow.  I too had a snow day from work.  I was too nervous to drive.  When the weatherman says "life threatening" weather conditions......my patootie is staying home I don't care what anybody says. 

The drifts are no joke today.  There are patches in our back yard that are bare where you can see the grass peeking through and then there are areas where the snow is litteraly up to my knees.  I took Jade out for a walk this morning and in one jump her whole body was in the snow.  Her eyes got real big and she thought it was the BEST thing ever.  I wish I had the camera.....it really was the cutest thing.

Also the cutest thing ever.......my little Eskimo who does things that I am so thankful for. 

#gladforhusbandswhosnowblow

 

 

Where was I?!?!  Oh ya.  Let me show ya'll how I decorated the entryway/living area in our home. 

 

The first thing you see when you walk through the front door of my house, is all of our friends and families Christmas cards we had received this year so far.  I think this is the ONLY time of year that I actually look forward to checking the mail. 

 

I used the book page wreath I made a little while ago to display all of the picture cards.  I just used clothespins that I spraypainted gold to hold them in place.  The same clothespins I used last year to dispay my holiday cards. Click HERE if you would like to see last years card display!

 

A sneek peak of this years Christmas card:



 

Do you remember what use to be on that skinny wall?!?! 

This wine rack I bought at Sears a long time ago. 

 

 

I actually bought it to use as a makeup station in my closet when I lived at my parents house.  Then when we moved into our home now, I just shoved it up against the wall and used it to display my holiday things. 

NOW, we actually use it for its intended purpose......a mini bar!

I moved it around the corner just to the left of that skinny wall and it works out just great when we entertain.  Before we would keep all of the liquor downstairs, but now we can bring up what we need for whatever occasion we are entertaining for and there is no fussing and most importantly NO running up and down stairs.  Stairs are not your friend when you've had more than two cocktails........just sayin!



I cut out the word "CHEERS" by just free handing the letters on a piece of cardboard, cutting them out, and then dusting them with lots and LOTS of gold glitter.  I now wish the garland was a different color.  Oh well, I try to work with what I already have!



Isn't this ugly Christmas sweater the cutest?!?!  Oh and no bar setup is complete without something to munch on......pretzels anyone?!?!

 

And according to my husband, his Christmas Story bobblehead collection must be displayed on his bar.  I wish he would just leave all the decorating up to me.  #livingwithaboy

 

Here's a little sneak peek of our Christmas tree (post coming up next!). 

Next to the front door we put up a shelf with cubbies.  I bought it at HomeGoods a while ago to hang up in a different spot.  I'm glad we decided to put it up here instead.......now I have a place to hang my jacket and Jades leash whereas before we draped em' over the banister or a chair......and how annoying ist that?!?!



 

Oh it also is the perfect place to hang our homemade stockings.  My mom sewed them together using thrift store shirts and sweaters.  Except for the middle one (the one with the fur), that one is Jades.  THAT one was made out of one of Scott's favorite sweaters that she chewed a BIG whole through.  I'm glad we could reuse it though.  Nothing goes to waste in our house!

 



 

I need a bench to put under the shelf ASAP.  It would be nice to sit while putting on boots instead of wobbling around like a fool.



 

We keep Jades treats up there to reward her whenever she's a good girl and goes potty outside!  Looking at this picture reminds me that I need to replenish her treat jar. 
I think the driftwood reindeer will find a permanent home up there for awhile even well after the holidays.  He's too cute to put away.  Great Marshalls find!

 

I added a few rustic touches to coordinate with the Country Christmas theme I was going for this year.  I love my little Polish santa collection.  I buy them at Door County, WI. from a little Christmas boutique called Pipkas.  Which reminds me, I have another one that I have to add in with the other two from our trip this summer.  

Next to my Santas, I added a deer rack that 2hotty found on my parents land a few years ago.  The last one stores a dapper white deer (a thrift store find), a candle and a glittered "D", our last name initial.   

 



 What's a stocking without some goodies to fill it with?!?!  

And how cool are those colored pencils?!?!  

I am gifting em' to some special little boys in my life. 



 

I'm so excited, Christmas is only four short days away.  Today is my last day of work before a four day weekend, I am almost finished with shopping and wrapping gifts, we have one more holiday partay to attend this Saturday with some great GREAT friends, and family will be here visiting before I know it!!  What a fun filled weekend I have ahead.  That is if the world doesn't end today!! What time is that suppose to happen anyway?!?!  HA! :-)  See you lovelies tomorrow with my tree and Christmas village post.........well maybe.  :-)

xoxo JoAnna

 

Countdown to Christmas: Outdoor Holiday Lights

 



 

This year we decided to step up our "outdoor decorating" game.  Last year we were in our house only one month before Christmas rolled around, therefore we really didn't do much with the outside.  BUT (and that's a big ol' Santas BUT) this year we were prepared and strung those lights loud and bright for everyone to ooh and ahh as they drove by.  Who am I kiddin?!?!  I'm probably the ONLY person doing the oohing and ahhing each night. :-)  Next year WE WILL HAVE MORE!! (enter maniacal laugh here and a big jolly HO HO HO!) 

