Fabulous Finds

So, life is a lot crazy right now. I (Kari) am finishing up a second major and have a crazy senior project right now (40,000+ square feet to design, render, present, etc.), my very patient design clients are stacked up (waiting for me to get to their projects), my husband and I are in the midst of what we call "travel season" for his job, I have a handful of weddings for which I am doing some type of design work, etc. I also have two very naughty dogs that need walking, a blog that needs tending to, a website that needs completing, taxes to complete, a yard that needs a little "spring cleanup," friends' baby showers to attend, and general "life" stuff that needs to be accomplished (drycleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, exercise, house cleaning, etc.) To say I have bit off more than I can chew is an understatement; I figure I'll be caught up sometime around August. :)

I am thankful for patient people in my life who understand that I'm busy, busy, busy. (Aren't we all busy? And I don't even have kids yet...!) I'm always awed by people who have set work hours and then get to lounge by the pool with a book when work is finished. I'm envious and I admire those who can fully relax, but I'm just not wired that way, you know? I always need a project, a challenge, a something...I am not a person who can sit in front of the TV and just relax. Even while watching a DVD with my hubby I am folding laundry, doing design research, sketching an idea, or working on school work. My hands like to be occupied and I am a multi-tasker to the extremes. (While I am able to pack a lot into my day, my nervous energy of always having to DO something can be a drawback, too: I don't know what to do with myself on vacation (you'll almost never find me laying by the pool for more than fifteen minutes without looking for something to do), I drive my husband nuts by constant fidgeting when my hands aren't occupied, and I tend to overcrowd my schedule.)

Right now, the thing that is suffering most from my schedule is my own home! I have some "finds" that I'm dying to breathe some new life into, but I just haven't had time. So, these poor objects are scattered around the house just waiting for me to give them some TLC and restore them into the beautiful objects they are destined to someday be...

Number 1: This chair, scored for almost nothing. I love the lines on this baby, but it needs an overhaul. I need to pick out a fab fabric and do a little reupholstery magic. Any suggestions?

Number 2: This lovely, fabulous, chic brass tray. I LOVE this thing. It's waiting for me to use a little Barkeeper's Friend on it to make it shine like it used to. It also needs to be styled---it's going to be our buffet-top bar a la Mad Men:
Number 3: A really great brass lamp, rescued from a very dingy antique store. Jill actually spotted this first. I love "treasure hunting" with my sister, but I have had some great finds end up in her house, causing me a bit of angst. I spotted a great oil painting at the Rose Bowl Flea Market and suggested that it would look amazing in her house. She bought it, and now every time I'm over there, I stare at that painting and wish I'd kept it for myself. :) So, she was very kind to pass on this lamp so I could have it. I need a shade for it (I'm thinking black lacquer, thank you very much) and it needs some kind of finial, but overall it is lovely.

See that brass lamp below in this photo from Apartment Therapy? Purdy, right? Mine will be, too, if I ever get around to giving it some love!

I like the mix of brass with black, like in this photo below from Everything Fab. That mix is so luxe and chic to me, while giving a lot of depth and also a lot of options to mix in other colors and textures.

Ahhhh...Dreaming of the day when I get to give my house a little attention! Until then, it's back to "the schedule" for me. I hope each of you are able to catch a little R&R in between your hectic schedules---I know I'm not the only one with a whole lot goin' on!