Favorite Flowers

 My mother-in-law recently fell in love with a piece of art that would be perfect for her Tuscan inspired screened in back porch but was not ready to fork out the hefty price for something that would be hanging outside.  So, she asked if I could attempt to create something similar using some pallet wood that we have been hoarding (was holding all the tile that we recently installed).  My husband was more than happy to have a way to get rid of it and an excuse to use some of his tools.  After he created the 'canvas' I got started on the painting.  I intentionally went for a rustic and rough look since it will become more and more weathered over time anyway.  Can't wait to see it displayed on her Tuscan porch (in Florida).

After starting the Sunflower project, I was on a bit of a painting kick (and in need of a few Mother's Day gifts) and decided to keep going and make some smaller pieces for a few other momma's in my life.  The Amarylis was for my grandma-in-law (GG) because she sent me a beautiful one last year when we were living somewhere with very few flowers.  

Black Eyed Susan's are my mom's favorite flower and have been since my Dad first picked some for her 42 years ago.  He occasionally still stops on the side of the road to pick a bunch for her and brings them home in whatever fancy container he has on hand, usually a coke bottle.

Personalized Presentation

One of the most common mistakes I see in home decor is a lack of personal touches.  Many people feel that they just need to fill the space and forget to make it reflect themselves.  To make a home feel like YOUR home it has to represent you and your family.  Of course, there is nothing wrong with a few generic store bought elements but be sure to mix them in with your personalized details wherever possible to make your design more YOU.

Here are a few examples of ways that we have personalized our home both aesthetically and functionally...

Personal touches- The silver tray was a wedding gift, the mirror and the type writer box were both from antique store ventures with my mom, which is a pretty frequent thing(the type writer is on display in our office).  But, the real PERSONALIZATION here is in the functionality of this arrangement.  The storage basket (from World Market) is a hiding place for our 2 year olds train track toys and the console is of course a great place to hide all kinds of junk.  As I continue to share pictures or our home in future posts you will probably notice a trend of storage solutions for toys.  We are swimming in toys these days.  Entry Table- Hand-me-down from my parents that I refinished to tie in with the rug (also a hand-me-down).  No, that is not chalk paint.  It is just a paint and primer in one from Lowes and my own dark wax concoction (regular furniture wax with ebony stain mixed in).  The pulls are from Hobby Lobby.  

This wall decor collage is full of personal elements.  A print my Dad gave us from an artist in his hometown, a map of our beloved SouthEast, New Orleans print from our first road trip together, vintage postcard from our time living in Arizona and the Hobby Lobby magnet frame is a great way for us to switch out more temporary photos.  

The Family Business- This is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE artwork.  It may not be pretty to most people but it has a very personal story behind it and means so much to me to finally be able to display.  My grandfather was a draftsman and the hours and hours that I spent with him in his workshop growing up are a big part of why I decided to become a designer.  I actually used a lot of his drafting tools in my architecture classes in college and have several of them displayed throughout our home (including the two small compass on the wall).  This floor plan and detail that he drew were for a home that my parent's built that I grew up in from age 8-18.  Up close, you can see his perfect architectural handwriting and even eraser marks since this was an early on draft. I have been carrying these around for years and my parent's had these framed for us as our housewarming gift.  

MANTLE DECOR- I have a never ending obsession with switching out this arrangement, especially for various holidays.  Right now though, this is one of my favorite looks mainly because of my PRICELESS artwork.  Yes, that is a finger painting from my two year old!  I would much rather have this displayed than art from any other artist and the best part is it was free!  It makes me smile every time I see it and he loves to show off his "painting" to all of our visitors.  I always like to include elements from the various places that we have lived so when I saw an episode of Fixer Upper where they used cotton branches I had to steal the idea to represent the cotton farms that we live near.  The milk jug and window are more antique store finds and the vase and bird are my splash of color, I change my mind on colors pretty frequently too so I like to use things that are easily switched out or moved to other rooms.  

Farmer Sam

Here is a sneak peak at the theme for Sam's nursery.  We decided on a farm theme but only have a few elements that are strict to the theme so that we can switch them out as he gets older.  We also kept with the same basic color pallet as his older brother's room in case they ever end up sharing a room in a future house (very likely with how much we move).

The changing table is on loan from my sister, I think it was from Pottery Barn.  Canvas baskets are all  from Target and go great with the buffalo check that we re-used from his brothers room in a few places including the crib skirt and floor pillows (pictures in future post)

The Farm Animal artwork was a personal touch from Mommy and Daddy.  My husband made the plank 'canvases' and I hand painted the cute farm animals. I am thinking about making more to sell on Etsy in the near future.  Oh, and I ordered the minky and chevron blanket from OhSewCutiePie (the back is orange and white chevron).

