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Category Archives: home decorating

so many projects!

life is moving along over here.
we have so many projects happening at once that i have shouted “we cannot do one more thing until we finish this list!” and then had to tell myself the same thing in my head 10 times a day.
i see all the weeds in the flower beds – “nope.  look away! they will be there next week/month!”
i see the junk drawers in the laundry room – “SHUT IT.  that mess will wait.  It is not on the list”
i walk by the fabric i bought for curtains back in december – “NOOOO! stick to the list!”
sheesh.
so i must push through… and not deviate from the crazy long list.
and i cannot wait to be done!


this rug!
i love it so much!
although… do not leave it out in a huge week long rain storm… it will fade a lot.
boo.

my mom found me this super great vintage floral rocking chair and it is IN the living room now.  🙂
it’s my new favorite thing.
behind it you can see the box where the baby chicks were living for a few weeks.

they are out in the coop now – too stinky to keep inside for long.
we got 3 barred rock and one buff orphington.
we’ll see if they are all girls… fingers crossed!
we aren’t allowed to have roosters according to the city rules.
and also roosters are loud!  no thank you.

over the last few months we have been to SO MANY volleyball tournaments.
sometimes siblings come, sometimes other family, sometimes it’s just me or just craig.
we were in Kansas City for a three day tournament last weekend.
i have never seen anything like that – 70 something courts??? CRAZY!

between games we got to do a little antique shopping in the West Bottoms in KC.
it was faaaaabulous.
this is me trying to get craig to appreciate this cabinet and want to buy it for me.
he didn’t bite.    #sadface

it was a really great place to find junky treasures.
i could’ve shopped five times as long as i got to… no one else was as excited as me about the antiques.
can you believe i didn’t buy that rainbow afgan?  or the jesus paint-by-number?? I have a collection of jesus pictures!? what is wrong with me?  it’s amazing!

i’m jealous that sean can do that eyebrow thing!

annie is such a great baker!
she made this cake just because she wanted to – and it was soooooo good!

waffle finally got a much needed haircut.
He loooooves not having all that hair – runs around all happy and funny after the haircut.
and i am happy to not have hairballs floating all around the house.

our first sunset of 2017 out in the firepit.
so happy to have so many more this summer!

i got some new rugs – i ordered from home depot because they have free shipping and you can return anything to the store.
this one was a total win!

one of the projects we are working on… (craig i mean) was putting in new flooring in the basement!
it was all carpet down here before.
and now it’s this awesomeness!
time to bring on the fun details like pillows, art work,  furniture etc!
we watch movies down there with the projector – like a movie theater – kinda.
way to go mr. duerksen!

i found this table & 6 chairs on craigslist for $200.
it looks exactly like our current craigslist table but it has two big leaves to seat lots more people.

i sanded, primed with KILZ2, painted with Behr Premium Plus Ultra Pure White and sealed it with Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish.
three of the chairs weren’t worth saving but three of them were.  🙂
but we already had six from the first CL table purchase.

and now we can have more than just our family at the table!
finally!

you can see the pics from the first CL table -click here…. there was also a hutch and two buffets in the deal!
and to see what we did with them – click here!
the house looks a lot different now but that shows the first steps.  🙂
craigslist is the BEST!

Kari D. - What did you use for the flooring in the basement? Love the color!

Emily - How do you keep your vintage fabric furniture from smelling……”vintage”?

Kristin S - OH, and pedestal is a life changer. You can fit so many more people around the table!

Your posts make me want to move to Kansas.

Tiffany - You guys did a great job on the flooring!

Caroline - Oh how fun it would be to go antiquing with you! Are you also using the R&F eyelash stuff??? Or do you just have great lashes naturally? 🙂

Lori - Love your photos! Waffle in a hoodie- ha!

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rainbows, birthdays & big kids

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a couple of weeks ago, Mr. Duerksen bought us a new bed and mattress.
it’s so grown up.
we are loving it so so much.
i’ll show some pics once i have that room in order again.

our bed we had before… moved into the guest room.
but the guest room is now the rainbow room because annie moved to a new room.
everything is getting switched up over here!
she was ready to have a room that was more HER style instead of MY style.
she’s so 12!
🙂
it would’ve bothered me (and it did!) with my first child… but thankfully i have learned a thing or two over the past 20 years of parenting.
NEWSFLASH – each child has their own personality.
crazy right?
just kidding… it’s not crazy at all!  it’s completely normal!
their style doesn’t have to be ANYTHING like my style.
and even if i don’t necessarily like their design choice – it doesn’t mean it’s wrong!  (i do like her new room)
it just means it’s not my design choice.
thank goodness we aren’t all the same!
YAY for everything that makes us unique!!!

i am grateful that we could move her to a different room so that we could keep the rainbow stripes because they are just so cheerful and fun!
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we painted the old bed – i have wanted to paint it for YEARS!
i was painting in the late afternoon and looked up to see the orange & red tree glowing perfectly centered in the window around the orange curtains… it was just so pretty and so typically fall!

