Upcoming Projects {October Edition but posted in September...}

There's nothing better than expecting company to get your butt in gear to start showing your home some TLC, right? Here in The Single Gal House we do a pretty good job of not having dishes in the sink, fighting dog hair daily, keeping up with lots of clean laundry, clean toilets, clean floors, and countertops.  But -- there is still a certain amount of charm missing.   And a lot of unavailable funds.  And peak half-marathon training for the first half of the month + race weekend.  (I know that I mention this half marathon in every post I write, I'll try to stop.)

So, I'm going to post my October projects here.  This is for a few reasons -- a) 3 Putt can prepare for my psychotic behavior and need of boyfriend favors b) I can be held accountable c) I may need some feedback and for you to share you experience and ideas.  I realize the grammar in that last sentence is very questionable but we have no time for that here today people. 

1. Perk up the front porch.  This should be easy and cheap.  I stalked some great pumpkins at Kroger that were $4.99 each and looked at  some flowers.  I'd like to check prices and quality at Home Depot before I commit on that.  In my dreams I'd like to try another wreath -- but they always blow away, fall down and break, etc.  

//via//

2.  Keep up with weekly cleaning so I'm not insane the week before company actually arrives. 

3.  Nightstands for the guest room.  Must find something at Homegoods or Goodwill. I don't want this to be a strictly "Ikea Room".   Can someone also tell me why night tables are not the height of my knee? That is bullcrap. And too short.  We don't all have malm platform beds retailers! 

4. Hang up faux taxidermy pieces in guest room (aka ask 3 Putt to do this). 

5.  Jazz up guest bathroom/make comfy for guests.  This involves a new shower curtain, fixing the janky shower curtain pole, and stocking the cabinets with toiletry needs.  I like this curtain from Target.  Especially for under $16.  It could also use a toilet paper holder.  

6. Try to pull together a few other decor items for guest room -- new lamp shade? pictures? a mirror to hand above the dresser? cozy things? 

This list could likely grow but I think this is the bare-bones, necessity portion.  Seems easy enough once it's all written down, right? 

I'm kidding. Someone seriously help me.  

-the single gal-

Monday Obsessions: Things I'm Stalking Online...

Most of you know that I have been working on a bedroom re-do since late March/April.  I kind of have a feeling this will be a year long project based on finances, time,  furniture repainting, decision making, etc.  I've come to terms with that.   I've also found that I like decorating over a longer period of time because I find things that suit my vision as a go along and don't like to rush the process (or the  budget, ha).  I think rooms turn out better that way.  

I was really pleased to get the beautiful art from The Housewife for my birthday and it kind of inspired me to get the ball rolling on a few other items.  

West Elm Gray Stripe Euro Shame $24

The big le duh item my bed needs...that 3rd Euro Sham.  Going from a queen to king size bed was a new thing for me and I didn't really do the math very well on that. And I'd obvs like to get that sucker a nice big monogram. 

Clarendon Notched Headboard in Coral Sale price $359.99

Some new hardware for my dressers/night tables. Not really all that cheap but if I keep my existing stuff probably worth the investment. 

Lee Valley Hardware

I also wouldn't mind adding a "ghost chair" somewhere in this house.  This one from Amazon seems pretty affordable, no?

Now to just paint that furniture......

~the single gal~

De-Grinching Weekend + Holiday Home Decor

Well, a lot has come to pass in the living room since my post about being a bit Grinchy and not wanting to even decorate this year.  Since Em is here for a while now as my roomie she was pretty adamant that we get in the mood and decorate this house.  So Friday afternoon Em crawled through Michael's gathering craft supplies while I was at work and I came home this past weekend to drink wine, make anything and everything that involved glitter, and get some sort of a tree up.  All while eating leftover garlic rolls {thanks Jimmy James}.  

It was pretty darn fabulous.  We finally finished all of our project earlier this morning.  I am really pleased with how it turned out -- all thanks to Em's vision!  

I remembered I had a little Charlie Brown-eque tree in the garage that we toted out rather than dealing with the gigantic one.  Also, we painted two canvases with chalkboard paint.  This was a great idea of Em's as we can now erase them and use them for future parties/holiday decor.  So I guess we just have to plan all those 2013 parties now. 

Little Tree and "Santa, It's a long story..." chalkboard.

This is probably my favorite -- the bookshelf re-vamp.  Em looked at a lot of stuff on Pinterest and we were both really drawn to one pin where someone drew the outline of a stag on a canvas and covered it in glitter.  I think hers turned out beautifully and I love our tall and skinny chalkboard canvas where she drew a simple Christmas tree.  We just rearranged these items with some stuff already downstairs. 

Glitter stag + canvas with chalkboard paint for our skinny Christmas tree. 

This photo was a little off center and it's a bit grainy due to the Instagram filter but I don't have a fancy camera like The Housewife.  We put tons of glitter on letters we cut out from foam board to hang between our stockings and put up a spare strand of colored lights with some mercury glass candle holders. 

The "Merry" Mantle

I even managed to wrap those presents you see under the tree and I'm almost done Christmas shopping.  Even better -- I'm grateful for friends that do all they can to make my life better and cheer me up -- especially this time of year.  

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

Monday Obsessions: Ikat

Housewife checking in again before the Single Gal murders me. I don't have much going on right now except that I found a rug for my living room. I'm trying hard to trust my decorating senses and cues and buying what I like. I just hope it looks okay together and not like an HGTV makeover gone bad. Y'all know I have crazy decorating woes. Plus, the Single Gal doesn't have to contend with a husbands opinion and tastes when she does her decorating. I'm usually faced with finding something we "both" like; although, sometimes the Turtle will concede. I'm really glad we both love this rug. It was an immediate yes yes conversation. I found it at Home Decorator Collections. Have any of you ever been in that store? They just opened one near our mall area and while it's not cheap it's certainly a very reasonable store for it's merchandise. They have a great rug selection and I was very happy I actually got to see the rug in person because once I looked it up at home online the coloring definitely looks different.


I'm mad at the Internet right now because I can't just insert a pretty image for you I have to use the link above. Anyway, the blue looks a little sharper than the image but I just adore ikat and love the large scale of this. I'm sure it will look fine with my couch but I'm just a little worried about the geometric ottoman I ordered that will sit directly on top of it. The goal is obviously to look like Sarah Richardson put this living room together and it looks lovely and layered. I know, my goals are too high.

Living Room update so far....floors are done and floor outlet installed. Rug and furniture all ordered and waiting for delivery. The rug will be here in 7-14 days which will be before the furniture comes. Turtle advised he did not want to move furniture just to put the rug down. Still need a tv, console, side tables and  accessories.

Are any of you in any decorating dilemma's? I know I still want to paint my kitchen and figure out some sort of shelving for one empty wall. I have an empty entry way that needs attention too.