10 Home Decor Mistakes I Learned a Lot From | Listable Life

Ahh...

this week's prompt for Listable Life

should be a good one.

Especially because:

1. We've long ago determined that ONLY home stuff gets posted here

2. We ALL know only the good, the great and the perfect gets blogged.

So rather than blogging about 5 general mistakes I have learned from,

here are 10 Home Decor and DIY Mistakes I learned a lot from.

If you live with a dog,

save yourself the heartache.

Don't put dog toys

in one of your fave baskets.

That. Is. All.

Some projects

are just failures all around.

Sometimes, husband really does call it

when he asks "what is that cluster*@! hanging from my ceiling"

When the dog looks up, sighs a deep sigh,

and relocates her fave spot so that she is NOT

underneath the cluster*@!,

then you know for sure the project is a fail.

Know thyself.

Do not purchase garden plants on Friday

on the way home from work

if you have NOT set aside time over the weekend

to get them in the ground.

Two days is just NOT enough time to get it all done.

It is cruel and unusual punishment

to decorate your tree

with shiny white bones.

You get what you deserve when your tree is still standing

but no longer decorated

when you do stupid things like that.

If you have no sense of anything 

(time, direction, budget, length, distance)

then you shall NEVER be allowed to roam alone

in JoAnne's fabric section looking for curtain fabric.

You will NEVER buy enough with your cheap self

and you'll never be able to return it 

because you will do all sorts of randomness to that fabric

in an all out effort to "make it work".

Hundreds of dollars. It adds up.

Pretty as color may be,

you MUST use perennials in your hanging baskets

or you will pay dearly for the "pretty of the week".

Two cans.

At least.

That's how much EXTRA spray paint

I should buy for each chair I think will only take half a can of spray paint to complete.

Procrastination

is a state of mind.

Sure, amaryllis bulbs will not grow in 1 week.

Go figure.

But after the holidays, when you are Sooooo ready for spring

they'll finally start opening up.

And you'll have beauty while the rest fret away.

Rules are made to be broken.

Especially when it comes to growing wheatgrass.

If it seems more complicated than it has to be

(ie, pre-sprouting wheatberries before actually growing them),

then it probably is.

There has ALWAYS got to be an easier way.

Even if you don't live in a glass house

you should not throw stones.

The more IMPORTANT lesson in that?

Glass and stones don't mix.

Ie, shells and book pages are good ideas for a fillable lamp.

Rocks are not.

*** 

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5 Home Blogs that you Should Stalk | Listable Life

Nicole over at Moments That Define Life

has a great Listable Life meme.


Last week, 
you probably missed my
10 things that take me to my happy place post.
Go ahead and peek.  
I did it in the same style that I did my Home Goals 2012 post.

This week, I'm doing a slight twist

on the option to blog about 5 bloggers I enjoy.

I'm going to give you 5 Home Blogs that you MUST STALK.

Well, at least add to your Reader/Feed/Stream/Blogroll.

Ready for some awesomeness?

Click on any of the links to be transported to Nirvana.

Here we go!

5 Home Blogs that you Should Stalk

via DRD Portfolio

Dayka Robinson Designs

sista, vintage, fresh to deaf

Dayka Robinson is an African American Interior Designer after my own heart.

She knows THE PLACES to find greatness

in the form of vintage wares.

She has an amazing (well trained, at that)

x-ray vision eye for furniture with great bones

AND she has a refreshing vision

for how to bring new life to her finds.


Did I mention that she's an African American Interior Designer?
Just saying.  In blogland, I have not come across many sisters with
true street cred.

She's informative.

(this is a post on choosing an upholsterer)

She knows how to "talk good."
(this is a hilarious post on Saarinen table shopping)

She has ALMOST as many Pinterest Boards as I do.

(but her pins are OVER THE TOP better)

-----------

via Brick House DIY Terrarium Tutorial

The Brick House

(Morgan Satterfield)

sigh, clean, pillow crush

The Brick House is a recent find on my blogging adventures.

I long for days in the desert again

and I imagine, if I still had in-laws that lived outside of Palm Desert,

Morgan and I still would have no idea either of us existed.

That said.

She has a clean, uncluttered abode that makes me sigh.

Not in a mournful, jealous way.

Not even in a longing way 

(because, I like stuff and hoarders will be here shortly).

But in a well composed, sigh like you're at the symphony

and the last note has been struck

kind of sigh.

She's your BFF.

(at least she writes like she is as she stalks brutalist chandeliers)

and let's just not start on the Eames Lounge Chair in her den...

