Spring is in the air.

Can you feel it? Today was an unusual 70 degrees and it feels wonderful! I have the windows open and I am feeling antsy! I am in the mood to renew, refresh, redo my little apartment. Last weekend I was in Cincy and made a stop at IKEA with the plans to buy lots of new wares for my place. I got out of there with a respectable $40 worth of stuff and plans to go back for more.

Then, I got home to the dryer that is pulled apart waiting to be repaired (grr) and the oven that does not work and said to myself 'I have got to get out of this place'. P.S. my pretty little Malibu is growing very old and will need to be replaced in about a year. Basically, spending a bunch on new decor is not very practical right now. So, my focus has changed.

I am going to clean up, rearrange, refinish, repair, and do the most with what I have right now. Make the same look a little new. I figured I would give myself $100- 200 to play with. That's reasonable right?

I have been online combing for new ideas when I rambled on over the Apartment Therapy. They just happen to be doing a 2009 The Cure series to motivate people to make over their spaces. They promise cheap, clever ideas, inspiration and something new every week. EXACTLY what I need. I have already reserved the book from the library:




Not that you asked, but here is the short list of 2DO's for my space (pared WAY down from buying all new linens, a new lamp, new dining room chairs, and painting the whole place=) ):

- somehow replace/redo the ugly black lamp in my living room that doesn't match anything
- move around bookcases and contents, including my 'bar area' which right now is just a mishmash of glassware I have collected
- redo kitchen cabinets. They have these awful appliques that are half stuck to them and they need to be cleaned.
- bedroom? what I really want is a new comforter and bed skirt. something lighter and brighter. We will see how that goes.
- put something on the wall over the living room sofa.

Sounds reasonable?

Here's some inspiration I am working with:

vinyl wall art



My obsession with a wall mural started when I saw this post on Elizabeth Kartchner's blog. I can do that, right?

Yellow. I saw this pillow on Rachel Denbow's blog and thought something yellow and gray would look great in my bedroom, which has lovely lavender walls.



Did you know that paper company Basic Grey has started designing fabric? What? I love their paper, and I think this would make a FABULOUS bedspread

However at $8 a yard, it is not in my budget. But a girl can dream. You can find it here.

And, in my hunt to replace my ugly black living room lamp, I saw this post about recovering lamp shades with paper. A possibility?

p.s. I have little bitty wheelchair and kitty shaped scuffs on my walls, how do I clean them? Do I use one of those Mr. Clean scrubbers or is there an an easier way?

Have a good night!