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so now it’s all ready for guests!
the rainbow pillow & the yellow polka dot shams are from the Land of Nod.
i found the bedskirt at Goodwill several years ago   🙂
my friend sent me the rainbow quilt that was from target several years ago as well.
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Talby turned 15!
she’s got such a great heart!
it’s been such an honor to watch her grow up!
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by the end of her birthday evening these 3 ended up in my bed – wrestling, laughing and being crazy.
i was loving every second of it.
of course there’s plenty of fighting and normal sibling stuff but when it’s good – it is SO GOOD!!!

we went out for dinner to celebrate both annie & talby’s birthday together to a restaurant we had (half)jokingly told them we would never take them to because of the cost of 7 of us and the behaviors of the past.  But since we combined our celebration and only went out once instead of two separate times… we said yes!
It was the best dinner out that we have ever had!
not kidding.
the food was great but our time together was suddenly different.
conversations were good and real.
it was truly enjoyable!
i didn’t know if we’d ever get to this point of a time at a restaurant with all of us that was like that.
it was as dreamy as i had imagined.

i love them but i also really like them.   🙂

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we still have all three dorky dogs.
kobe has adjusted and isn’t as goofy as he was in the beginning (he was terrified of grass!)
he is a good cuddler too.

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i put up a few christmas decorations at the Craft House last week.
the wreath was at sam’s club (what in the world???) and then it was officially time to get a white tree to rainbowtize.
the tree is not too big and definitely not fancy but it was pre-lit so i went for it.
i got it at walmart – impulse buy but no regrets.
the ornaments are all from Michaels.
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this was me on black friday.
i drove lauren home the morning after thanksgiving and thought i’d stop for a bit and check out the deals.
ummmm…. i spent THREE HOURS just in Dick’s Sporting Goods!
long story short – i came home at 10:30 pm.
ha ha ha!
just a quick 13 hour black friday shopping day… no big deal.

but seriously… i was alone.  i had coffee.  everything was on sale.
it was perfect!

renee - i love your blog! maybe because you’re a few seasons ahead. mine are 7 months, 2.5, and almost 4. i enjoy them and i’m trying to soak these seasons up and be grateful for the time but i’m really looking forward to getting to know them as they’re older too. my brothers in law are 15 and 16 and they’re so fun! love these posts and glimpses into your family life 🙂 how did you not lose your mind when they were all tiny!?! 🙂 haha

carol - hi meg- would love to know where you bought your bed its gorgeous! thank you!

Lori - Congrats on a new bed! And, I love the bedding in the rainbow room. So happy ❤️💛💚💙💜

Andrea - Prefacing with this statement: I know you are really busy being a mom and wife and businesswoman. That said, I MISSED these kinds of posts! The assortment of family stories, house projects and dog faces. It’s what drew me to your blog years ago.

Every time you say “older kids are awesome” I’m nodding my head. While we still parent, and help where needed, we get to enjoy them as humans. People we like to hang out with. I’m fortunate to have one ‘kid’ left (he turns 12 this week) and a 19 and next-week-22 year old. Watching them together is fun, being around them is the best.

Wendy C - Ditto on seeing your new room and Annie’s new room. And the boys rooms? We never see those. Please share! Even if they are messy – any Mom of boys would totally understand 🙂 My definition of “bed made” and my 16 years old son’s definition of “bed made” are very different! HA!

Tracy - I can’t wait to see your room!

Can we see Annie’s new room?

What restaurant did you go to?

My kids are now 20, 19, 17 & 17 and I feel the same way you do. They’re so fun to be around!! <3

carrie - Love the rainbow tree, and yay for you on Black Friday. We had a marathon shopping spree as well and it was so much fun!

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my summer happy spot

we spend most summer & fall evenings outside on the back porch.
and right now all the plants are bursting out of their pots and it’s so colorful!

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i loved getting back into gardening again after taking a break for a few years.
i missed it!
i like to plant in all kinds of old containers.

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my love for rust and chippy paint goes to extremes when it comes to outdoor spaces.
my friend who lives several hours away found the green cubby and sent me a text saying “i think you need this”
i agreed and sent her money through paypal.   🙂
and a month later her husband dropped it off while he was in town.
it was three times bigger than i thought it would be.
which made me love it three times more!
i think maybe i will figure out how to plant succulents in it???
wouldn’t that be something?!
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the butterfly sign is from Jaxn Blvd.
the little fan, the egg sign and the black rooster sign are from tjmaxx.

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a view of our fire pit area… which is about to get maxed out!
it’s almost chilly enough now in the evenings for camp fires!
we are all looking forward to that.

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this black & white sign is also from Jaxn Blvd!
it’s the perfect quote for this space… exactly how i feel.
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Delta Girl Frames sent me this fun rainbow frame!
i can always hang a photo or print in it later but loved it just as a statement on its own.

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craig hung outdoor speakers this year and his big tv.
i wasn’t thrilled about the tv but apparently every inch of the house doesn’t belong to me?
HA HA HA.
and now that it’s there… i don’t mind it at all.
it’s mostly for sports on mute so he can enjoy the outside too and not be stuck inside when the game is on.
and the speakers are awesome!
we have music on pretty much all the time and they are perfect for outdoor movie nights!

