Creative Coasters

Since I have just started a new job in a larger town in a different state and a different time zone, I have been out of sorts. But I am finally getting straightened out and recovering better. The first few days I was SO TIRED, but now I feel like moving forward and getting back into the swing of things, so to speak.

This is a project I completed a little while ago, but wanted to share. My mom got me these cool glass coasters with a place for a picture. As soon as I saw them my mind started cranking out ideas, so I decided to use some awesome scrapbooking cardstock I got for a deal at Ross. I chose four different patterns and "wha-la" we have cool and creative coasters. Who would've thunk it?

THE SHELL

It all began with the shell. The empty home. The empty walls. The place where we brought all our items from a single wide 16x80 to this MASSIVE 2500sf+ space. Our belongings looked lost and alone.

We got a deal on this place. It's a little shy of 1/2 an acre with a back deck going almost the entire length of the home. We had looked at so many homes that when I found this one online, my first thought was, "What is wrong with it?" It does have a few crazy things going on, but nothing that can't be repaired over time. The answer to my question was that it was in the middle of a divorce settlement. The price was the lowest I've seen for this area, for this size space, on our own property already fenced in and in a NICE area. We looked at a lot of nice places, houses and mobile homes, in areas we did not want to be in. Next to TRASH and junk and killer dogs. This place is one of three in a cul-de-sac and our neighbors are awesome. We have been very blessed.

Here are a few examples of the spaces I will be working on. Please disregard the poor picture quality. There was a lot of light and white walls.

in·spi·ra·tion

Inspiration comes from everywhere! I am often overwhelmed at all the choices out there, but I am pretty sure I fit into the eclectic category. I love a little bit of everything! Gimme some bright red, retro, Danish modern, traditional, beachy, transitional, contemporary, rustic…I could go on and on. Yep, I def have décor A.D.D.

There are some places I would love to buy from, but will likely never (unless I get a downright lucky Craigslist find) own; however, they are great inspirers.

Ballard Designs is just heavenly. I could gaze at their catalogs and website for days, but that would certainly not be very productive…so, we have Ethan Allan, Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn (I do have a few pieces from them…garage sale finds! YES!), Crate & Barrel, Country Curtains, Pier 1 and more! I also draw ideas from magazines. A few of my favs are Country Living, Better Homes & Gardens and…my mind has failed me, but you get the idea. I also love to spend time gazing at ideas on the internet and who could forget HGTV! Boo-coos of inspiration when I have time to sit and watch.

My A.D.D. sometimes causes me MAY-GER problems. When it kicks in one of two things happen, I either over buy because I can’t make up my mind or I put it all back. Luckily for me and my hubs, I usually choose the latter. The only setback is I’ve spent hours trying to decide and then walk out with nada. Nothing. Zero. Zip. So, I am working on that aspect of my life. Intentional shopping is so much better.

Most of my purchases come from places like Ebay, Target, Craigslist, Target, yard sales, Target, thrift stores, Target and antique malls. Did I mention Target? Also, every time I go to visit my parents, I seem to acquire a load of stuff. Someday I figure my hubs is going to run screaming from the house never to be seen again. He is very tolerable of my stuff, to which I am very thankful. I try to move through it quickly…keep, donate, trash, give-a-way.

I also “lurve” (borrowed word from the Thrifty Décor Chick) re-purposing items. I intend to dive head first into more re-purposing in the near future.

I love silver.
I love stars and crosses and birds, oh my!
I love green…
…and red, mustard, brown, turquoise…black…so I digress.
I love to have fun.
I love to hang with friends.
I love my family the most-est-est.
Jesus has my heart.
I love the mountains.
I love to travel.

I like photography.

I dream of skydiving one day.

Confessions of a self-proclaimed décor lover:
Paint colors scare me.
Bed coverings overwhelm me.
Window treatments confuse me.
Wood-working intrigues me, but I am below a novice.
And my A.D.D. often leaves projects half done…
but, I am NOT AFRAID…
I shall overcome!!!!

And so the journey begins...

For quite some time I had been considering writing a blog about mobile home décor. I have been terribly disappointed in the lack of information and ideas online. I was truly surprised!!! Just because we live in a mobile home doesn’t mean we can’t have a fabulous home. There are nearly 7 million Americans living in mobile homes, but where’s the love? I have yet to find a magazine show placing mobile homes, yet I know some people live in beautiful, stylish, well-maintained homes.

I am quite a newbie to MHs myself. I had never lived in one until I remarried in 2007 and then my journey began. We recently moved from a 16x80 single wide to a 2500+sf double wide and that has really gotten my engine running. There are so many ideas I want to try! I am tired of living with plain, borrrrring white walls (and those really-tacky-same-wallpaper-in-the kitchen-and-baths-deal-MH-builders-think-is-cool) and being scared of what I can and cannot do.

I am creative and I want to let that creativity run wild (well, within reason) in our new place. I want it to feel like a real house. I want it to be our home. I’ve got lots of ideas and I only think it’s fair to share them with others.

There are lots of décor blogs for regular homes and they have really inspired me to start this blog. There are definitely going to be some challenges that brick and mortar homes don’t face, but by starting this blog, I am saying “Bring it on!”

I will have a fairly tight budget. Let’s face it, most mobile home dwellers are in the same situation. If we could afford a house, we’d be in one, but we’re not at a place where we can right now, not to say that all MH owners are in our boat, but I would almost bet most are.

Let the games begin!