Preparing to PCS...AGAIN

So we are moving cross country again for the second time in 6 months!!  Even though this time we not only have a toddler and I will be 6 months pregnant I am surprisingly NOT STRESSED!  To most normal, non-military people this kind of adventure would sound like a nightmare but we are actually really excited and really prepared.  Below is my TO-DO list for this last month before our big move.  I thought it might be helpful for some of you who are either new to  PCS moves or are just a little rusty.  Moving twice so close together is actually really helpful because the dos and don'ts are fresh in our minds.

PCS TO DO LIST...

Date	Task
5/6/14	Get medical records for J	Pick up on Post with his last appointment
5/10/14	Email Landlord Orders	Or as soon as we receive them
5/10/14	Paperwork on post	Get assigned a mover/packer and schedule walk thru for them to estimate weight, be sure to point out appliances that are yours, attic items, back yard, etc.
5/10/14	Set up pack/move date with movers	Pack 6/25-6/26- Load Truck 6/27
5/23/14	Set up final walk thru date with landlord	6/30 @9am- We are planning on getting on the road immediately after this but will have a few cleaning supplies and spackle on hand just in case we need to do anything last minute.  Also, don't forget to change out the air filters!
5/23/14	Notify Utilities of shut off date: electric, water, gas, cable	Shutoff on 7/1 so it is still on for walk thru
6/8/14	Start Prep for Packers	Assign areas for packing:  Wall stuff in Closets, Camper stuff in our bath
6/8/14	Take stuff off walls	Guest: Pics,drapes   Hall: Pics,hook,nooks  J: Shelves,books, pics  Fam: pics, drapes  Master: drapes
6/8/14	Patch holes
6/15/14	Find OBGYN in GA: Notify Tricare	Researched preferences ahead of time
6/15/14	Gather liquids	Organize by room/type
6/15/14	Gather Candles
6/22/14	Bag Drawers and Clothes	trash bags to group hanging items together (label), large zip locs for small items in drawers
6/22/14	Last minute wall stuff down	J’s Black out Drapes
6/22/14	Pack Camper	We have a camper that we stay in the last few days before move but you can prep your things that you will need during move process in a bathroom or separate room so the packers don't pack them.  List of suggestions below.
6/23/14	Get medical records for me	Most people can do this sooner but since I am preggers I am having one last appointment just before the move.
6/28/14	Clean House: dust, windows, mirrors, cabinets, counters, floors, baths, porches, garage, filter,	Carpet cleaners and final pest control (required by our landlord) will happen the day after movers take our things, we always stay in town for at least 2 days to clean and prep house so we can be sure to get our full rental deposit back.  It is also impossible to clean the house thoroughly with stuff still in it.
7/1/14	Get utilities turned on at new house: electric, water, gas, cable	Schedule this well in advance, can take a few days for them to actually get to your new home and you don't want to be without lights, hot water, etc.  Will also be needed if you plan on having carpets cleaned before movers arrive.  Find out from new landlord or previous owner if they did this after last move out so you aren't double cleaning for no reason.

A few other things to remember...

- We always leave cleaning out the fridge to last because we try to use up as much food/condiments as possible.  We have the camper to take some things with us but if you have no way to take cold items with you then consider asking friends and neighbors if they want anything before you throw it out.  Movers won't pack this stuff anyway so don't stress about it until they are done packing.  

- Important items- we use a large plastic bin to keep photo albums, baby books, jewelry, and other sentimental items that we would really be upset about if they were damaged or lost.  We take these things with us.  Basically, anything that you would truly miss and could not replace (sentimental not monitory) keep with you if you can.  If you are moving overseas, consider asking a family member to store for you while you are gone.  

- Documents- we have a small fire safe that we keep birth certificates, marriage license, etc. in so we just bring that with us to be safe.  You also will want to have a binder with all of your paperwork pertaining to your move.  

      - Military orders (several copies)

      - Lease agreements (new and old house) 

      - Purchase documents if buying a new home

      - Copies of last month of each utility bill

      - Phone numbers for new utility companies, landlord, realtor, anyone you might need to contact

      - Directions to new home and any hotels, rv parks, etc. that you are staying at along the way (just    in case cell phone isn't working when you really need it)

      - MOVING COMPANY CONTACT INFO INCLUDING THE TRUCK DRIVER"S CELL NUMBER- you will want to be able to contact them to see when your stuff will arrive at your new home.  Don't forget to get the truck driver's phone number and maybe even email.  

