Girls Weekend

Since the husband was out of town this weekend on a bachelor trip for a good friend, it was the perfect opportunity for a girls weekend with my mom!  My mom came in town on Friday and Saturday we decided the hit up a few antique stores/flea markets in the area.  The first one we ventured to was one I had been hearing about for some time now - Prattville Pickers.  It is 98,000 square feet and they have an auction house within it as well.  I'm going to go ahead and say it was a huge disappointment.  Everything was highly over priced and there was a lot of, um...junk.  I did happen to snap a few pictures while we were browsing...

This bizarre print (not an original) was $85...

This lovely monkey/candle holder/book end (?) was "unique" and therefore they were asking nearly $200 for it.  I wish they had two {enter sarcasm here}.

The aisles within the shops were so crowded with (pardon my french) crap that you could hardly walk in them...

A view of the furniture area...

Now, there were a few items that I really thought were lovely minus the price tags...this trunk was going for $700...

I don't remember what this fan was going for, but I do remember it was more than I wanted to pay ;)

This was actually the only piece that was low in price - it was going for only $40!  Too bad I didn't need a new desk!

Loved these old shutters, but at $600 I couldn't see the husband being very happy with me :)

After we left Prattville Pickers with our heads down and tears welling up in our eyes, we decided to head to my go-to antique store Eastbrook Flea Market.  This place is great!  They have everything under the sun and their price points are excellent.  I didn't take many pictures, but I did see a lot of fiesta ware and thought of my sweet friend Sheila over at The Adventures of Ordy and Joon!

Now, for the creme de la creme.  While piddling along in the main furniture booths I spotted a dresser.  I thought it had great potential and just needed a little loving. {TIP: Please do not spend a ton on a piece of furniture you don't plan on keeping exactly as it is!  Moving on...} So I took a peek at the price tag and noticed it had been marked down from its $110 price tag to $50!!!  I immediately set my sights on it - but told my mom that we should walk around the store a bit more and if it is still here once we are done then it could be mine.  And it was :)

I am so excited and happy about the new piece!  It's in the living room right acting as our TV console.  I'm going back and forth on if I want to restore it and keep it its natural wood or paint it.  What would you suggest?  If you painted it, what color would you paint it?

Pillow Talk

Recently, I've been searching for some new pillows for our master bedroom, guest bedroom and the living room.  That's pretty much all of the rooms in our home.

via cococozy

Adding pillows to a bed or sofa is an easy easy way to add color or pattern without making a huge investment.  And if you come to a point where you aren't loving the way a room looks - punch it up with some new pillows!  Mix it up with different patterns, colors, sizes and shapes.  It adds dimension and keeps your eye moving around the room creating visual interest.

via pinterest

via furbish studio

via i suwannee

via design*sponge

Another pillow trend I love (although, it's always in trend in the South) is having monogrammed pillows.  They are the perfect personal stamp to a bedroom, living room or any other space on your home.  They seem to add something different than a patterned pillow.

via jenny wolf interiors

via kristen f. davis designs

via houzz

via forever cottage

I love being able to switch out one aspect in a room to give it new look and feel!


TIP: A trick I like to use to give my home a new feel is collecting all of the pillows in every room.  Bring them all to one location and put them in new rooms.  It doesn't work for all of the pillows, but can lead to you using an element in one room that you may not have considered before.  Enjoy!

Hiatus

image taken by yours truly - follow me on instagram @kelleyblake

After a brief hiatus, I hope I am back in the groove of things enough to really get back to blogging.  I know, you're probably thinking, "Didn't she just tell us this?" - and to that I say, "Um, yes..."


But after much thought and consideration, I don't think I can give up blogging.  I'm finally getting our home more "homey" and have a few projects I'm working on.  So here's to hoping I can get back to this blog thing  :)

Sausage & Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls Recipe

This may be the easiest recipe in the entire world.  It may not even be suitable to be deemed a "recipe."  But I am sharing it for the sake of reaching someone out there who may not have tried this deliciousness yet.  And to them I say, "You're welcome."


Ingredients:
2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 lb. of ground breakfast sausage, cooked and drained


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350º F.
In a medium mixing bowl combine softened cream cheese and cooked (and drained) sausage until well combined.  Set aside.
Unroll your crescents and separate each triangle.  Take your cream cheese and sausage mixture and place approximately 1 - 2 tablespoons in the center of each triangle.  Roll up each one as you would a regular crescent.  Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350º F for 10 minutes or until crescents are golden brown.

Enjoy!

Overdue Trunk Show Details

I know, you are probably in shock because I'm posting.  No, it is not a figment of your imagination - this is me actually posting.  Hold on to your panties ladies, I have a feeling I'm going to be posting a lot more.  I've missed you guys!


So, as I told you guys a few posts ago I am now a Stella & Dot stylist!  I've hosted several shows since I first signed up and I wanted to share some photos from the first show that I held at my house...

Jeans - Gap

Shirt - American Eagle

Shoes - Target

Necklace - Stella & Dot

Let me just tell you, I am loving being a stylist - not just for the extra cash, but for the fun and friends I've made along the way.  I truly love the company and the products.  Who wouldn't love to hang out with great ladies, play with jewelry and make money while you're doing it?  Crazy people, that's who.


If you're interested in becoming a stylist just e-mail me at kelleyblakelee@gmail.com.  I'd love to have you on my team!


Also, if you're just interested in owning some lovely jewelry, you can always order online from my shop!  Just go here.


Happy Monday! :)

Reupholstering?

image via anthropologie

I am contemplating taking on the challenge of reupholstering a wingback chair I have.  I know - SCARY!  This chair was given to us for free and has just been sitting in a corner out of the way since it is a nasty pink color - a mix between rose and bubble gum pink - and doesn't match anything we have.

I've found quite a few tutorials on how to go about reupholstering, but wanted to know if there were any tricks or tips any of y'all have?  Maybe you've found a blog that has great instructions?  Any help would be greaty appreciated!

I've also found a few fabric websites, too - do y'all have any favorites?  I don't want to spend a ton on fabric so I need something reasonably priced since it will take about 7 yards to reupholster the chair.  Hmmm...Should I go bold a do a print?  Or keep it simple and do a solid color?  Decisions, decisions...

P.S. - Did you notice that cute little new badge on my sidebar?  That's right.  I'm a Stella & Dot Stylist :)

Stella & Dot Stylist

For the past two years I have toyed with the idea of becoming a Stella & Dot stylist.  When I was living in Huntsville it just never seemed to work out - I worked odd and long hours and was always gone on the weekends, which didn't leave me much time to devote to being a stylist.

Well, ladies and gentlemen.  I took the plunge and I am so excited to say that I am now a Stella & Dot stylist!  This is a company that I back completely - they are ethical, supportive and their product is FABULOUS.  It seems that I came in at a perfect time, too!  Their Spring 2012 line just came out and OH MY GOODNESS (enter valley girl voice here) it is absolutely stunning.

Just to give you an idea, here are a few of my favorite pieces...

The Bianca Tassel Necklace



The Millie Necklace

The Jade Serenity Earrings

The Serenity Small Stone Earrings

Gorgeous, right?  And there are probably 100+ more pieces I could have put on here!  I can't wait to get my samples so I can show them off!  It feels great to work for a company that I can truly say has beautiful, quality products.  Feel free to browse and shop my online store!

Interested in becoming a Stylist?  I'd love to have you on my team!  Or live in the Montgomery area?  Host a trunk show and get FREE jewelry!  Just e-mail me at kelleyblakelee@gmail.

Here's to a happy January (and a happy 2012)! :)