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the outdoor rugs were from world market, along with the orange stripe table cloth and several pillows.

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annie and some friends spent their last summer night out in the tent.
they really roughed it by dragging out twin mattresses, extention cords to charge their phones and a dvd player.

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this is our resident toad who has shown up every evening for two summers now.
we have named him Beuford.
he clearly has found PLENTY of bugs at our house.
he is quite a big toad.
people on IG mentioned that he may be poisonous…. i am 99.9% sure he is just a regular old kansas country toad.
i like him and i appreciate all the bugs he keeps away.
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our kitty Jay Z likes to hide behind the plants to be safe from curious dogs.

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the very back of the yard is the chicken coop.
filled with all my favorites clucky ladies.
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it’s going to be really weird when they cut that corn down.

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so that is my happy space.
where i have coffee every morning and most dinners and hanging out each night.
happy happy happy!

🙂

meg duerksen - The garland is made from gingham fabric napkins I found last year at Target. I chopped them up and made bunting.

Amy - This is amazing! What a blessing for your family. Love the color everywhere! How did you make the checkered garland?

Eight Things | a glass of milk - […] journal; Meg’s porch; tv bullet […]

The Countess of Nassau County - Best. Backyard. Ever. I love this.

Lindsey - Bravo! Every single detail is lovely!

Mickie Lara - That looks like SUCH a happy place to me. I could sit out there for hours. Our plants have just not done well at all this summer so our pots look SO sad and yours look amazing! We are just going to consider it a write off for this summer and concentrate on Fall.

CiCi - Where did you find the rainbow striped pillow? Love it!

Cassandra - Love it!! All that color, all the chippyness, just perfect!

Sharilee Ensz - your yard is soooooo beautiful. we have sandy soil and we cant grow much. our back yard is clumpy grass, sand, and cat poop. you must be the coolest person in the world to have as a mom!! (i love my mom too) 🙂 🙂 i love you!!!:) 🙂 😛

Lisa - Those beautiful pentas and lantana are my favorites! AND the happy doggy faces – so funny!

Kelly Krause - I love this whole space! It must be pretty protected, cuz I thought the winds would howl over your Kansas plains. I know I could never pull that off up here in MN!

Kelly Krause - I love this whole space! It must be pretty protected, cuz I thought the winds would howl over your Kansas planes. I know I could never pull that off up here in MN!

amy - Megan– where’d you find the grey slip-on Chucks? I have them in a lighter grey that were exclusive to Nordstroms–I need a new pair and they’re out in my size. Love yours!

Talia - What a gorgeous spot! You have quite the green thumb. I love flowers and would spend every free moment on your lovely porch!

Michelle from Australia - Annie and I have the same thoughts on camping! Way to go girl.

And I wonder just how much excess luggage I will be bringing back home with me after my visit to Kansas in November? I suspect it might be some…..

Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures.

Beth - This space is FLIPPIN’ adorable. Well done! I’m inspired now. I dabbled in potted plants and mixing up containers this summer, but I’m committed to amping up my plant game next spring! Love this! Now to find a cat in Alabama named Jay Z…

meg duerksen - Tiffany – yes most guys would. Craig doesn’t seem to care so I’m happy about that. Life’s too short to worry about nail holes in the walls. ☺️

meg duerksen - It’s some kind of wood product siding – not aluminum. I just screw right into it. Most husbands would flip out but Craig’s cool about most things like that. ☺️

meg duerksen - Rhonda – it’s some kind of painted carving. I can’t recall where from. It was at the barn we go to for camp and a camper bought it for me as a gift.

meg duerksen - Dawn – yes! I get a hammer and a big screwdriver and I bang on the screwdriver with the hammer until it goes through. Repeat four times. That’s how I make the holes in my containers. It’s not fancy. And it’s loud. But it works!

meg duerksen - Holly – I water everyday and fertilized three times this summer. 🙂

meg duerksen - Heather – gardening for fall? I don’t do that because everything will freeze soon after. I’m not a planner either. I just go to the nursery in May and buy what looks good. I go to four or five different nurseries though… Not just one. And I get what looks best at each of them. It’s always different.

heather - i would love love love it if you could share your gardening plans for fall ahead of time so my plants could even be 1/10th as fabulous as yours! what a beautiful space you’ve created.

Heidi - I really love this space. I wish it were this awesome at my house too. I guess I have work to do. Maybe when my kids (9, 6, and an 8 month old) get older I will put more time and effort into pretty things! Thanks so much for sharing. 💗

Tammy - Wow, it’s absolutely perfect! Thanks Meg for sharing it with us!

Holly - Love all the color and your plants look phenomenal! Do you water a bunch or use a lot of fertilizer? If so how often? My Texas container garden is getting through by the skin of it nose.

Dawn - One question–do you drill drainage holes in your metal containers? Just curious how they drain. I love the look!

Rhonda Elder - Such a cozy, beautiful space. I’m curious about the colorful painting to the left of the window. What is it?

Kristen - How do you hang things on the house’s siding? Does your husband flip out at you decorating the exterior walls at all? Love the look!