She has a pillow thing.

(and like any good addict, a direct line to pillow heaven)

She can hold her own at furniture auctions.

(even if you're a blog reader and try to outbid her)

-----------

via Young House Love Home Progress Tour Gallery

Young House Love

(Sherry, John, Clara and Burger Petersik)

love, DIY, hacks

Young House Love is the house blog

that forced me to look up how to set up a reader

after Bloglines went to hell and back and again.

I love that they are compartmental - like me.  

You don't actually HAVE TO read about Clara or Burger stuff

on their DIY home blog if you don't want to.

But trust me.

You'll want to.

They (yes, both she and he blog) are super easy to keep up with.

(they do a monthly superlatives post to get you up to speed)

They are hacks.
(They hacked together their fabulous kitchen cabinet doors.)

They live a rather interesting life in their closet.

(because doggies need awesome light to get their chow on)

My apologies to John and Sherry.  

I asked all the rest of the bloggers here for permission before including them. 

Couldn't find a direct email to the Petersiks.

Good news is I doubt my mom's click over to view their blog will break the server (smile).

-----------

via Chez Larssen Chevron Tray Tutorial

Chez Larsson

(Benita)

pure, international, white

Chez Larssen is a blog

for the person who likes their home/design posts

short, sweet and to the point.

Benita will tell you with crisp, gorgeous photos

and occasionally, she will throw in a few more words too.

Crisp, Euro styling with clean white simple lines...

color is used with meaning in her abode and

she's the coolest cat lady I've had the pleasure to 

glimpse into the life of.

She is crafty.

(I used to get craft boxes of goodies. Now I live vicariously through her)

She's no wallflower.
(especially when she does unconventional things with wallpaper)

She likes to play with light.

(love the photos on her blog? This neat tool helps her create magic)

-----------

via Centsational Girl DIY wood cutting block tutorial

Centsational Girl

(Kate)

eye candy, expansive, stylist

Centsational Girl is not only a blog

that I stalk, I also look for Kate's home

in the various DIY mags and special issues that come out.

What I love about Centsational Girl is that

along with glimpses into her own home and life,

Kate does a lot of features of other blog eye candy.

Each week, the "Blogs I'm Reading" list in my sidebar

grows with another blog found on her site

She is all over the place.

(Well, in features too.  But I mean she does it all in home blogging)

She also almost has as many pins/pinboards as I do.
(and yes, you will never leave your comp once you follow her)

She can convince even YOU that sewing is easy

(but not me. Well, maybe with these ten tips...)

-----------

There you have it.

5 super exceptional blogs (6 bloggers)

that I stalk every morning

as I procrastinate getting out of bed.

What blogs can you not WAIT for a new post to go up on?

*** 

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Scroll down, and become a follower!

Or follow B3HD the Blog on Twitter

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Promise not to stalk you back. Unless you want us to. 

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Things That Take Me to My Happy Place | Listable Life

Nicole over at Moments That Define Life

has a great Listable Life meme.

I am a generally (okay, mostly) happy person.

I tend to be the glass is half full,

sickeningly happy in her own little world

chick in the corner just taking it all in in stride.

At work, in the various community orgs I'm in and just randomly,

people ask me what I "do."

While I know they are often talking about my job, 

you know, the one that pays the bills.

But a few people have a secret glimpse into this life and as such,

they are really asking what REALLY makes me tick.

Here's a unique take on what makes me happy

as told via Scrap Art.

I did a post 

about my blog and personal goals for the year

in this same style. 

Check it out and be sure to pop back over here.

I'll wait (smile).

Welcome back.

So here we go:

10 Things That Take Me to my Happy Place

We all know I have a weakness for beauty queens.

Especially if they are under 6 years of age.

Toddlers & Tiaras takes me to my happy place.

I'm a Sagitarian.

Which means, by default, I am lucky.

Almost always lucking into awesome opportunities 

takes me to my happy place.

Hiking Mount Rainier.

Hanging out with two of my fave dudes in the world.

A summer day in the Pacific Northwest 

takes me to my happy place.

The ONLY place I spend more time online

is Pinterest. 

But twitter takes me to my happy place.

You should click through and see this one up close.
Letting go of the negative

and getting to the positive

takes me to my happy place.

That first blush of love

when you first realize that the one you are infatuated with,

loves you even more?

Just recalling that moment takes me to my happy place .

Getting in the car

going with purpose

and creating new traditions

takes me to my  happy place.

Going international.  

THAT takes me to my happy place.

Watching him with her.

