Need your vote, please...

This very nifty piece of furniture was $20. Yes, I said twenty. Dollars.
Yes, the wood is kinda beat up and someone did a pretty ghetto job replacing the top and then doing a third-grade-level routing job on the edges, but this little desk is sturdy and sound and all the drawers are intact and functional. The scale is nice, too. I needed something small for my office and I'd like to use this desk to store odds and ends, put a lamp on, and stick some cute fabric-covered storage boxes under it, where a chair would normally go. I think it needs paint, as the wood really can't be brought back to its glory. (Trust me on this one). I was first thinking that I might paint it a pretty robin's egg blue color and then see if I could get a remnant piece of white carrera marble from my friendly local granite/marble fabricator guy (who, incidentally, owes me a favor) to top it with. But, there are really a ton of possibilities for a piece as cute as this, so...
I am asking for your opinions! Please, please, tell me what you think! How would you turn this piece into something really great? Give me your color ideas and your "top" ideas (I really, really must do something about the top!) Leave a comment below this post and weigh in. Getting my office organized and "prettified" is on my summer to-do list now that I have a break from school, and I have yet to choose a grand color scheme...so any ideas are very much welcome. Thanks in advance!
---Kari
P.S. I'll post more photos of this once the project is finished, and if I use your ideas, I'll brag you up big time, I promise! :)

Fun Little Projects...

Both of us are in the throes of decorating our homes. Make that decorating our homes on reasonable budgets. We thought it would be fun to share some of our projects with you! One of the traits we both inherited from our Mom (the real Babs) is the "nesting" gene. We love to tinker with our decor and make our homes homier. Like our Mom, we both are trying to do these fun little decor projects on budgets that allow for us to change our mind from time to time! Jill is the certified Craigslist Queen, and she has some deals and steals to share with you in upcoming posts. We both love Ebay and we both love a good thrift store. There is something really fun about taking "junk" and repurposing and giving it a modern function.

Here's a project that I (Kari) recently completed. I have to thank Jenny Komenda from Little Green Notebook for the inspiration here. She has encouraged my love of Schumacher's Chiang Mai Dragon fabric AND her do-it-yourself projects always make me want to roll up my sleeves and try something new out in my own home. You really should check out her blog if you are at all into home design!

Okay, here's the project...

I found two of these little stools waaaaaaaay back, and I paid around $12 for the two of them.  (Yes, that is a total steal----isn't the shape great?)  I have had them in storage for about two years as I didn't have a spot for them and I was waiting for inspiration as to how to snazz them up a bit.  The legs are heavy forged metal and the stretcher is white painted wood.  The tops were covered in really gross white vinyl that I knew had to go!  In this picture, you can also see some of the tools that I used---spray-on adhesive and upholstery foam, both from my local fabric store:

First, I removed the tops from the bases.  Then, I got out the drill.  I knew I wanted to do a little tufting since I was going to add a little cush to these stools.  I used a measuring tape and a drill to add holes to where I wanted the buttons and tufting to go.  I originally thought I would add more buttons to the stool, but you'll see in the finished project that I stopped at five----once I got started, I realized that I was trying to add too many.  If I could go back and do this over, I would probably spread those five buttons out a bit.  Oh well, live and learn.  I'm still excited about the finished project!

I cut the foam down to size using a serrated knife (electric carving knives work well, too, but I don't own one of those anymore) and attached it to the wood top using the spray adhesive.

(After almost two years of marriage, my husband is finally used to the fact that things like really nice serrated knives get used for creative projects more than they get used to carve meat or slice bread...)

Here's a shot of the fabric I used.  Schumacher Chiang Mai Dragon.  So pretty!  I have to admit that I don't love the dragon, but I am crazy about the fun floral on the rest of the fabric, so overall, I am smitten with the fabric.  I was lucky to find enough fabric on ebay to do this project.  I totally had to stalk ebay to find a piece of this fabric, but it was worth it because it would NOT have been in my budget otherwise!

Once the foam and a layer of batting was applied to the wood top, I wrapped the top in fabric but did not secure it entirely.  I needed to add the tufting first!

