Speaking Of Blue..

Painting the exterior of the house must be really getting to me, because I'm starting to dream in blue. It is making me realize just how much I love that colour!

While browsing blogland today, I found two photos that perked my interest. Here is one design photo featuring a set of blue coral artwork.



As soon as I saw it, it reminded me of this artwork that I did for the kitchen, which is available for purchase at Bird and Bear (I'm also getting a lot of request for the 'BlueShrimp', so I will be making that available on the website shortly)



And I also spotted this photo online. Notice the sign



'Hippies Use Backdoor' - hah! I've looked at this sign for sale at Michael'sCrafts a billion times, and loved it, but never knew where I would use it. Love the application of it in that room though!

I find it especially funny because my little brother is a hu-uge hippie. He's an old photo of him that is my favorite.



Ahh, reminds me that I need to go to the beach lots this weekend. Are you going to the beach this weekend? Are you going to try and get some colour on those 'chalky-white' legs of yours? Did you slap your friend Jamie when he said your legs looked 'chalky-white'? Oh. Just me then.

My Sidney, BC readers will probably find this story interesting!

Bird and Bear

We at MorganDesignInc are so pleased to announce the official release of our online store 'Bird and Bear'!!!

Finally we have a place to let you take home some of the great products that you've seen on this blog. We have just added a few items, but I was too excited to wait any longer to show you! You'll see for sale the infamous 'Blue Crab' art piece, as seen here, and a new project of custom silhouettes. These are such a cute gift for Moms and Grandmas (I already gave my mom one of my nephew Will)

More items will of course be posted, but I couldn't wait to share the news.

I am also in the process of starting a 'Bird and Bear' magazine, due to come out this summer.

Cheers!

Art Inspiration

Just had to share the latest obsession at MorganHouse (well, one of the latest obsessions). While
cruising blog land, a few great and easy DIY artwork projects caught my eye.

Now, I'm pretty crafty (not like that, but just in case - keep your eye on me) but I think these few projects are easy enough for even the faint at heart. All you need is a little pat on the back and a good 'you-can-do-it' from someone. So, here it is: "You can doooo it!!" Good - now get to work.

Best part is, all these project could be done with still being friendly to the bottom line. I'm a firm believer that you don't need any (okay, much) money to get the house you want. Further proof that money doesn’t buy happiness (only gift cards to HomeSense buy happiness.)


I'm a huge fan of basic pattern painted canvases - so cheap and easy to do! Even the plain yellow one above makes a great statement. And if you aren't crafty enough to paint one colour on one canvas, I have no idea how you were able to find the 'on' button to the computer


A canvas painted with a simple drip method - love it! Pick two or three colours, turn the canvas on its side, and slop the paint on the top, leaving time to dry in between colours. Can't get much easier!


Fabric wrapped canvas! Yes. It's that easy. Don't let these designers fool you

Ceiling medallions! Grab a few from a used furniture store or garage sale (or HomeDepot... if you must..) spray them gloss white or a fun colour - instant wall art! Considering this for my upper hallway (but I know for a fact that I will have trouble convincing Hubby)

I'll leave you with some weekend music to get you pumped up for Friday. Happy decorating!

Charley Harper

Loving Charley Harper prints lately, and I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you. I'm thinking I need to get a few prints and hang them in the spare room, and maybe once the bathroom reno is done, put a few in there as well. What do you think?

UsedVictoria Thursdays

This past week was a busy week for MoganHouse. We had the AnnualDeanPark garage sale, where we scored a ton of great deals (which I've obviously already started attacking with a spray paint can). I also found a few great deals on UsedVictoria!

An 18" tin star for only $2!!! She obviously didn't know what she had, but I was happy to take it off her hands (one of the only times I've paid asking price for something!)

A cute wood table, which I have small plans for (future post, of course). She was asking $25, but I got it for only $15

Sorry I didn't tell you about them sooner - but you might have blabbed. Here are a few great items for sale on UsedVictoria right now (that I haven't stolen from under your noses!)

Neat old chest for $30

Cute side table! Paint it a light Easter colour for some shabby chic goodness for only $25!

At $200, it's more than I would want to spend on this side table, even if it is from the 1800's - but I have to admit I love its shape!!

Equestrian Chic

Thinking about my lovely sister-in-law, wait, scratch that - 'wine buddy' Brooke today, and it has given me a little equestrian inspiration.

Her beautiful big boy 'Abe'

Brooke and Abe in a show (both girl and horse clean up pretty nice)

The barn - love the ceilings!

Although I am no horse rider myself, and am still a little skidish whenever I go to the barn, I absolutely love the soul full feeling a little pony love gives an interior design. Check out some of my favorite interiors featuring some equestrian chic:

Dean Park Annual Garage Sale

Garage sale Sundays!! Okay, just kidding - but I do have a big juicy post for today! Yesterday was the Annual Dean Park Garage Sale. Hubby and I hit it bright and early with our friends Cory, Julie and her daughter. It was not only a blast, but by far the most productive 'deal hunting' day I have ever had.

