A Weeee Bit Scared

Halloween is just around the corner and so are all things scary...BOOOO!  And although I am scared of many Halloween related things - bats, scary movies, spiders, oh and did I mention BATS - this scary post has nothing to do with those things.  Instead it has to do with the looming project that I am a weeee bit scared of, cue scary Halloween music.

As I teased the other day the DIY room is almost painted but there is more in store...stenciling.  I was inspired by this amazing stenciling job done by Sherry and Jon over at Young House Love.    



But I thought that since I am working in a closed off room that is really meant just for me that I should go bolder.  So I searched around Cutting Edge Stencils and found this great Damask pattern...



And then loved this bold color pallet...



WOWZA...so I decided to go for it.  The stencil arrived in the mail a couple of days ago and yesterday I made my way to ACE to select my crazy color scheme.  As you know the room is getting a blue / gray base coat so I thought a rich plum purple would be a great combo.  And that is exactly what I found, Benjamin Moore Plum Perfect.

So I have a quart of Plum Perfect, a small roller, the stencil, stencil adhesive, a clip-on stencil level (also bought at Cutting Edge Stencils) and the background color is almost complete but now I am scared!  I have never stenciled on this scale before.  I have watched the how-to video on the Cutting Edge Stencil site and although they make it look easy I still have my doubts.  And since I have a strange independent streak I have yet to ask my husband or friends for help.  Is that a mistake?  Have any of you stenciled a full wall?  Is it a two person job?  Help!!! 

A Little Shopping

Good morning everyone.  I'm hoping you all had a great weekend!  And I'm hoping you all saw my Facebook note that Target was having an online Home Sale.  (If not maybe it is time to like Mission Decorate on FB!)  Well, we made good use of the sale if you didn't so not to worry. 

Do you remember this post when I mentioned our idea to add benches to our family room?  Something like this...

We talked about building something but as my husband so eloquently expressed "I don't want them to look ghetto" and to be honest there was a good chance of that happening.  But of course I didn't want to just buy a finished product either.  Not only because I love personalizing and creating but also because what we want is expensive!  Like these benches we spotted at Ballard Design for $325.00 a piece...EEK!






So while browsing the Target online home sale for anything that caught my eye I stumbled upon this...


The "Unfinished Farmhouse Bench" for $89...YES PLEASE!  Its like it was calling my name- unfinished, the perfect size and in need of some DIY upholstery - Jill, Jill Buy Me! So I did, I bought 2 actually.  Signed, sealed and soon to be delivered (with Free Shipping to boot).  I can't wait!

And in addition to the benches I also had another Craig's List adventure.  I call them adventures because honestly they always are.  There is always some interesting story or person I meet.  Or in this case an adventurous drive home with my trunk tied shut with one piece of string and a dresser hanging out the back.  But all worth it (and the $40 I spent) for this find...

With some paint and sprucing up it is going to be perfect storage in the DIY room!

So a pretty successful weekend of shopping and saving.  Ahhh, the perfect combination of bliss.  I hope your weekends were as fabulous!