 

 

 

I am in LOVE with this tree all strung in lights.  Would it be wrong for me to keep them on all year long?!?!  We would be those neighbors.....you know the "Bumpuses"! 

It really does make me smile though......and smiling is my favorite thing (name that movie!).  :-)

 

 

Two festive wreaths hang on either side of the garage doors for the daytime viewers.



 I believe the only thing that we did last year to decorate the outdoors for the holidays was the doorway and front window.  We decided to do the samething this year.

 

 

And instead of a wreath on the front door, I raided my own mothers Christmas bin and found this broom looking "thing" that she wasn't using.  I like it because it has a couple bells strung to it and whenever someone comes over they jingle!  Fun, right?!?!

 

 

It looks especially pretty at night.

 

 

So that is all we did decorate the outdoors.  Just a few wreaths, bows, and white lights.  Nothing too crazy but just enough to give our home some Christmas cheer.  However, I do want to add more lights for next year..... who knows what we'll come up with! 

What did you do to decorate the outdoors?!?!

 

How about Jade in the picture above.  :0)

How much is that puppy in the window?!?!

 

 

For a few years now I have always wanted a puppy for Christmas.  Well lucky me!  For the first time this year I don't have to put a puppy on my wish list.  This year I get to spend Christmas with my most favorite puppy in the world and I wouldn't have it any other way!!

BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!

 

I hope everyone is enjoying these last few days before the big day.  I know these are the most stressful but it doesn't have to be.  Please take the time to "stop and smell the roses".  Enjoy the prep work, get messy with the kids while decorating cookies, don't fuss over a messy house, stay up singing carols and watch as many Christmas movies as you can (love those classics).  These days are the most precious of them all!  Christmas will be here and gone before we know it and no moment should be wasted over a dirty floor or an unfinished guest bedroom!  You feelin me?!?! 

 

Have a wonderful day :-)

 

xoxo JoAnna

Countdown to Christmas: Hot Cocoa Station

So the countdown to Christmas continues. You better believe (in Santa) that it is only nine short days away.  NINE!! I am officially PANICKING!! HYPERVENTILATING!! ABOUT TO FAINT....a-n-y second!! Where did the time go?!?!  Feels just like yesterday that I was decorating for Fall! 

But don't YOU panick, I still plan on showing you how I decorated for the holidays.  This years theme: Classic Country Charm!!  Lots of natural elements (think: reindeer, pinecones, & twine) mixed with classic Christmas colors such as silver and red.

 

 A few days ago I worked on my little kitchen shelf display.  It is pretty much one of the first things I do when I decorate for any holiday.  I think it's because the shelves are small enough where they aren't too overwhelming but yet still captures my theme for the season! The shelves are from IKEA and well weren't every penny (in my opinion!).

 

 I read somewhere (I think in one of my many magazines) that December 12th is designated National Hot Cocoa day this year, so I decided to make a little hot cocoa station.  How fun?!?!  Buddy the elf would be SO proud:



I picked up the festive Santa mugs at Wal-Mart for $1.99/each this year.   They are stacked and displayed on a cake stand along with a tree shaped glass container (also from Wal-Mart) that contains yummy Ghirardelli cocoa powder.  Some fancy cocoa for the average Jo :-)

 

 Whats hot cocoa without some mini marshmallows......

 

 

..........and yummy peppermint sticks?!?!

 

 The festive bottles (from IKEA last year) could be filled with milk. 

Maybe now I'll have to invite a few friends over for some freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and a yummy cup of hot cocoa.  Whose coming over?!?!

 

 The top shelf was really simple to decorate.

 

 

I gave the bland and boring candles a little makeover.  Super easy I swear.  Just added some birchwood looking wrapping paper and then wrapped the candle with leftover twine.  See I told ya it was easy!  I found the wrapping paper at Marshalls for a steal this year.  Totally fits in with my country/rustic theme, dontchya think?!?!  Then just a few left over ornaments, pinecones, and some pine branches sprinkled around the candle holder gave the shelf some added color and extra detail.  No fussing necessary!

 

 

I found this little guy at the thrift store and I think it adds the most perfect rustic touch!

Attention to detail is my mantra!

 So that is it.   

This is what I did to add some "Classic Country Christmas Cheer" to my otherwise bland and boring IKEA shelves:

 

 And just for the record...........we DO use the hot cocoa station!!

It's not only for display.........because how silly would that be!

 

 A peppermint hot chocolate for the MR. and a salted caramel for the MRS! 

Oh and a chocolate truffle to split! 

A perfect way to spend a relaxing Sunday night if I do say so myself. 

 

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!!  I have more posts to come such as our outdoor lights, kitchen table, and decorated entryway and tree just to name a few!  See you lovelies soon!

 

xoxo JoAnna