• @bellebeandog thanks for the invite to the 30DS group – I still need to get the video *slaps forehead* in reply to bellebeandog #
• finishing up some afternoon work, then it's the weekend! #
• admin email? DONE #
• I have internet again! yay #
• lame sauce. Safari just crashed. boo #
• dinner time – lemongrass grilled beef, corn on the cob with some sort of butter sauce, and cucumber salad #

• monogram giveaway here -> http://tinyurl.com/2vvhuyz #
• I think I'm going to reupholster a chair…am I nuts? #diy #
• off to pick up milk and our CSA share #
• I hate when I'm eating and I have to sneeze #
• cutting coupons – I've turned into such a domestic! #
• @MomNom I had some issues with photos not showing up in my RSS feed from wordpress, but they're on my post. Weird… in reply to MomNom #
• thanks for all of the followers from #31DBBB #
• @CrowndVic I hated registering. Took forever! Check out my blog for top 10 kitchen supplies – I just wrote it today! in reply to CrowndVic #
• anyone know of a good comment plugin for wordpress that allows you to approve via email? (not disqus) #31DBBB #SITSgirls #problogger #
• Just put dinner in the oven – baked corn mac 'n cheese! #dinner #
• @SusieKline your dinner sounds delish! I just put corn mac n cheese casserole in the oven – ready in 30 mins in reply to SusieKline #
• @_baako thanks for the follow! #ff in reply to _baako #
• @bellebeandog I think I need to get a copy – everyone says 30DS is awesome! in reply to bellebeandog #
• busy getting some work done – finally! #
• rain rain go away! #

• @passionatehome is having a giveaway for a dehydrator! Don't mind if I do #
• cooking dinner! #
• Dinner tonight: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Swiss-Chard-with-Pinto-Beans-and-Goat-Cheese/Detail.aspx #
• just finished the new compost bin! It's already full of leaves from last fall, and some kitchen scraps. We're on our way to awesome soil! #
• @CentsationalGrl awesome! what are you painting? in reply to CentsationalGrl #
• updating some blog stuff today… #
• some major changes on my blog – I got it to have a separate blog for running! #

• we drove home last night and saw the most BEAUTIFUL sunset to the west, and a full rainbow to the east. It was stunning #
• kitchen cleaned and mopped, and two windows cleaned, plus I finished the bathrooms. Huzzah! #
• looking forward to reading some new books I got from the library! #reading #
• just finished baking carrot bread – yum! #

• meal planning for the week! #

• working hard at getting ahead for the weekend #
• I'm pretty sore still from my runs this week, and I have to face the gym again tomorrow. *sigh* #
• confession: I kinda want to go to the apple store to check out the new iphone #iphone #apple #

I have a confession:  I’m obsessed with pillows.  I love having a bed made up with pillows, coordinating or not, but the more the merrier!  Same with a sofa or chair – it’s not complete without a throw pillow.

Right now, I’m a little pillow-perplexed for our master bedroom.  We have 4 pillows on our king size bed – 2 kings and 2 standards.

What’s perplexing is how to have a more finished look with decorative pillows – shams and toss pillows.  I’m really not sure if I should do 3 big square ones (Euro shams) or 2, and if I do, do I keep the standards?  Layer them? Get something else?  TOO MANY QUESTIONS!

Do you have any pillow advice to give?  I’m a little stuck.  In the mean time, here’s a few pictures that have given me some different ideas for a solution.

Looks like 2 king pillows, and either a body pillow or two small pillows, and one euro or small toss in front.

Queen with two standards, one Euro, 2 small toss pillows, and a small rectangle pillow

Queen with two Euros, and one toss. Probably two standards behind.

Queen with two Euros, two standards, and two toss.

King with three Euros, two kings, and two bolsters

This one above is one of few pics I could find with 3 euros  - I’m not sure I really like it in the back.

King with three Euro shams, two kings, and one toss

This one also has 3 Euros in the very back – I like this a little better since the 2 kings are a bit more interesting of a print.

