Paint Color Choices

I'm afraid of using color on my walls. I come by this fear honestly. Years ago, after picking out what I thought was a warm beige paint and using it - it read as creamsicle orange on the walls of the spare room I used it in and from that day on I doubted my ability to pick paint (this was back in the old days when you had to buy a quart of paint to try it). Fast forward to today, where you can buy samples of paint. The house I bought has beige walls - and the brown tiles bring out a slightly greenish cast. I've heard Kilim Beige is the de facto standard for beige walls, I'm going to try a sample of that to use in the main living areas. And although I like gray, I just can't see myself with gray walls. OK, my house is stone and has a Tuscan feel to it. I want to take it more towards French Provincial but without the bright colors. In my quest for color, I get sidetracked sometimes. I think I can paint one bedroom Olive. Possibly. Maybe. Still on the fence. All the bedrooms have beige carpet, something I'm not prepared to replace at this time. 

I was reading Jenny's blog, Little Green Notebook - she was the first decorating blog I started following - and she has a post about Olive walls. You can find her post here: Olive Obsession on LGN

She uses a very light blue on the ceiling with the olive walls. Nice. She has a good eye for color.

I especially like this photo of a Harlem Brownstone. The colors are complimentary and I think the red and orange tones enhance the olive wall color.

Elle Decor

I would like to try this in the future. There are so many projects ahead of it, but when I do I will share it with you. 

Here is a list of tried and true color combinations. Notice one of them is like the photo above.

Lonny Color Combos

I've flirted with the idea of brown. Although this is a nice space, frankly I think it would look better with a dark olive instead:

Country Living

I love purple/brown combos. I know I could find a way to incorporate the combo and have my neutral walls too:

Apartment Therapy

The thing to consider is how the light entering the room would change the paint color. 

I found a web site that addresses this very important issue:

How Light Affects Color

Using paint samples is a good idea, but remember the wall color next to the sample can affect how you see it.

Too Many Bad Things

It has been said that bad things come in threes. What is the time frame? Within a few days? That could be said after any third bad thing. My third bad thing was I had to finally put down my beloved dog, Schatzie. She was a good dog, loved my kids as they grew up, was a clown and a clever hunter of bugs. She is deeply missed. I am going to spread her ashes in the garden, her favorite place to hunt. This photo was taken a couple of months ago, sitting with me in the shade out back.

May she rest in peace. 

Setting up a Craft Room

I haven't had a space to craft and sew for as long as I remember. Now that we are totally settled in as a couple, we started to go through unpacked boxes and sort to keep, to toss, and to sell in a garage sale. One spare bedroom room had become our climate controlled attic (helpful hint: don't keep anything of value in an attic in central Texas because it will melt - I'm sure many of you have the same problem). I now have my sewing machine set up and room to sew and craft in. What are some of the most useful items you have for crafting and decorating? I'm loving the chrome Metro shelves I bought from The Container Store a few years back.

I put a slab of granite on top and they served as a kitchen island in a rental, and now the unit stores my supplies. I can hang things from the edges:

 On my list are to create: another garland, finish crocheting a yoga mat bag for a friend, recover two really cheap lampshades in stiff paper and then fabric, modpodge some old photo frames for a photo wall I'm making, and start a quilt for my son's Christmas gift.

He just turned 21 and is "all grown up" (his words) I want to make him a quilt including his favorite colors for him to keep and use. He's still in college, and when not in school he doesn't have his own place yet, but he will - probably sooner than later. Smart cookie, that one. Getting a degree in Computer Science at Texas A&M and already has a job at a local semiconductor design firm.  So now I have a space dedicated to crafting and also a separate room as an office. I guess my next tasks will be to start an inventory, income and expense ledgers. And find a full time job. I had a really good interview last week and then they pulled all the job req's so onward I go. Had a phone screen yesterday with a green tech company, I'll know tomorrow if they want to bring me in.

 Here's my favorite photo from our wedding reception: