A Curated Life: Work in Progress

I think it's easy to look at pretty, styled photos of other people's homes and think- if only I could just get my home to look that good, then I'd be happy. After all, what we see online and in magazines is the best version- not the real life version.

In real life, even in the homes of interior stylists, things are constantly in flux. I'm constantly scheming up better ways to style things, and new projects I want to work on. Things are also not always pretty in real life. There are several areas in our home, now and in the past, that I am always unhappy with because they just don't look right, but sometimes I just don't have the time or energy (or money) to do anything about it. Real life can be messy and is always a work in progress.

Today I thought I'd share some before and after photos of a few areas I've recently refreshed. There are still a million things I want to change- namely I'm itching to paint most of our wood furniture (except the misters pieces) white- but I do like these little changes, and sometimes, it's all about the little things.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

(Of course, going from a bathroom with no windows and an insanely low ceiling to one with high ceilings and lots of light helps immensely too!)

Before:

After:

(Not as dramatic a change as some of the others, but enough of a change to make me happy).

What changes are you craving around your home? Are there little changes that would make you happy for now?

P.S. This post has really driven home for me how much better my photos look since I started using a 50mm lens. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm kind of blown away by the difference it's made. If you have a Canon DSLR, I definitely recommend getting the 'nifty fifty' lens- it's so affordable and makes a big impact. (Nikon users- a 50mm is still a great investment for you, but will cost you a lot more than the Canon lens- sorry).

gratitude

when you live in a small apartment, and run several businesses out of said apartment, keeping things organized is essential, at least if you don't want to go completely crazy! so today i am grateful for:

fun vintage things to use as storage...

i found this great drawer unit at the Funky Junk Show this past fall.  i recently found a mate for it at Goodwill! it will soon be replacing that white cabinet on the left.

funky old office organizer, turned embroidery thread storage. i love the color of this one!

handy mini drawers for small things. my sweet mister even made illustrated labels for them!

i'm a bit of a locker basket addict! here's a few holding some of my numerous craft supplies.

i find old safe deposit boxes very useful. i even have the combos for all of these so they can double as cash boxes.  right now they're holding all my packaging supplies for the businesses.

oh look, another locket basket! i especially love the long basket on the top shelf.  Melissa from re.stock and i found matching ones at a crazy sale in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle years ago.

more pretty greens. this drawer currently holds all our sweet treats in the kitchen.

what's that i see? yep- more locker baskets!

i've had this crate from the National Tea Co. in Denver since i was in high school

a great old milk bottle crate sits near the door, holding my everyday shoes (yes, i have a lot of Toms!).

i'd love to know- what are you grateful for this week? 

gratitude

photo via grey square designs

i have a confession. i spent way too much time on etsy yesterday. now, don't get me wrong, etsy is wonderful- i love etsy. but i notice that days when i've spent too much time on there (or on blogs, pinterest, etc) i find myself slightly less content with my own home, my own wardrobe, my own website, my own life. i don't like that. i go to those sites for inspiration, or maybe to find something i'm looking to purchase, but i don't want to become a less content person because of all the wonderful things that i find.

so, i've decided to do something about it. i'm going to focus on what i already have in my life that i'm grateful for, and i'm going to share those things with you. sometimes it might be tangible things, other times things that you can't put a price on. i hope that not only will this new segment help me to dwell in gratitude more consistently, but that it will also inspire you to look at your life and find the things you are grateful for.

today's gratitude: a vintage star chart that served as the keystone piece for our bedroom decor. i found it at an estate sale a very long time ago and even though i hadn't figured out what to do with it i held onto it. when we moved into our current apartment i knew it would be the perfect centerpiece for the new look i wanted.

isn't it fun? it may seem silly, but i really am grateful for such a simple and unique piece. plus, the lovely blue shade adds some calm to the bedroom.

what are you grateful for? i'd love if you'd share in the comments! or, if you have a photo, send it to me and i'll share it in a post tomorrow!

p.s. a special hello to all of you who are visiting for the first time via The Farm Chicks, Brookelyn Photograpy, or Bowtie and Bustle. i'm so thankful that these lovely sites and the amazing ladies behind them would link to lil' ol' me! thanks for visiting Gather and Hunt- i hope you enjoy your time here!