I think this is a king - two Euro shams, two standards, and three toss pillows

Queen with two standard shams, two standards, and three toss pillows

Looks like a King with two Euro shams, two standards, and three bolster rectangles

King bed with two standard pillows hiding in the back, two Euro shams, two standard shams, one square toss, and one bolster

• installing a dishwasher – glamourous life of a new homeowner! #
• hard drive back up – yay! #
• saw "where the wild things are" – definitely different than I expected, but a good movie nonetheless! #
• Giveaway on Centsational Girl's blog! http://tinyurl.com/2wrwxed #

• our new DW and patio furniture just arrived! Squeal! #

My first design board is for my younger sister, Carrie, and her husband, John.  I’ve been bugging my sister for a couple of months to send me pictures of her living room so I could give her a mood board.  They live in a nice 70s ranch that they’ve been slowly sprucing up with modern light fixtures and punchy fun colors.  Here’s the note from my sis:

Here’s our living room pictures, finally! I do have a large painting to put up, it’s mostly reds/oranges/some blues (modern) and I also found this really cool piece that’s pretty big too to put on the wall. It’s an old window with a cool modern red Coo Coo clock decal on it. Sorry I didn’t take pictures of those. We want to eventually have a big bookcase (probably Ikea) on the big wall behind the couch, and probably a small desk back there too. There’s probably 4 feet of space behind the couch.

Have fun designing our LR!

Carrie

Here’s their design board with a layout of the room.

First, they’ll keep the current soft turquoise blue walls, the couch, rug, the window treatments, and the turquoise lamp.  If there’s room for the rocking chair, then keep that too.  I’ve incorporated orange/coral, red, and a bit of purple/mauve for accent colors to give the room some interest.  Let’s get to the new stuff!

1. This TV console from Ikea will help anchor this wall and give a nice spot for their current TV, plus either a few accessories or a lamp.  Then it can transition for a widescreen TV later on if they choose.
2. Above the TV, it would be awesome if there were two floating shelves, stacked about 12 inches apart, for displaying photos, plants, accessories, or books.
3. Some sort of table or chest behind the couch would be great.  Since there’s not enough room for a coffee table in front of the couch, this will add an extra landing spot for drinks and snacks, maybe even a lamp.  I’d love to see a glossy red painted campaign dresser (scour around on craigslist) or a light and airy glass topped table, which are also plentiful on craigslist.
4. Storage is definitely needed, so we’re bringing in some fun shelves (turned on their side) along that huge wall – check out these simple square ones, or these more mod multi-sized ones, both in a brown/black color.  Above it, they can display their artwork and a few more accessories.  They can also add some fun and playful storage boxes from Ikea (white, orange, and basket-weave!) to hide a few items if they want.
5. Plopping two of these clear glass lamps on either end will add a bit of symmetry to the wall, especially if they put their art piece in the middle.
6. There are two options for working a desk space into their living room – either add a simple desk with side cube storage and display space, or forego the shelves and have a desk/wall shelf combo like this.  Since Carrie & Jon have a big pooch, I’d recommend the first option just so they don’t end up with wagging tails knocking stuff over all of the time, but this desk/shelf unit from Crate Barrel would also be a great space saving solution.
7. If Jon and Carrie need some extra light for their work space, placing their turquoise lamp they already own in the corner will add just enough.  To further decorate this space, they could use some simple boxes for storage, and add a nice simple botanical print in a basic white Ikea frame above the desk.
8. A nice parsons chair for the desk will look beautiful, and can double as extra seating as needed when guests stop by.  Brown leather, tan suede, or white would be best.
9. The space in between the window and the door is begging for some artwork or photos.  This would be a great space for a vertical display of several of Jon & Carrie’s favorite pics from their honeymoon, or of other favorite memories.
10. If there’s enough room by the front door, a simple hanging rack and this handy storage ottoman will help sort jackets and scarves and be a welcomed place for guests to kick off their shoes.  If space is limited, either skip the ottoman, or place the ottoman next to the door under the photos.
11. Some bright and fun pillows will help add some color to their couch.
12. A bunch of different fun accessories to dress up their shelves can be spread through out the room on the floating shelves above the TV, or along the bookshelves.  Look for things in the purple/mauve color – like these small glass vases from West Elm, or this larger bamboo vase from Z Gallerie; red, orange/coral – like this natural coral; and turquoise – like this vase.  White, (here, and here too!) and clear and natural woods will work too.

I hope you like it, little sis  I had fun decorating your living room.  Most of the items are relatively affordable, and a lot of the fun accessories could be substituted out for similar objects in the same colors found at Home Goods or any other home decor store.  Happy shopping!