I made fabric-covered buttons using a kit purchased at my local craft store.  Unfortunately, I did not have a whole lot of extra fabric for the buttons (since I bought a scavenged leftover on ebay!), so I was not able to match the buttons up to the design on the top perfectly.  At first, this bothered me....but I am over it.  I think the end product is still great.  :)

Button #1:

The five buttons are added.  Now, the fabric just has to be tightened up and secured on the back using my trusty staple gun:

And, ta da!  The finished project.  Yes, this picture only shows one.  I was so excited to take pictures, that I hadn't finished #2 yet.  I'll add the other stool under that console table, in the bare spot.  And then I'll keep working on this little vignette.  (The canvas with the French love poem will go away and a fabulous panel of wallpaper and a mirror will be replacing it.  Again, thanks to Jenny Komenda for the inspiration on this one!)  I'll post more later as more changes are made.  :)

What kinds of home projects are you working on? We'd love to see your thrift finds and how you've breathed fresh life into them! Send us pictures and a short description of what you've done, and we'll post them on the Babs Blog so you can inspire others, too!

Discovering a new corner of the country...

Hello, all. Kari here.

Just wanted to share some photos with you and a little something that I learned this past week...
I just returned home from a week in Indiana, visiting my husband's family. My hubby Robert and I chose this time to visit so that we could help on the farm. (Okay, I say "we" loosely...I'm not really much help when it comes to operating heavy equipment and stuff...but I did keep my husband company from the "buddy seat" on the tractor and I was the number one supper-fetcher while we were there. Every little bit helps, right...?) My husband's family grows corn and soybeans in rural Indiana. Sure, Jill and I grew up on a farm, but we grew up with orchards and vineyards, not thousands of acres of corn and soybeans---farming is so varied across the United States! I enjoyed learning a little more about how my husband grew up. I even got to ride along with my father-in-law for awhile while he planted corn, and he was very patient to answer all my silly questions. It was a really good visit.

While I'm no photographer by any standard, I couldn't help snapping a few pictures while I was out and about on the farm because Indiana is so beautiful this time of year.  Yes, I'm spoiled to live in California where beaches and mountains and farmland and cities are readily available depending on one's mood.  Still, I was captivated by a different kind of beauty in Indiana.  Lots of open spaces, lots of green (things have already turned pretty dry here in the Central Valley), and a never-ending shortage of two of my very favorite things:  old farm houses and old barns.  I also enjoy the quaint towns with antique shops full of treasures...(I didn't have much time to browse antique shops this time, but I plan on putting that on the list for our next trip to Indiana!)  

I think one of the things that really struck me was how beautiful the United States is, and how there are fascinating things within driving distance of pretty much every place within the Union.  (I mean, Indiana doesn't usually get rave reviews for being a beautiful place, but I know that I think it's lovely each time I visit.)  With budgets tight these days, perhaps the best "vacation" consists of loading up your car and heading out on a road you've not yet traveled.  You probably don't need to get very far from home to see something amazing.  We live in a beautiful country!

Here are some of the beautiful things I saw on my trip:

Yellow fields...I know, they're weeds.  But so pretty!

My mother-in-law, Shirley, took Robert and me to see these bald eagles not far from one of the fields being planted.  You can't see the baby eagles, but they were there, in the nest!  (That nest was the size of a small hot tub!)  I had never seen a bald eagle before (except maybe at the zoo), so I thought this was pretty great.  Then, later, while Robert and I were in a different field, a beaver waddled out into the open!  Again, I've only seen a beaver at the zoo, so I thought this was quite a sight.  (I know, many of you reading this are rolling your eyes because seeing a beaver is a pretty regular occurrence for you...but it's not too common in Central California!)  We also saw two baby fawns while we were out and about.  Very cute.

Every time I go to Indiana, I LOVE to see all the farms and all the open space.  While I think I could live in New York City for an extended amount of time, eventually, I would need space.  I think it's quite nice to be as obnoxious and loud as you please, and not have a single neighbor around to hear you.    