Above are a few of my awesome deals - I got all the frames above for $2 total! Lamp cost from left to right was: free, $1, $2 and $2. Score. I of course have big plans for all of these. Most of the frames I will be painting white and using for a photo collage wall in the dining room. The lamp shades will all have to go, since they are obviously hideous, and all lamps will be painted a different colour.

Above is my free lamp that I found at the end of the day. Hideous? Yes. Salvageable? Yes. Probably. Richard has his doubts, but knows better than to get between his wife and a can of spray paint. I have a feeling this will not only be beautiful when I'm done with it, but one of my favorite items. Time will tell.

Above: another hideous item - but I know it will be perfect with a little (a lot) of elbow grease. And for $10 for a bar cart - I don't mind splurging a few hours.

And now, for the deal of my life: the cane chair of my dreams. It is exactly what I have been on the hunt for to go in our bedroom. At one garage sale yesterday, a lady was sitting on it while she was selling her items. On a whim, I just asked her if it was for sale, thinking if it was anything under $100 it was a steal. "Oh yep! $10." What? "I'LL TAKE IT" I yelled louder than I'd like to admit.

And it's in perfect shape!! Even the upholstery is a nice colour! This chair is worth $300-500 in rough shape - so at $10 this was a no brainer.

And now a side shot...

Ouu, and one of that lovely leg..

Okay, fine, I'm done.

Not pictured are a scrapbook paper box for free, 4 large metal planters for $10 total. Also, a bunch of 'boy things' that don't really fit in the whole design blog category, although Hubby assures me they were amazing deals (chainsaw for $20, two free weed whackers, $2 tool box, to name a few). And that's not even including the free basketball hoop and $5 hockey net that Cory scored. The boys had just as much luck as the girls.

And lastly, a photo of me. Wait, no - 'The $2 Lamp Diva'. Yes, I like that. Cheers!

Our Dining Room

I'm a big fan of 'before and after's. But, since I feel like we are never quite done renovating and decorating a room, I prefer to use the phrase 'before and progress'.

The dining room reno started one New Years day, when I (thinking I was being very sly finding a loophole to Richard's renovation clause) torn off the trim and started the drywall mudding process to get rid of that hideous wall texture (bleck!) After mudding, and sanding, and painting, and trimming came.... wait for it.... the house flood.

So,... some drying out of the house, new flooring, then... wait for it... mudding, and sanding, and painting, and trimming. No wonder we're getting so good at it.

Although I still want to recover the chairs in a pretty light blue fabric, toss in a Persian rug, and maybe paint the buffet and hutch - here is my 'progress'

Recap of some 'expenses' :

- buffet and hutch (FREE! Burnt to a crisp, and I sanded and refinished it)

- dining table (FREE! Second hand from Rich's Dad)

- two floral prints (Prints: 3 for $15 at Ikea, Frames: $8 for a set of two)

- set of 5 chairs ($100 for set on UsedVictoria - score!)

- drapes ($100 for the set from Fabricland)

- bar table (FREE! Just had to sand and refinish..)

Kitchen Art

Although our kitchen has been renovated for a long time (er, like 1 1/2 years...), it has never really felt complete to me. I wanted to bring in a little artwork and colour, but was unsure how to get a hint of colour yet preserve the general feeling of the room.

C

I grabbed my trusty scissors and got cuttin! Well, after I made blue pattern paper on the computer and printed it, since I couldn't find any scrapbooking paper I like (what do you mean I'm too picky?!) And, what do you think! Also a tiny peak at my kitchen - more photos to come, I promise.

C

C

Sweet Stamps

The truth is, I love old things. And besides this being a joke about my husband being no spring chicken, it is also true for all things design. It's not that I don't see how fantastic modern design can be in all sleek and sexy-as-red-lipstick charm, I just am both too creative and industrious (AKA cheap) to let a sparkily package distract me from the ol' whimsey of all things classic.

.

China, 1976

.

While cleaning out our spare bedroom this weekend, I came across my collection of old stamps from Grade 2 (really? Does it really surprise you that I collected stamps at age 7?)

Hong Kong, 1973

Australia, 1956 - am I the only one that finds these cool??

.

I took a peek at them - and quickly realized that they were much older than I thought - early 70's for most. There were ones from China, Polska (Poland), New Zealand, and Australia. Super neat - I couldn't bring myself to stuff them back inside that folder to never been seen again.

Instead, I choose to mat them making sure to use acid free glue (I just used scrapbooking glue) and framed them with dark wooden frames I had laying around (am I the only person that keeps a surplus of frames in their house?)

.

.

What do you think?