   You will also want to pack some things yourself and set aside so that you are prepared for the in-between days while the majority of your belongings are in transit.  Remember that when the packers come you need to be fully prepared ahead of time and have things clearly blocked off and labeled that you do not want them to pack.  I was really surprised how quickly they will get things packed and they usually split up to different parts of the house so you won't be able to still be working on your own in a different room.  We even had one pack the food that we bought for them to have while they were working because it wasn't exactly in the labeled and dedicated area we had assigned.  I have also heard of them packing trash cans with the trash still in them so make sure to take that out before they arrive or you could be in for a stinky situation.  Pack the same way you would if you were going on a trip but be sure to include a little extra in case there is a weather delay or something with the moving truck.  If you are planning on getting to your home before the movers and don't want to stay in a hotel you may want to include an air mattress, sheets, towels, simple provisions for meals,(paper plates, cups) etc.  

Since we move in our travel trailer we have pots, pans, plates, sheets, towels, etc. already set up in the trailer.  We add food, clothes, toiletries, toys, etc. and move to the RV park on post a few days before packers come to make it easier on us to not be living in an upside down house with our toddler.  You may want to consider staying in a hotel or with a friend once the packers show up or if you are more adventurous than us then make sure to set aside an air mattress and pac-n-play for kiddos.  

Suggested packing list...

- Clothes for transition time (comfy and things you can clean in)

- Toiletries for whole family

- Sensible shoes- again something you can clean in and wear for long car rides

- TOYS, books, car toys, dvd players, iPads, etc. - lots of ways to keep kids entertained

- Stroller, pac-n-play (with sheets), 

- Snacks for the car ride (red bull for my husband)

- Small cooler for drinks in the car

- Baby food, formula, bottles, pacifiers, bibs, etc. 

- Diapers and wipes 

- Jackets or bathing suits, depending on the weather.  If you stay somewhere with a swimming pool or big snow pile it might be nice to let the kids (and you) have a fun break

- Fill your iPod with lots of music and audio books to help with the drive.  Mickey Mouse videos work great for our toddler too.

Suggestions we have used from friends...

- Put all drawer/basket items in bags (we use giant zip locs and trash bags).  Packers will sometimes just dump drawers boxes and it can be a nightmare to unpack and re-organize.  If you group your utensils then it is much easier for unpacking quickly.  I will even be putting my clothes in trash bags this time so they don't all come un-folded and I will label by season, type, mine/husbands so we can find what we need faster.  

- Special toys- a friend of mine buys a few new books and toys for her kids and also hides a few of their favorites a little bit out from the move.  That way, when they are in the car for hours and hours she can pull out an old favorite or a new exciting toy and keep them entertained a little longer.  

- Nap time travel- Our toddler is still taking two naps a day so we try and schedule our drive time during those naps.  This may mean stopping for a long lunch and play place somewhere but it is much easier on us all to have a sleepy baby than a cranky baby in the car.  If you are driving in separate cars you could always send one ahead to set up the hotel for the night.  

- Make your trip a real trip- Usually we are on a bit of a time crunch to get to the new home before the movers but if we can we try and squeeze in a few fun stops.  The big plus to being military is that we have friends all over the country so we usually try and stop for a visit (even if it is just dinner) along the way.  There are also endless road side attractions all across the country that can give the whole family a nice break.  Map out your route well in advance and search online (or in an atlas) for fun stops that aren't too far off your path.  

Finally!  Have FUN!!  Make your move an adventure, not a stressful event.  If you are upset about leaving your current post take some time to research and discover your new post.  Find Facebook groups, blogs, events, etc. that you can get involved in even before the move so you know what you have to look forward to.  Every post has something to look forward to and if not, at least you know with the military that it isn't permanent:) 

Spray Paint Crazy for Fall Decor

Metallics are HUGE this season in everything from fashion, to jewelry and of course home decor.  After a recent trip to Home Goods (which is a pretty frequent thing for me) I noticed that I was gravitating towards everything shiny.  Since like most people I can't afford to buy new accessories every time the trends change I went to my favorite DIY fix, spray paint.  I probably drive my neighbors crazy with the spray paint fumes outside our house year round but it is one of my favorite things.  I was having withdrawals after my recent pregnancy made me put the hazardous chemicals away for awhile so I may have gone a little crazy making up for lost time.  

