Month: April 2011

Gimme a Giveaway: Siiso

Published on by Our Humble Abode67 Comments

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries, Thank You!***

It’s no secret we love the art from Siiso.  The distinct abstract style filled with color and texture tickles our fancy.  We ordered an Autumn Landscape for our bird, tree and feather gallery.  While discussing our order, Yangyang agreed to send us a print to give to one of our readers.  Up for grabs today is an 7.5 by 9 inch Blossoms Series 2010-03 print.

This print is modern, whimsical, surreal and colorful and perfectly sized to fit in a standard frame, matted or unmatted.

Want a chance to win?  Here’s some info:

The Goods: One 8.5 inch by 11 inch, signed Blossoms Series print from Siiso.

To Enter: Subscribe to follow Our Humble A{Bowe}d, if you’re not already. To subscribe, click the “Sign Me Up!” button under “Be the first to know.” Once you’ve subscribed, leave a comment, which can (but doesn’t have to) include our Just for Fun question.

Just for Fun: Tell us which artist you would most like to be, or have the skills of.  Or, which skill or trade would you like to learn?  Under water basket weaving?  Silk spinning?  Throwing pottery?  It can be anything.  If you have a reason and would like to share, please do.

For additional entries:

1. Place your vote for our office and the boys’ bedroom to help us win $5000. (You can learn more about that here) Be sure to leave another comment confirming your vote.

2. ‘Like’ Our Humble A{Bowe}d on Facebook, come back and leave another comment.

3.  Add Siiso to your Etsy favorites and tell us which piece is your favorite.

Contest Closes: Thursday, May 5th at 9:00 pm, central time.

Number of Winners: One!

Ships: Anywhere in the U.S.

Other Info: We will select the winner using random.org and announce on Friday, May 6th. Good luck!!  Also, Siiso is offering 10%, so if you don’t win the giveaway, or Blossoms 2010-03 isn’t your favorite print, you can still get a deal.  Just send a message mentioning Our Humble A{Bowe}d 10% off.

Please note: We were not compensated for this post, we simply love the item we’ve purchased from this shop and want to share with you.

All images found via the featured Etsy seller’s listing as linked above.

Note to Self

Published on by Our Humble Abode11 Comments

Couches with removable cushions are great for several reasons.  Easy to clean, just unzip the slip cover, throw it in the wash, let it dry and you’re back in business.  Removing the cushions allows vacuuming.  Rotate and flip regularly to keep wear and tear even, prolonging the life of the piece.  All great benefits.

But, they will become a fort, everyday, for the foreseeable future.  Benefit?

My boys play together.  {Yes, that is a diaper door.}

They make each other laugh.  And me, too.  They hide.  They climb.

And sometimes (rarely), they fall asleep in the fort.  Even though the mess drives me crazy, they have a blast, and I have fun watching them.  If you have kids, I highly recommend choosing a couch with removable, slip covered cushions, for several reasons.

My sisters and I used to make a fort out of our drop leaf dining table, so if you just bought a couch, but need a dining table, that would work well for fort building, too.  What did you or your kids use to make a fort?  I dreamed of having a canopy bed when I was a kid.  How about you?  What’s your dream furniture?  What was your dream profession as a child?  I had two.  To be an artist, and if that failed, I wanted to make architectural models, like Mike Brady.  True story.  I was a strange kid, now I’m an even stranger adult.  Ha.

A (Nearly) Finished Office

Published on by Our Humble Abode18 Comments

Has the suspense built enough?  Are you anxiously awaiting the reveal of my office cabinets?  Well, just a minute, let’s reminisce, shall we?  Last spring, my office looked like this:

Almost finished, just needed drawers and cabinet doors.  Over the summer, Ben made cabinet doors.  We waited, and waited, and procrastinated, and waited some more until several months had passed.  Then, a month ago, Ben installed the drawers in my office, filling the gaping hole to the left of my desk.

Now, after several painting sessions, we were ready to install the cabinet doors.  Adding the hinges was simple enough.  Ben drilled a hole for the hidden hinge to rest in, then screwed it in place.