He's such a dog person.

I love his devotion.

Watching it and benefiting from it

takes me to my happy place.

Going to the market.

Super market. Farmers Market. Mall.

Truly.

I love to shop (smile).

Shopping takes me to my happy place.

Paying the bill off takes me sky high.

*** 

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Have a life and can't view the whole blog in one sitting? 

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Scroll down, and become a follower!

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10 Reasons Why Traveling to Tibet is a MUST - Listable Life

Still playing along with Nicole 

over at Moments That Define Life,

for the Listable Life meme

So here we go:

10 Reasons Why Traveling to Tibet is a Must

The shopping

We traveled to Tibet via Beijing.

The markets in Beijing are OUT OF CONTROL.

I would go back just to shop for gorgeous blinged out statues, fantastic fabrics and, of course, vintage cameras.

The Facilities

(or lack thereof)

                   

These are pretty self explanatory.  

And if that second photo doesn't demonstrate what you are NOT

to do (do) in public restrooms, then click on the first photo and enlarge it.

And that is all.

The tea leaves

I didn't truly know what tea was until we drank the most delicious stuff on earth.

On the highest altitude train in the world.

In the dining car/viewing car.

Chinese breakfast...that was something else entirely.

The Incense

        

You have NOT LIVED until you smell a yak butter candle.

You can skip the yak butter tea. Or live dangerously...

Seriously one of the most delicious smells I've ever smelled.

(the candles, that is)

And it gets sickening after a while.

But don't worry, every day, multiple times a day,

in the middle of Lhassa, they will light up the biggest incense burner you have ever seen.

And singe the smell of yak butter candles from your nostrils.

The Stylists

   

The shop owners are fantastic!

From the prayer flag ladies who will tend the jewelry shops and style you pretty,

to the little boys who come equipped w/comb to try to brush

that strange looking woman's (that is a woman right??) hair.

The Faith

Prayer wheels everywhere.  

And prayer flags.

The sounds of them spinning (wheels) and flapping (flags)

still rings in my ears.

The Architecture

     

The first photo is actually Nepal.

Which we exited through and was HIGHLY worth it.

The second photo is why you really go to Tibet.

Lhassa in particular. Potala Palace.

The Perspective

     

     

Americans are really tall.

And warm blooded.

And rich.

And, did I mention, tall?

The Unspoiled Beauty

On the plateau, you come across deep valleys,

farm land,

and spectacular peeks at that amazing peak.

It's Tibetan name is

ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ,

Chomolungma.

Which our guide kept saying to me,

and I could not, for the life of me,

figure out what he was talking about.

Which was a bit unusual (he had impeccable English),

given that it was usually the driver that I totally could not understand.

Especially when he started chanting over the high altitude passes

When you are going over the passes, you are closer to God

 and he can hear your prayers more clearly. 

Clearly, that is why it was necessary to shout them at the top of your lungs. 

Which scared the pee out of me (maybe literally) the first time our driver did it.

The Paparazzi

     

Have you ever wondered 

what it was like to be Beyonce?

Maybe just for a day?

Well, in Beijing and then ESPECIALLY in Tibet,

I imagine I got a glimpse of that.

People couldn't figure out if I was a girl or a guy 

(upper bouyancy is the first thing to go when I'm in shape)

and not only did I have black girl hair,

I had WEIRD black girl hair.

Oh.

And I'm black.

Clearly,

there have only been 4 black people in Tibet.

And because they don't really have much TV,

they don't even get to know my people via Cosby.

It was intimidating.

Which is why I have to go back.

I was so busy avoiding the cell phones 

and crowds that were dragged clear across city squares

to "meet" me,

that I completely missed out on experiencing some cool stuff.

The Bucket List

     

     

That first picture? I am Tobogganing down the Great Wall of China.

Is that wild or WHAT?!

Of course, I had to add to my postcard collection

and ended up sending lots of loved ones

postcards from the highest post office on earth.

I got into the best shape of my life

(and need to do it again).

I researched the cultural history of an area 

and then went and lived it.

We went to Tibet in April of 2007.

You can see more of our photos

and read our diary

at our Tibet Portfolio website.

It was truly the trip of a lifetime.

I hope to go back.

Once we have kids.

Yes.

Seriously.

Linking up at the Listable Life Meme again.

*** 

Loving b3HD? 

Have a life and can't view the whole blog in one sitting? 

Then stalk us already! 

Scroll down, and become a follower!

Or follow B3HD the Blog on Twitter

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Promise not to stalk you back. Unless you want us to. 

***