Tracy - Well…simple enough! 🙂 Thanks, Meg!

Marsha Kern - It is beautiful! I love the containers!

Tiffany - Truly, what a H A P P Y porch area!! Love every inch of it! How do you hang the pictures on your house/siding? I think my husband will croak if I hammer nails in our siding… 🙁

meg duerksen - Katie – only the side with the white cabinet gets wet when it rains really hard and it just drys out pretty quickly when it’s over.
and i may take stuff down in the winter but i may not. It depends on how severe our winter gets. 🙂

meg duerksen - tracy we just use bug spray.

Tracy - Meg – I love it!! I love your porch and I love how you do movie nights and ice cream sundae parties out there! But one thing I always wonder when looking at your awesome pictures is how do you deal with mosquitos? I LOVE to be outside in the evenings as well. Summer nights are the BEST! 🙂 But the mosquitos chase us away within minutes! Do you have a secret you could share? 🙂 Thanks!!!

Tiffany Day - love it so much! Thank you for posting more pictures – its inspiration for me – I really want to get my back porch/deck decorated!! and being that is uncovered thrifted chippy stuff is PERFECT!!!! love it all!! thanks again for sharing!

Katie - Loveeeee it! What all do you take down/bring in in the winter? And what about in the rain? Just super curious 🙂

Jennifer Greeley - Your plants look amazing. The Texas heat just about killed everything but the sweet potato vines in my backyard. I hope you get to enjoy your space for many more months!

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busy summer weeks

the days of summer are just flying by!
i’m loving the sunshine and that heat… everyone likes to complain about how hot it is but the heat is SO MUCH BETTER than the freezing cold winters!  Give me summer heat forever!
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First of all… i’m still loving the Paperworks Kit that comes every month!
each month’s design is different and fun!
CLICK HERE to find all the information you will need about THE cutest stationary, calendars & lists.

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and then i wanted to share all about the amazing fire pit area that craig made for us!!!
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our yard backs up to a field that is used for crops each summer.
this year is corn which i am soooo thrilled about.
i really really REALLY hope that someday it will be sunflowers.
can you imagine that?!
it would truly be a dream come true to me.
like seriously…. that is a bucket list kind of thing!

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we already had the railroad ties on the back of our lot and the landscaping stones as well.
alllllllllllllllll the flower beds around our house on all four sides were filled with this rock.
so many rocks!
i get what its purpose is but it’s not what i like in a flower bed for my garden.
first craig mowed and killed the grass/weeds where the rocks would go.
next he laid down landscaping fabric to kill and block new weeds.
then he moved this rock from the flower beds to the fire pit area.
brilliant!

i feel super loved every time i look outside and see it.
now if we could not be so busy that we could sit out there more often…
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we ended up getting the chairs and cushions from World Market.

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it’s wonderful in the morning and the evening!
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we can watch the sunset from here every night!
it is so perfect.
i could not love it more.
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i got to have some very fun visitors to the Craft House!
my girlfriends, Tara, Kimberlee and Amy and i hung out for a long weekend doing absolutely nothing and loving every minute of it!
we watched movies, ate junk food, painted our nails, went antiquing and even stopped by to see the chickens.
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talby made it home safely from her missions trip to honduras.
everyone missed her… even the dogs!
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we have a jungle of wild sunflowers in front of the coop!
since i only have to go in there every few days it isn’t that big of a deal.
unless it’s going to become grasshopper invested… then i will freak.

i encouraged this chicken to practice a little flying after i loved on her a bit.
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i gardened like a maniac last week.
i had over 25 plants to get in the ground!
i was the sweatiest i have ever been.  Literally!
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and these flowers are on the deck in the backyard.
the bright colors cheer me up every morning!
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scott is a life guard this summer!

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our friends got THE CUTEST new puppy!
he is soooo soft and has puppy breath too.
auuuwwwww!
thank goodness we have plenty of cuteness over here so we aren’t too sad about not having an adorable puppy.
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April R - we haven’t had a traditional or “summery” summer here and it’s been difficult at times not to be really sad about it. We are moving far from our friends and it’s been dragged out by the process of selling our house :p Soooo this post was cheerful and sweet and just a reminder of what we might build and work towards when we finally arrive at the new town/home. Thank you for sharing 🙂

Katie E. - Hey that puppy was at my house today! Super cute picture(s)!

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - It looks like you are having an awesome summer! Woo hoo! BTW – So happy for your weekend at the craft house! Those people are the bestest people ever.

marcie - Lots of good stuff but Yay!! to Talby for going to Honduras on a mission trip. My daughter and I went to Honduras for the 3rd year in a row in June. I hope it was as amazing for her as it always is for us!!

Chris - I never get tired of your dogs, flowers, chickens or fire pit. Lovely to look at, always!

Kimberly Dial - I loved this post. Looks like you all are having an awesome Summer!

Gabby - Yet another reason to love you and your blog: I, too MUCH prefer the heat to the cold – and I, too want to be outside even with a blanket over my legs in the summer! Thanks for the affirmation!