Isn't this just lovely?  (If you are looking at this and not seeing how pretty it is, you are completely jaded.  I'm sorry, but it's true!)

This is my father-in-law, Abe, planting corn.  He is a very, very hard-working guy!  (So is my mother-in-law.  The two of them handed down great work ethics to their boys!)

Blue skies, no smog.  Can't say that about the Central Valley!

I tried to get my husband to buy this barn for me, but apparently barns aren't in our budget.  Or something to that effect...

(Isn't it fantastic, though?)

All in all, Indiana is a very lovely place full of friendly, hospitable folks.
It's very likely you have a very lovely place undiscovered near you. Why not plan a road trip and do some discovering of your own?

Hello, Summer

Nothing says summer like a caprese salad made with fresh heirloom tomatoes. And fresh mozzarella. Yum, yum, yum. Stumped for dinner or need an impressive salad to start off your dinner party? Stack slices of fresh tomatoes, pieces of fresh mozzarella, and basil. Top with drizzled olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This is a salad that is all about fresh flavor, and it's so much more pleasing than a limp lettuce salad drenched in heavy dressing. Enjoy!

Sale Alert!

Ballard Designs is a very fun website, if you have never visited. And right now, they are offering 20% off their already on-sale items!

Fun Fridge Math

THIS.....


PLUS THIS.....


EQUALS THIS....


I have wanted a new fridge for a long time. But, throwing my perfectly good fridge away just cause another one is prettier isnt what anyone would call good stewardship. Enter ten fabulous bloom decals from the etsy store Byrdigraphics, and I now love my new/old fridge! (I had one left over from the fridge, and now I love my new/old dryer, too!)

There's Still Time...

Hey, remember this tutorial on making hanging baskets for your yard or as a gift? Remember how we promised each basket would fill out and look a lot better in a few weeks?  Well, we thought we'd show you an update on how the baskets look now:

Big improvement, right? And that's just with a little water when they need it.  These baskets will keep growing, keep getting fuller, and they'll look fabulous all summer long (as long as nobody forgets to water them)!  It's Friday, and perhaps you need an easy project for a little weekend stress relief. This project is perfect for this weekend! There is still time to whip up these fabulous flower baskets before it gets too late to plant. Happy gardening!

A Bevy of Blogs

Hey, notice how crazy the blog world is getting? There is seriously a blog for everything---the good, the bad, and the ugly. Sometimes it's a little overwhelming how many people are blogging out there. (Now's a good time for us to say that we know you have a choice in blogs, so we are glad you are reading ours. Thank you!)

We wanted to share a blog we think is quite nifty. Actually, a whole bevy of blogs!

This is how it started...

One of us was looking for bedding and ran across a blog called Bedding Envy.  It's a blog/website devoted to sharing the latest deals on bedding.  Kind of nifty for cutting through the smoke.  So then, it was noticed that along Bedding Envy's sidebars were a whole bunch of blog buttons with names like "Everything Turquoise" and "Black and White Delight."  That just raised the curiosity level.  It turns out that these are blogs devoted to the color/colors they are named after.  For instance, if you are obsessed with turquoise, you can check out Everything Turquoise everyday for daily posts on turquoise stuff for sale (mostly stuff for your home).  These are great tools if you are decorating a room and know the color scheme or if you are planning a party and are stumped when it comes to the right color of decor items!  Check it out.  Great idea and lots of fun stuff!

Dorothy's Ruby Red Slippers

Okay, this has nothing to do with being a fabulous hostess, but it does have something to do with a theme very close to the real Babs' heart: SHOPPING.  These ruby red slippers a la Dorothy are currently on Etsy.com.  You can find them in Sweet Love Vintage's shop.  Aren't they fun?  Sure, they'd be handy for a good ole Dorothy Halloween costume, but we would kind of like to wear them out and about.  Like with jeans whilst doing grocery shopping.  :)  Wouldn't that get folks in Grass Valley or Visalia talking?