After securing the hinges to the door, Ben hung the doors on the cabinet.  After a few adjustments, finally, the other huge void in my heart my office has been filled, by cabinet doors.

We used the same design as the theater room and added modern cylinder handles from Home Depot for $20.00 for 10.  Here’s a tip, make your own hardware template by measuring the distance from the top and sides of your cabinet.  Mark on a scrap of paper, then measure and mark the holes for the handle.  Poke holes to easily transfer the screw placement to each door.  I made a set for a left and right side.

This little piece of paper will save time while keeping the placement consistent on each door.

 

To make the space even more functional, we’ve added a few extra features.  Like this closet rod to store my packing paper.

I want to add a hook or two to the right, in front of the paper to hang a reusable shopping bag to corral outgoing mail.

Also on the list, adding a pull out shelf above the computer tower to get the printer off the work surface and clear the clutter.

For a dose of fun, I would love to paint the shelf a poppy color, like the pull out shelf in Yellow Brick Home’s amazing media wall.

Fun, right?  You know what else is fun?  Finally organizing the cabinets.  While I was tearing my office apart, I decided to rearrange my shelves.

I found a cute drawing on Pinterest, so I printed it and popped it in an IKEA frame.  It says, “I want a boy who will build me bookshelves.”  A perfect fit for me and Ben as that is one of the traits I love about him, his handiness.  One of my globes moved down a shelf and I added a vase to corral paint swatches.

It is amazing how much brighter the room feels by covering the shadowed cabinets with crisp white doors.  If you follow us on Facebook, you know I’ve been painting.  Any guesses on what?  With nice weather comes painting, lots of it.  Even though I detest painting, I’ll be happy to have it done.  What is your least favorite home improvement task?

P.S.  We’re still looking for your questions for us.  Anything you want to know, and, it doesn’t have to be home related.  It’s going to be a lame Q and A if we only have three questions.  *Smile*

Draw the Curtain

Published on by Our Humble Abode6 Comments

Or, our newly installed cabinet doors in the theater room.  Our nearly finished basement has been just that, nearly finished, for over a year.  A few drawers, drawer fronts and cabinet doors remained.  Last summer, Ben had built the cabinet doors for my office and the theater room entertainment center.  Then, the doors stayed in the garage, unprimed and unpainted for, umm, roughly nine months.  Why does building and finishing cabinet doors take longer than building a baby?  For some reason, we never pushed to complete these tasks.  Until recently.  Over the weekend, we hung the cabinet doors, say it with me, “Finally!”  That’s right, folks.  The entertainment center is nearly finished.

Of course, Ben couldn’t complete this task alone.  He had some help from his apprentice.

Yes, he did crawl over to plop his big baby booty right where Ben was working.  He has skillz.

These doors are on a sliding track system, so a few screws was all it took to install the rollers.  We chose sliders to minimize damage from small hands and keeping the furniture arrangement as open as possible.

The cabinets quickly became a fort and Vincent had so much fun surprising Everett.

We still have to add the door pulls and install the shelves.  If we had followed our original plan, the entertainment center would be completed.  But, something has bothered us about this space.  Too many components are visible.  And, speakers do not allow for decorative items take center stage.  So, now we have  a few more cabinet doors to make, to cover the shelving.  Doors that allow the remotes and sound to function properly.  We have considered either a decorative metal screen, commonly used in radiator covers, and fabric.  Ben is concerned the metal will interfere with the speakers, so fabric is our only option.  Of course, we’ll share when we get those built, probably two years from now.

I’m going to be a tease and build the suspense by sharing the office with you tomorrow.  For now, I want to know if you relaxed over Easter weekend.  Or, did you use the weekend as an opportunity to get some work done?  Either way, did you have fun?

P.S.  Our 1 year blog anniversary is coming up on May 14, so we thought it would be fun to compile all of your questions for a little Q and A post.  If you have a question (or several) about us, our lives, our house or anything really, leave a comment on this post and we’ll answer your questions!  Fun, right?

Etsy Favs: March and April

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Somehow, March flew by before I could share my newly added Etsy favs, so I decided to make this a little longer than usual.  If I hadn’t already bought a bird feeder, this one by Pigeon Toe Ceramics would be a cool alternative.  Who am I kidding?  I can’t afford that!  But it sure is cool, right?