Jenn N - Love, love, love, the fire pit. What beautiful post; pictures are great. Summer fun!

jennibell - I agree!!! Give me summer heat ANY day over those cold, icy days of winter.
Love your landscaping and your firepit is the BEST. . .lucky you.
Glad you are enjoying your summer. . .your pups are so cute but they are a lot of work — good for you 🙂

Carolyne Hallum - We are in the thick of Winter here so I just love the photo’s you’ve put up today… summery, bright and fun.

Lori - I never get tired of seeing photos of your home. So beautiful!

Sarajane - I will need a copy of the picture of talby and ace. They both are adorable!

Lynne - OH, your yard is amazing. The sky looked a little creepy in one photo dark clouds scary. The chicken good flying. He needs goggles. HaHa. Your beverages look great for morning and night. Do you have a labordoodle? That golden puppy was so so precious The breath I totally know the breath yeah!!!!!
Happy summer!!!!!!! It is passing us by quickly. We are in a drought so our lawn looks like a hay field. SAD You would think on the New Hampshire Seacoast we would have beautiful lawn not so much. Lets hope our garden can make it with tomato, cuke, zuke, summer squash, grape tomato, and spag’s squash. OH all most forgot the butternut squash.

ENJOY THE SUMMER NIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!

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this week

i have been attempting to write this post for over a week but my computer is being dumb.
there seems to be a window right now where it’s working so i write.  🙂

my mind has been consumed with thoughts and planning for Camp CREATE coming up next week.
and shopping for it.
and prepping for it.
all while being a mom and that kind of stuff.
so… here are a bunch of phone pics of things that are going on recently.

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best shirt ever    (from hello apparel)

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i finally put up the cow bust that was my grandma’s.
it hung on the side of her sink and she used it as a towel holder for as long as i can remember.
i always loved it.
and i was so happy to have it for my home.

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working from home… a project that will come out in september.
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annie’s first spring break.

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we went to a Rend Collective concert.
have you heard of them?
we listen to them allllllll the time with our kids and some of the songs are sung at our church too.
my Rend Collective pandora station is one of my most favorites.
in this picture… i was watching the lighted beach balls that were bouncing around the crowd and never even saw that they put panda heads on.  HA!
i was looking through the photos and asked “what in the world?” to talby & annie and they said “yeah… they did that for a long time mom”
oh.
i guess i was distracted.
so funny.

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still trying to eat healthy.
a battle i feel i may never win because – cookies.
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H.O.R.S.E. in the driveway.

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spring break dinner out that just happened to be on St. Patricks Day which made for a lively crowd. (aka: drunk)

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saturdays with no sports or major events are my faaaaaaavorite.
and the dogs like it too.
ha!
they get so many more opportunities to make me spill my coffee.
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my friend Jenny sent me this ADORABLE wood sign for my house!
and i found a spot right away so i could see it everyday!
she has so many cute handmade signs in her shop.
i love every. single. one!
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this was Easter morning.
WHAT?
we haven’t had snow in two years in our area of kansas.
and on Easter sunday annie came in our room and shouted “IT SNOWED A TON!???!” and threw open our curtains.
we were shocked!

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it was so bizarre to have all that snow!

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this was the most i did for Easter for my kids… everyone got a small chocolate bunny.

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i have been “collecting” random pretty state or flower plates for a few years for maybe someday doing a big mosaic project.
but recently i was thinking of getting new dishes at home but dreading spending money on dishes that would inevidentally end up broken since the kids do all the dishes at our house… pro/con.
i realized i had tons of these dishes… they are fun to look at….they are unique… they cost .50 – $1.00 at our thrift store… i could just use these as our plates instead of buying a new set of fancy dishes.
It’s more my style anyway… eclectically unique/colorful/vintage/modern twist.
so now they are our everyday plates!
and i love them!
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camp prep – making name tags.
making projects.
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planning for camp looks a lot like this.
at several different stores.

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and at camp since we are together for several days we give everyone their own cup.
it helps keep track of which drink is which, cuts down on dishes and it’s cute!
lots of people asked on Instagram where i got them… you can find them RIGHT HERE.

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the same grandma that had the cow in her kitchen also used the phrase “happy plate” when we were good eaters and could have dessert.
and let me tell you… i was a really picky eater and they ate weird stuff.
i challenged the happy plate at every meal.
but i loved her tapioca pudding and usually ate enough to get it.
so i saw this plate in OKC and loved the memories it brought up.
and bought one for me and one my sister too.
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marshalls and tjmaxx are my weakness.
i love finding stuff there!
like this rug… i have even brought it up to the register but haven’t bought it… yet.
it’s just so darn cheery!

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my mom found me this awesome tank on Zulily.
could it be any more perfect for me?!

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all that snow melted immediately… like by 5:00 it was GONE.
and spring is definitely here in kansas.
my chickens are loving the nice weather.
as much as i can assume a chicken loves anything.

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i found some fun stuff while thrifting the other day.
i don’t love green glass but i love when i find something unique and that water jar was just that.
but really i just love thrifting in general.
and the flowers were from Dillons.
because it’s a nice addition to any friday.