Bread Pudding Apple Pie = Happy Men

This is a picture of the Bread Pudding Apple Pie made using this recipe from Allrecipes.com.
It was a hit. No, an epic hit.  It was made for a bunch of guys and this is the picture taken hastily before it was completely devoured a la mode.  If you would like to wow 'em with a new recipe (and an easy one, too!), this one comes highly recommended!  

Happy Friday to You!

Wishing you a beautiful weekend with blue skies, fluffy clouds, and lots of relaxing! Happy Friday!
(P.S. Don't you LOVE this bigger picture? We are tweaking our layout a little so we can give you better views of details within our photos. Please excuse any "maintenance issues" we might have in the weeks ahead, but we are trying to give you a better blog!)

Two More Links...

Today, we've added two more links to our sidebar for your viewing pleasure!  :)

The first is Totally Tabletops, a blog we enjoy for good ideas about---what else---tabletops!  The second is The Hip Hostess, a blog always full of great entertaining ideas.  We hope you enjoy these two blogs as much as we do!

We're Addin' Links!

It's taken us awhile, but we are finally adding links to some of the blogs we really like to our sidebar.  Our first one is Rae Events!  Rachel from Rae Events always has fun little ideas to share.  We like this blog, and we think you will, too.  The second blog link we've added is the Hostess With The Mostess Blog.  Great recipes, ideas, and resources for your inspired entertaining!  :)

Keep checking in as we add more friends to our sidebar to help you with homey entertaining!

Three Books...

Books are great, aren't they? Yes, the Kindle is an amazing invention, but somehow it's not quite the same as cracking open a fabulous book with real pages. Here are three books we like:

First of all, Fandango:
This book is full of wonderful party ideas.  The recipes are all in-reach, even if some of the party themes are a bit fantastical.  :)  It's a beautiful book!

Secondly, Wallpaper Projects:
Honestly, this wallpaper book is the one we are coveting right now.  So many great ideas!

Third, for the kid in you (or the kid in your home), Chickens Aren't The Only Ones:
This children's book was in our home growing up, and it was recently "rediscovered."  While our childhood copy definitely is "well-loved" (a.k.a. "worn-out"), the illustrations are absolutely beautiful.  They are hand-drawn and lovely.  And the book is a good one for kids.

So there's our Tuesday book review for you!  By the way, we'd love to know if any of you have any "go-to" books when it comes to entertaining, home-keeping, making stuff, decor, etc.  Just leave us a comment under this post and share what pages you've been turning!

Make Pie, Not War

These really pretty things are from Make Pie, Not War----an Etsy shop we love!  We encourage you to check out all the pretty, vintagey things in this shop...they would make really gorgeous Mother's Day gifts!  We also love that this is a Central California shop (got to send some love to fellow Central California gals!)

Plan Your Friday Happy Hour!

It was a Monday evening, and Kari and her hubby were already wishing for the weekend.  So, what did they do?  They whipped up this invitation (above) and emailed it to local friends and coworkers in anticipation of a Friday Happy Hour.  It was a hit.  So spur-of-the-moment was the decision that there was no time for retraction or over-thinking!  On Friday, after work, Kari and her husband, Robert, set out easy appetizers, uncorked a few bottles of wine, and just relaxed as their home filled with friends who needed to unwind a bit after a harried work week.  Seriously, folks:  easiest party ever.  The rave reviews from the party attendees are still coming in, weeks later.  We're thinking it needs to be a monthly thing now.  We hope you'll try it.  It's Monday...tonight, whip up that invitation and email it before you can talk yourself out of it.  We promise, it'll be fun!

Drumroll, please...

Congratulations to Kim D., our very first Babs Blog giveaway winner!  Hurray, Kim!  Kim D., please email the Babs Blog with your mailing address and we'll get that Paper-Source giftcard sent off to you.  :)

Thank you to all who participated in the contest.  And, stay tuned!  More Babs Blog goodies are to come, including more giveaways...so keep spreading the Babs Blog news!

Tomorrow...

...we will be announcing the first Babs Blog giveaway winner!  Stay tuned...