Here are just a few SUPER SIMPLE fall decor updates.  All I did was pick a few accessories from around the house and sprayed them with a variety of metallic paints.  For the wall medallion I used a water downed black acrylic paint over the silver paint to give it an aged look.  

The pumpkins are from a local craft store.  I love this look on top of my China cabinet along with a few of my more rustic accessories. 

Visit mgfinteriors.com for more specific help with your home. 

Long Distance Custom Home Design

Get ready for an over-share. I apologize in advance for sharing way too many pics and details in this post but I am really excited about it.  I have been working on the design for a custom home in Tampa, FL while living in Georgia and finally got to visit the site last weekend to see the progress.  I had not been since the tile, cabinets and a few other major details had gone in so I was a little nervous.  I had seen them all via cell phone pics but it just isn't the same.  Thankfully, everything looks AMAZING and it is all coming together perfectly.  We are only a few weeks out from the final touches so better pictures will be coming shortly but for now here are some of the progress pictures...

My only contribution to the exterior was the lighting but I had to share because I love the nautical style wall sconce for this lake front home, especially against the brick.

 Pictures just don't do these rustic Alder wood cabinets justice.  They turned out beautiful thanks to the experts at Park Avenue Designs.  (Back splash still to come.)

The pool bath will have a gorgeous copper vessel sink that brings out the copper details in the granite from Custom Marble Works.

Love the cabinet hardware throughout that was chosen by Jeff at Park Avenue.

In LOVE with the brick wall that carries from the kitchen into the breakfast area.  We also tied the two areas together with the lighting.  Hard to tell with the protective plastic but the pendants and chandeliers all have 'orb' details to tie them together.  Lighting doesn't necessarily have to be from the same collection or even the same finish but I like to find one element that ties the different pieces together.  This is a very open concept home so it works well to have a detail that unites the different lighting elements in a subtle way.

I can not wait to unwrap these beautiful Restoration Hardware fixtures in the foyer and dining room.  Again, these two spaces are open to each other so we chose something that worked together.  Normally, I would have gone with even more contrast between the two fixtures but the homeowners were in love with the iron orbs so we found a way to work them both in.  She loves the glitz of the crystal and he loves the masculine iron work so the dining fixture was a great for both.  I had a few skeptics about the over-sized fixtures but they are perfect for the space!!

This custom home is being built by Gray Homes of Tampa Bay.

For details on how to get help with your next design project visit mgfinteriors.com

It's Fall Y'all

mgfinteriors.webs.com

FALL SALE and FREEBIE!!  In honor of 

the first FALL FEELING DAY (kinda) MGF Interiors is 

offering 10% off all design services to anyone 

who shares our website on their Facebook and 

Pinterest.  

PLUS!!  For a limited time we are offering a 

FREE 

DESIGN CONSULTATION to

 the first person 

whose recommendation brings in a new client.  

This offer is only valid for a short time so HURRY, 

HURRY , HURRY and book your design consultation at

mgfinteriors.webs.com.  

(to be eligible for 10% off you must provide proof that you have shared mgfinteriors.webs.com on both your facebook and pinterest.  For the Free consultation you must provide proof that your recommendation brought in a new client)

BABY ROOM PRINTS

As a military family, travel is a big part of our lifestyle and of course we move pretty frequently.  I wanted to incorporate the places we are from, where our son was born and the places we will go into his room.  I found these great frames at Target and created my own custom prints that incorporate some of our favorite quotes and songs.  A very inexpensive way to create some custom prints for Baby Jack's room.  Check out the completed room on my design site mgfinteriors.webs.com.  

mgfinteriors.webs.com

mgfinteriors.webs.com

mgfinteriors.webs.com

mgfinteriors.webs.com

Rustic Dining Room

MGF Interiors has a great new design project to showcase.  Valerie and Ryan displayed their collection of great antiques and furniture pieces from their years of travel together along with a few new, yet still rustic finds.  This great design mixes high end pieces with thrifty finds seamlessly and truly reflects their personal style.     

mgfinteriors.webs.com

mgfinteriors.webs.com

MGF Interiors

EXCITING NEWS!!!  My new website and business has finally launched!  Please visit http://mgfinteriors.webs.com/ for more information on how you can get personalized design tips for your home.  I am offering COLOR CONSULTATIONS, DESIGN INSPIRATIONS, FULL DESIGN CONSULTATIONS AND HOME STAGING TIPS at really affordable rates.