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scott went on a college visit last week (HOW?!) and these clouds were on my drive home.
deep blue and moving so fast.
i tried not think of them as some kind of metaphor for this new stage of life with my oldest son….
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we got our baby fix holding craig’s cousin’s baby on friday night.
he was dreamy… never made a peep.

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and my last pic for today… this was the scene i walked into after my house had been cleaned.
it’s all so C L E A N!!!
i smiled for an hour!
i have lots more i want to share but who knows what my computer will do the next week.
and camp starts in three days!
there is laundry to wash, beds to make, art supplies to organize, margaritas to make!
it’s going to be a very good week!

 

 

Mindy - Love Rend Collective and can only imagine the energy live and in person! I love Marshall’s and TJ Maax as well – you never know what you might find there. And your tulips – lovely.

Candice - Love your photos! Can you share your source for printing on canvas? Thank you!

beth larson - I loved this post Meg…all the great pictures etc… (my your kiddos seem to be growing in leaps in the last few months). I especially love the last pic of the cute pups in your sparkly clean house! Happy Friday,
beth

Lisa - Oh that picture of you and Annie! Be still my heart!

Jenn - so your rend collective picture…….well first love the panda heads. great…..but second the girl in the picture (her profile) looks like drew berrymore

Lindsey - Love everything about this post!

angela F Conklin - Ok, so i can’t stand it when people say *where did you get that?* and *what color is that?* BUT…………..
Lipstick color in 1st pic please!
AND
tell me about your counter tops. Granite? Marble? Quartz? Color? Make?

Angela conoil@yahoo.com

cornelia krahn - I have 20 of those state plates and I’m moving so I can’t keep them. I’d like to give them to you for all the joy you’ve brought to my life. I live in Wisconsin but will be in Newton this Thursday-Sat. Are you interested?

DLG in Mich - I bought two of those rugs at Marshall’s for the same reason – they make me happy. I got orange and teal and while they make me smile, they don’t wash up so well. The colored ‘ribbons’ come un-tucked from the tan body of the rug, if that makes sense.

Melanie Sidwell - Ooooh you know CU-Boulder is a great college town 🙂 just sayin! Also – I have collected about six of those green glass water jars (found one even with the original yellow lid). I love them and haven’t found any for a few years so I’m quite tickled you found one. I found four at a small town Nebraska thrift store, and two in different stores in Colorado. Coveting yours!

Melissa - “because cookies”… story of my life.

Rebekah Wales - That rainbow hello t-shirt is THE BEST!

Jennifer - Great post! Yes, next week is definitely going to great ;)!

Heather - Love that cow, I have the exact same one hanging beside my sink! Found it at an antique shop for $7 and felt like I won the lottery! Your pictures are always so bright and cheery, love checking in on your blog just to see all of the fun pics. 🙂

Debi meyers - Hey meg.
Pretty lipstick in photo #1!

Since I’m older than you but not as old as your grand mom, as a teen in the 70s in the Midwest I bought a similar white ceramic head to hang my bathroom towel. Not a cow, but another barn animal … Pig? Duck? don’t remember. Has same eyes. I guess they were a thing.

I collect vintage souvenir plates too. Many often have a sticker saying “not food-safe” … And often the original stickers are gone. You don’t want to be eating off a lead-based paint.

Carry on ….

Traci - I love that cute cow! Also, I feel that you are my soul sister in a lot of ways. Lover of color, lots of creative endeavors. I enjoy seeing what you write about here. Carry on and here’s to a happy and creative week!

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rainbow rearranged

 

i just love pictures!
i put this together of all my instagram pics from 2015 and just smile so big as it plays.

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over the break i had to do something with poor annie’s room.
i knew she would be bringing more in at christmas and there was just no room.
she had SO many clothes that she was just living out of laundry baskets, never could find what she needed and everything was always wrinkled.
i say “she has so many clothes” meaning – summer clothes still out, last years clothes she’d outgrown, and all the clothes talby passed onto her that didn’t quite fit yet.
all in one space that is meant to hold about 1/3 of what it was holding.
i sat with her pretty much all day long and we organized.
we piled everything into groups – ALL pants… ALL shorts… long sleeve… short sleeve… etc.
she tried on so many things that day.
in the end she had one bag to donate, one that was for next year and three bags she’d outgrown!
suddenly she had gained all her floor space back in her room!
when we were finally organized i asked if she would like to rearrange her room since we had the time and it was so clean?
YES!
(i should’ve gotten out my real camera & taken these pics because they are grainy with my phone… but i didn’t)
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when we had her furniture the way she liked i recalled i had several things for her walls that i’d forgotten about!
seriously… my brain!
i found the giraffe from a shop called Makewells.
the frame is from target as well as the floral comforter.
her name pillow is from ChrissieGraceDesigns… special from a fundraiser way back when.  🙂

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her curtains were made from fabric at hobby lobby and i “lined” them with a flat sheet from walmart.

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she has more prints she’d like to hang on this wall yet but we need to get some colorful frames first.
the bunting up top was a gift from Joy’s Hope and the arrows came from AidiesHideaway.
and that is the 11×14 sized canvas in my shop.
it’s 25% off this week!! Use the code 25OFFPHIL48 at checkout.