You know I’m obsessed with birds, and this original watercolor feather painting by The Nightjar would work perfectly in our gallery wall.

If you like Pride and prejudice, this tea towel from Brookish is perfect for you.

Need a clock?  Uncommon has great clocks, like the tiny scallop.

And we’re back with the birds!  Love this adorable Fire Bird made in Israel by Studio Kahn.

Add a little quirk to any space with this Light Vase by John Corcoran Design.

If quirk isn’t your thing, but you need a small vase, check out this Love Birdies vase in white by Red Hot Pottery.

Customize any space with a Wedding Scroll from My Sweet Prints.

Store magazines in style with the M is for Magazine rack from Paper Doll Wood Shop.

Bug Under Glass has tons of great real framed butterflies.  So classic, pretty and natural.

Monograms are great, but moss-covered monograms, like these from A Stylish Design are even better.

How beautiful would a monogram look hanging from a front door to greet guests (and those annoying solicitors)?

Wood scraps can be recycled and turned into beautiful art, similar to the pieces from Paint Square.

Clay Shapes makes really awesomely textured bowls, like these Snow Bowls.

Must learn to make origami koi like Mabona Origami.  Does anyone know how?  Spill if you do!

For baby, this Rising Sun mobile from Jenna Bee’s Paper Creations gives baby something interesting and bright to look at while getting a diaper change.

An origami lampshade from Studio Snowpuppe would add texture and modern elegance to any dining room or living space.

Here’s a modern walnut clock by Off Cut Studio is so sleek and clean, perfect for the bachelor.

Silhouettes are elevated when cut from beautiful leaves, as demonstrated by Jenny Lee Fowler.  Such a unique spin!

Add humor and a kitchen aid with this Charcoal Cow Butchery Diagram from Drywell.

Get eco-friendly, high-efficiency laundry detergent from Mrs. Jones’ Soapbox.

A little bird told me this Fill in the Blank print from Bird Ave was adorable.

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How high-end does this paper mache bowl made by Up in the Air Somewhere look?  Answer: very.

To fuel my love for all things miniature, this succulent necklace from Woodland Belle.

Cottage Light Studio‘s Summer Meadow print makes these rainy days a little brighter at the hope of summer.

I think this Home Sweet Home print by Sparkle Power would look homey and sweet in an entry.

Feeling uninspired at work?  Play with these Walnut Zen Blocks to pass the time.  

Keep your cotton balls safe with this ceramic cotton tailed bunny by Texas Ceramics.

Am I the only person in love with dandelion art?  I can’t be.  If you are, too, check out this print from Raceytay.

Commemorate road trips with a United States map marked with up to 10 cities from January Jones Prints.

Yes, I know.  Another map.  Birds and maps, I’m predictable at least.

We’ve also added a few prints to our Etsy shop.  This pressed feather original art print, similar to the print we made for our bird gallery wall.

Next, we added a modern honeycomb pattern with bee in flight for a cute reminder to bee happy.

If you’ve had your eye on something in our Etsy shop, or want a personalized gift for mom, we’ve got good news for you.  Use the code LOVEMOM15 when checking out to receive 15% off your entire order, now through Mother’s day, May 8th.

Also, we have to send out a huge thank you and virtual hug to my blog friend Jen at IHeart Organizing for her continued support.

Jen always has such great, practical ideas, and we’re especially loving her 30 items in 30 days challenge.  Who doesn’t need a kick in the pants to get rid of some stuff?  If you need more help getting yourselves organized, stop in the IHeart Organizing Etsy shop to stock up on personalized labels and templates.

So, there ya have my March and April Etsy favs.  What are you waiting for?  Start shopping!  Not that I need encouragement to shop, but what made it to your Etsy favs recently?

Please note:  We were not compensated for this post, we simply think these items are great and wanted to share with you.

All  images found via the featured Etsy seller’s listing as linked above.

P.S.  Are you looking to gain exposure for your blog or shop?  We would love to advertise with you.  Please e-mail Amanda at ourhumbleabowed@gmail.com for more details.