Fix my place up so nicely that I can post it in the LJ community Saucy Dwellings

It’s been a while since I’ve felt inspired to post on this goal and though it’s not achieved, I’m tempted to call it done. I’ve progressed an awful lot since I’ve first moved in here. I know I’ll be posting new pictures of progress here every so often, but I think I don’t need to have it staring me in the face everyday anymore.

My next project is to get these two pictures from Fabi’s hung up.

I’m actually going to post a good picture of something I’m super proud of in the community. My goal isn’t quite achieved yet, but I wanted to share the story with you 43Ters before I posted.

The question was:

What is the one thing in your home that you just have to have on display?

And for me those are my “feves.” The word literally translates to beans. In France for the Twelfth Night of Xmas there is a tradition pie that is eaten called the Galette des Rois (King’s Cake). It’s got a sort of almond filling in it. Here’s the fun part: Hidden inside are these little tokens, the feve, and who ever finds it in their piece gets to be the King / Queen of the night.

When I went to France as a kid for the Holiday, I won just about every time. And even if I didn’t win, I kept it for my collection. The ones that are from Canada are the fourth from the left (which I’m frankly quite disappointed in, it looks very cheaply made compared to the rest), the penguin at the far right and all of the crowns, including the ones you can’t see so well on the wall below. The crowns are REALLY elaborate and well crafted.

After my observations about the differences between the more affluent houses and the lower class apts, I was finally inspired to put up some of the artwork that my foster mom left me. (Yes I know that’s not entirely accurate, but I like to think that she would have wanted me to have it.)

So the newest additions are the two pictures in the forefront. There are two matching bird picture in the background that I put up a while ago. It’s just that I was waiting for the “perfect” spot to inspire me. And I was finally prompted to act. And I think I like the result, now I just need more light in that general corner.

NOTE: The picture is from my old apt, I’ve now got red sashes for my blue curtain and blue sashes for my red curtains.

I’ll post a picture of the latest version when I get home and remember.

*side note: This is now the 43rd post from this goal. Yay!

So I went out for a walk again today, for the exercise purpose of course, but also to ogle the houses of the richer neighborhoods around me. And as I was returning back to my street, I noticed the contrast in the decorations of the lower class (okay maybe poor is too harsh a word).

1) Curtains

I noticed some interesting ways to cover the windows on my own street, paper being one of them. I don’t know if I’ve showed off my curtains, but I was quite proud of the fact that I have nice ones, with fancy window sashes. I waited a long time to have them and DIDN’T cover my windows with sheets or paper while I was waiting for them.

2) Posters vs artwork

Another thing I noticed were well framed, well placed piece of artwork, often 2 / 3 per wall, well spaced, with spot lights on it. Instead of artwork on my street were paper posters or worse: empty walls.

I’ve been delaying putting up the framed prints that I have because I wanted to put them up in the right space, but I think I’m going to have to get on that soon, now that I’m feeling more inspired about it.

3) Paint

Now this wasn’t in every house, but I noticed the HUGE difference that dark, rich colors of paint made vs your apt white wall.

Now it gives me some direction to go in. I’ve always had more expensive, shishi taste but I went through my phase of paper on the walls. Now, I still like having quotes on the wall, but I don’t have it in living room, I keep it in my room, but I think I’m going to have to change that.

So I finished it… it looks so awesome! In hindsight I would have written the captions a bit bigger, but meh, it works.

I suppose I should explain the reason it’s in the shape it’s in. The idea behind it was for it to be a “long and winding road” of my life history. It was a little hard to keep that concept and manage to fit the pictures into the space I have, but I did my best.

I keep seeing these staged homes where they have a set table of matching dishes. I’ve been toying with the idea of picking up a set of red and / or brown dishes exclusively for doing this. Would be a sort of shishi thing to do for everyday living I think, but then again, I don’t eat off of my table on a regular basis, this is why we have a big ass desk.

I’ve gotten much better at keeping clutter out of the living room. I like the fact that I can have someone over and just need to apologize for the state of the kitchen. Or if I get a heads up, toss the trash, etc…

I know, I know, I said I wasn’t going to buy anything while my horoscope says that I shouldn’t, but I found an ad on CL for this only in a darker wood color, which makes it even MORE attractive than plain pine. (Although all the furniture in my room is the cheap pine). It’s selling for 200$, hmm.

We’ll see if he responds and how it goes. I also don’t exactly have the 200$ in cash right now either, but I don’t see that as too much of a problem, a small loan from a friend until taxes come in might make things possible.

Or maybe I need to cool my heels about the whole thing, well we’ll see what happens.

Was poking around the NYT home section and discovered the eye candy over at HGTV I think that blogs have spoiled me because that’s my preferred reading format, I find pages like HGTV clunky to read and I hate having to reload everything with every page, but I DO love the eye candy. It’s good inspiration.

I know I’ve shared a lot of living room Saucy-goodness, but my bedroom is woefully adequate very unsaucy, with it’s melamine type unit for clothes, my bed on the floor, too many functional IKEA pieces and no decorations. Before I moved here, I used to have a lot of paper quotes all over the place. I decided that it was a little bit too college dormy for the look I was going for, but I still liked the concept, so I banished them to my room, but maybe I could sauce them up a little bit. I could use some frames for my wall of compliments maybe… Yes I have a wall of compliments, old work reviews and reference letters mostly :)

First I think I would have to upgrade my bed. I’ve always been eyeing a four poster bed, but I think it would dominate the room too much right now. Maybe when I have a bigger room. I do however really like this look. And sleeping on a single? HATE IT! I need (okay want) to upgrade to a Queen. I’ll let some ideas simmer for a while and see what I come up with as ideas.

Okay, not to sound supersticious or anything but advice for Aquarius for this month is not to buy anything for my home from March 6th through to April 17th because I won’t like the results.

So I suppose it’s a sign from the Universe to shift my focus for the next little bit. I’ve been really focused on my home for the last month or so. Maybe it’s time to focus on my eating / cooking habits for the next little bit? I think that should be my next focus.