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i found these shadow box type frames at TJMaxx this summer.
i found two at one store and a week later found two a another store… it was meant to be… right?
they are so darn cute and THE perfect shade of turquoise!
i hung scripture cards from TheLovelyWords on the clips.
it looks like her shop doesn’t have any right now but i saw these cute ones too when i searched etsy.  🙂

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all of her furniture is second hand… that’s just how we roll.
add a coat of paint and it’s like new.
it’s pretty much that way in our whole house actually…

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and just in case you wondered how it looked before… here is the link to when we surprised her with a room makeover in 2014!
complete with paint colors, a young Stanley and a little video.

 

meg duerksen - Karen click the link at the end of this post to the original post about her room.

Karen - Hi– did you ever post the colors for this room? My daughter loves it and we’d love to do this exact rainbow in her room. Thanks so much!

meg duerksen - julie i wish i had some tips but i am the world’s laziest painter. 🙂 i spray paint when i can which is what i did for annie’s bed and bedside table because the colors were so bright. the dresser was semi gloss trim paint. some times i sand and prime… sometimes i don’t. just depends on the project.

Amy Lynne - Your flipbook was so much fun! What a great idea!

Kirsten - So happy!! I love it. I went to Target today and spied some awesome curtains. Brought them home, hung them up and then thought, hmmm, I’ve seen these before. And then it dawned on me. They are nearly identical to A’s new ones! I’m feeling so validated in my life choices now. 🙂 🙂

Stacy - My middle daughter and Annie must be kindred spirits! She wanted orange and pink in her room…we compromised and she has a seriously gorgeous sunrise orange ceiling and light gray walls. The pinks are on her bed and she is so happy. Now that I’m seeing those cute shadow boxes with the clips, I think I may have to do a DIY for that same daughter’s room. Thanks for sharing!

Julie - Just curious, what is your process for painting furniture? Thanks 🎨😊

cyndilohoo - That video made me smile! Beautiful way to look back at the year.

Gevay - Happy New Year, Meg! I loved your Flipagram! The colorful pics speak joy.

Whitni - Her whole room is so happy! I seriously wish I could hire you as my interior decorator. I love your use of color!

Krista - Beautiful video! Brought tears to my eyes and you picked the most perfect song to go with the photos.

amy jupin - it’s so bright and cheery and FUN.
you are so good at decorating with that in mind.
you know me…colorphobic!
also that video is RAD!!!!

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wall inspiration

i have a tiny… teeny thought about making a wall in my house more fun.
i don’t know how brave i feel.
also i don’t know if i can handle actual wallpaper…
i have stripped SO MUCH wallpaper in 20 years!
but it IS sooo pretty!
i honestly like all of these choices because what’s not to like?!

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i like the boldness of the wallpaper look but i really LOVE the wood walls/shiplap that is everywhere now too thanks to Joanna Gaines.
i can’t decide which i like  more!
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what is your favorite new trend?
are you ever putting wallpaper in your house again?
is it less work or more work to put up shiplap?

clearly i need to narrow down some of my inspiration before i do anything!
🙂

but it’s fun to dream about!

 

Staci Torgerson - I adore wall treatments too. I’m wanting to do something super bold in my tiny half bath but don’t know how far I should take it.

Would love the resource for the wallpaper with the 2 beds as well as the vertical shiplap.

Let’s us know what you decide!

Heather S. - I’m a wallpaper hater. Like you, I have spent countless hours getting LAYERS of it off of walls (our last house had 4 layers the people just kept putting on top of each other). Don’t wallpaper over wallpaper, and don’t paint over it. Don’t be that person. Besides – when the wallpaper begins to peel (and it WILL) your paint job looks bad. I’m all about doing a job well from the start. Stenciling is very cool, though. Trendy and on point. easy to paint right over later. I’m a fan of the fun stripes, chevron, or polka dots. I am NOT a huge floral fan in the house….flowers belong in the garden! Tee hee. :)~

jen - Also, do you have sources for the wallpaper pics? Some of those would be perfect for my master and I’d love to know where they’re from. Thanks!!

jen - I had wallpaper hung in my house and I LOVE IT!!! and can’t wait to do it in several more rooms. I like the look of the wood as well but it’s too rustic for my taste. Which is ironic since I live in CO and most everything here looks rustic.

Jenny B. - I want to cover a small wall with a bunch of different colored yardsticks. I also love the inspiration pic of the teal laundry room with the Amy Butler wallpaper. I don’t think you can go wrong with either wallpaper or wood as long as you love it. 🙂

kris saia - From someone who has suffered through both wallpapering and nailing up horizontal boards in the last few months: the boards are MUCH more forgiving. We messed up in the kitchen and there’s a little gap in the boards at one point… looks like we did it on purpose, no biggie. There’s a little screw-up where my polka-dotted wallpaper in the bathroom doesn’t quite match up in the corners and it’s very unbalancing when you’re sitting on the john. ha. The boards can come down easily when I’m sick of them and we can recycle them into something else… the wallpaper was expensive and I will feel guilty taking it down because it cost so much. First-world problems!

kris saia - From someone who has suffered through both wallpapering and nailing up horizontal boards in the last few months: the boards are MUCH more forgiving. We messed up and there’s a little gap in the boards at one point… looks like we did it on purpose, no biggie. There’s a little screw-up where my polka-dotted wallpaper in the bathroom doesn’t quite match up in the corners and it’s very unbalancing when you’re sitting on the john. ha.

