A Work in Progress Part 2

As you know, I've been working away in my dining room and my 2012 goals... It's quite the project, but a fun one at that. Anyone who knows me that everything is always on a super tight budget. I thrift, garage sale, tag sale, coupon, have been known to check out what's on the curb, and taken hand-me-downs.  With this new color in the dining room, I was fearful that I wouldn't have ANYTHING to go with it and would have to go buy new stuff.

Enter shopping at home. Ever try this? I don't mean watching Home Shopping Network or QVC (anyone know what that stands for? I don't and am too lazy to look it up- even though I would have found it by the time I finish typing this run-on sentence) or shopping online. I mean going through all the stuff tucked away in the attic, basement, crawl space, wherever and seeing what you have.

I ventured down to the basement. Since we redid it in the summer (see this and this), it's pretty bare down there, so there wasn't much to choose from (insert frown). As I came up the steps from the basement, I saw the mess that is our cubby hole.

Anyone want to come clean this mess out? Me either.

In it were three wooden shadow boxes. Yes! I can use those. I may need to paint them in the future, but they work for now- just to get something up to see what my thoughts are with this paint.

I then grabbed the picture that inspired the room.  I love it. Don't know why, but I'm thankful for the winery that had this picture and was so willing to sell it to me- and the hubby who surprised me with it. I think I only drooled 2 hours over it, gazing longingly at it throughout the time with friends, old and new. 

 Last, as hubby was putting things up on this wonderful plaster walls that I cannot seem to work with. Yes, my confession, I'm not good with a drill to hang things on the wall. There's another confession in there that I'll write about one day when I can admit to the mistake I made. While working he lovingly asked if there was anything else I needed to hang. I said no. Ten minutes later, I said "Wait!" I needed to check the attic.

I dug around and dug around. I ended up finding "Sunflowers" by Monet hiding in the attic closet behind a big indoor inflatable jumper. I dug it out (and practically ended up buried in the plastic mess that is my son's favorite exercise activity). Hubby is not a fan of this painting. I will admit, I'm a little over it too, but it works. Once again, hubby got out the drill and measured, leveled then hung my picture.

The next day (tonight actually), while cooking dinner, I looked up to find a garage sale vase I bought in bright blue for 10 cents. I figured I'd give it a few days in court. So, it sits in there too.

I did find one other tray I want to hang on the wall in a pretty teal/green color. I just have to get the hanger thing to hang it. (I'm usually a picture girl, but I'm branching out).

There are still things to do in this room... Like, take care of the very large bare wall that is the focal point, choose a paint color for the trim and paint it. Why do I hate these spaces? I need new curtains and I may venture to get a new rug that my work better with the room.... but I could save this expense if I just love everything the way it is and if need be, repaint to a less "in your face"/daring color.  For the time being it stays, stains and all.

Yes curtains, but I want a loong storage bench here. We've looked everywhere. Thinking the comforter/drop cloth could be a dog bed in cute cloth while we figure out the bench idea.... The dogs like using it for a bed right now, but it sure could be cuter. I didn't put it away because I wanted them to sleep there instead of on the black chair that they constantly get dirty.

The barren wall.... the empty space between molding and baseboard is 10 1/2 ft x 8 ft. That's a lot of space to figure out what to do with. Maybe some cool stands on either side of the fish tank.... Gotta thrift for them...

The wall standing off to the side... with the chair rail and crown molding that needs painted... what color? who knows...

Overall, I now have a little to work with in this crazy bright room that I think I'm starting to love.

Linking up with The Nester's IDHTBPTBB party... Check out what others are doing/have done.  My computer is acting up so when you click the link, look for the party on Feb. 20. It doesn't have to be perfect- apparently neither does my computer... Praise God!