KWolff - I died a little inside when I saw that laundry room with the floral top and turquoise cabinets. It’s so beautiful!
The first plank wall you shared it gorgeous too. 🙂 Thanks so much for the gorgeous inspiration!
I will probably never fully commit to wallpaper but I could sure get behind some creative painting.

Jacci in Ohio - Just do it. It’s just a little wall, right? I painted a small wall in my entryway pale pink with orange/red triangles over 2 years ago and I still love it so much. It’s the wall at the bottom of our stairs. So cheerful to see every morning. And even when I am ready to paint over it, it’s easy to paint one little wall 🙂 http://www.woohooie.blogspot.com/2013/03/i-got-little-crazy.html

missyeveryday - Love the wood walls/shiplap trend but oh my goodness – the damage to the drywall when the day comes you want change. I despise stripping wallpaper but I hate drywalling even more lol

Rebekah - There is bad wallpaper and good wallpaper. That wallpaper up there is, as my silly college roommates and I used so say, G-U-D GOOD.

KatieV - I love wallpaper! I wallpapered a small bathroom at my last house and still miss that awesome little room. 🙂 I say go for it!
In my current house, I don’t have wallpaper but I “polka-dotted” an accent wall with gold paper. I cut a couple hundred 1-inch gold circles using a paper punch, then I put them on the wall with strong double-sided tape. It’s easy, and it’s husband-pleasing since I can always take them down. I can send you a pic if I didn’t explain myself well. 🙂

Jeannine - Dude… removable wallpaper! It’s the best of both worlds – wallpaper without the pain in the butt when removing it! Tempaper even has one that actually looks like white brick… Drool.

Patty - SHIPLAP or WOOD WALL!!! You know it will be easier to take the wood down and fix the walls when you want to change than it will be to take down wallpaper!!! ARGH!!!

Monica W - Wallpaper, Wallpaper, Wallpaper! The new wallpaper comes done much easier than your mother or grandmother’s wallpaper! Use sizing on the wall first and when you are ready to take it down it comes off really easy. Also if you grow tired of the wallpaper and it isn’t lose in any spots you can paint over it. Professionals do it all the time!

Shellie - I love the black and white with the green! It looks awesome to say the least.
I’d say live with it until you want a change. We’re always doing projects anyway, right?

Deb Meyers - Don’t worry about dating your house. Everything we do dates our house…’cuz time marches on. Just don’t spend a lot of money or time and then it won’t hurt to re-do it.

Go for the wallpaper! Do an accent panel if you don’t want to do an entire wall or even an entire room. I want to see what you choose! Loved the ideas you posted here.

deb meyers

Lisa - Will shiplap be the 70’s wall paneling of the 21st century? I’m afraid at some point it will date my house. I think wallpaper has the potential to be timeless.

Angela - My husband did a pallet wall in our downstairs bathroom. He said he will never rip up another pallet again in his life. Once we had the wood off the pallet, it was SUPER easy to put up. It looks so good! We decided that aged fencing would also do the trick without the strain of ripping it from a pallet, so if we ever get the urge to cover another wall in wood, we will probably just scavenge it from neighbors who are re-fencing.

I am iffy on wallpaper. My husband is anti, so that solves it for us. 😉 However, you can use decals rather than wallpaper for some of those designs, like the little crosses. I still agree with commenters above, though. Stencils are probably the way to go… If you move, it’s easy to paint over.

Kristen Kerwin - I’ve fallen in love with Lisa Congdon’s removable wallpapers…the artwork, and the fact that I can change my mind since it’s not psycho-permanent! Also, I know that the sisters from A Beautiful Mess are huge fans of removable wallpaper, and COLOR! Whatever you choose to do will rock, though, because you have such amazing style. GO FOR IT! 🙂

Heather - I agree with Abby! You can use a stencil, or some of the easier ones just go for it! Like the stripes, all you would need is some painters tape! Honestly they’re all fun options though!

Abby - Meg, think about doing a full wall stencil. It’s sort of like wallpaper-lite. And so many options. I have both stencil and wallpaper in my home. They are my favorite walls and make me happy EVERY TIME I see them. I got my stencil from Cutting Edge. Great inspiration too. Enjoy!

Katie - DO IT!!! – I think wallpaper is “safe” if it is an accent wall and not all over! I would love to wallpaper a wall or two, but my husband, who grew up helping his mom put up and then remove wallpaper, is standing firm on never putting it up again… I think if done tastefully, it will be beautiful! And what’s not to love about shiplap?? 🙂

Stephanie - I looooove shiplap. So much! But I also love the polka dot wall paper!

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