Campaign Dresser Love & Craigslist Find!

If you frequent any design blogs, I am sure you are familiar with the current craze of campaign furniture.   

Campaign furniture, as implied by its name, is portable furniture that was designed for use in military campaigns. Designed to be easily transported during military operations,  Often, it was built in separate parts so as to be more mobile, and the pieces were made of durable woods like mahogany and teak. ~ Apartment Therapy

It all started with this one that I saw in Lonny

{via Lonny}

Search "campaign dresser" in Google images and a colorful array of DIY dressers pop up. I'm talkin' serious inspiration!

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{via Apartment Therapy}

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I added this furniture to my Craigs [stalking] list and low and behold, a few weeks later this dresser popped up for a mere $15!  

 

The dimensions were perfect for our bedroom.  We need drawers, and a place for our TV opposite the bed.  Done!  Problem was that the seller was an hour drive from Atlanta! UGH!  I aksed them to meet me half way for $20 and convinced my dad [who was in town visiting] to drive south with me!  Yes, yes, my mind was spinning, what color will I paint it?  I can't believe I found such a deal! 

When the seller showed up with the dresser I knew I was in trouble.  Let me put it this way, this piece looks like it had been drug through several wars and campaigns, probably dismantled several times as well.  (gashes, chips and the back corner torn off) My dad thought I was crazy, and honestly, I had serious doubts too, but I bought it anyway.  

When we pulled up to the house with the dresser in the back of the truck, Ernesto immediately said I was banned from Craigslist.  WHY would you buy this POS?  I showed him my inspiration photos and said  " I swear I can make it pretty!"  He said,  "you have 2 weeks or I'm tossing it."

Needless to say, I had better get to work!  Details of the transformation to follow! 

I am thinking orange!  What color would you paint it?

Shades of Gray: Deciding on Paint Colors

I have had this picture saved on my computer for months in hopes that we would find a house and I would be able to pick paint colors and start decorating again.

I love the color gray! This has been a trend in decor for quite a while now, and I have been dying to use it.  Since moving into our house,  I have been collecting paint swatches. 

The problem is, which gray shall I choose?  I thought I could just pick the "perfect gray", but the more I looked at swatches, the more confused I was.  I would pick one color and the second I put it next to another "gray" it would turn blue, green, or purple.  I have gone to buy the paint several times and walked out with nothing but more swatches.

I guess I didn't realize the complexity of the color gray.  

I thought the best thing to do would be to buy the little testers and see which I like best on my wall at different times with different lighting.  I ended up with these 5 on my wall:

From left to right:
Woodsmoke - Eddie Bauer
Silver Threads- Olympic
Dolphin - Martha Stewart
Chinchilla - Martha Stewart
Driftwood Gray - Martha Stewart
Natural Gray - BEHR

Guess what?  After all that,  it's still a difficult decision.  Here they are on a different wall with different light.

Oh, and just for fun, I stopped by Sherwin Williams and bought one more sample (as if 6 wasn't enough) called Magnetic Gray.  This one was recommended by a few designers in magazines and a few blogs.  I really like it and I decided I will use this in our bedroom, which does not help me in my current 1st floor paint search.

Believe it or not, Ernesto has started putting up customers' xmas lights already and will be working everyday until mid-December.  I guess there is no rush to decide on paint colors now is there?  Maybe if I live with the painted samples for a month Ill be able to make a more definitive decision.
Have any of you painted a room gray?  What was the color and are you happy with it?

One Month Old {Mateo's Monthly Photo}

The 20th of October marks Mateo's one month old birthday! Every month on the 20th I will be taking a picture of him to document his growth.  I would like to take it in the same spot every time, but have not yet decided which one to use.  I have so many.  I will have it sorted out by next month! Here are a few I like.

Mateo: Week Four

Querido Mateo, 
You are four weeks old today!!! So much has happened in that time.  So much has changed.  
All for the better. 
Your papi and I have always been a great team, but you make us even better together.  
We take turns rocking you to sleep in the middle of the night.  A few nights ago your papi let your mama sleep for 7 hours straight.  You woke up just once at 4am and he took care of you without waking me.  We enjoy our mornings when you lay in bed with us.  We cuddle with you and marvel at how cute you are, and how lucky we are to have you.   

You make us laugh.  All your little sounds and grunts and sighs are so cute. Your papi especially likes all the loud pedos (stinkers) that you make.  Like father like son. 

As a side note:
A couple weeks ago your papi said that these orange striped pants are "clown pants" and he didn't want you to wear them again.  But they matched your Halloween shirt perfectly so he made an exception and dressed you:)

While you slept, I was snapped this picture to send your tia Jenny to show her you were wearing the pants again.


And just then you smirked.  Sometimes you do that when you are sleeping.

We love that....and we love you mijo. 
mama y papi

Another Craigslist Find!

As I have mentioned before, I am a daily stalker on Craigslist.
I have a list of search options that I go through in hopes of finding a score!!

Buffet/sideboard, upholstered king headboard,  60" round dining table, "tufted" anything, vintage chairs...to name a few.

Another thing on my stalking list was nightstands.  We don't have any bedroom furniture yet and although we have a walk-in closet, I wanted drawers for our socks/underwear. 

Over the weekend I picked up this set for $75.  Yes, I know they are very dated, but I loved the square outlines right away.  They are solid wood and will be transformed when I paint them and change the hardware....can you see it?

If you can't imagine them, you will soon see.  I think I will paint them Rustoleums Gloss Smoke Gray like Jenny  [from Little Green Notebook] did here with her side table.  I plan to paint them this weekend, so I'll be sure to post a pic when they are finished!

Do you have a painting project or craigslist/thrifted overhaul you are working on??

Mateo: Week Three

Querido Mateo,
You are the sweetest thing ever! You are such a good baby.  Duerme. Come. Popo  (eat. sleep. poop) It's pretty easy to decode your cries when you only have a few needs. Your papi and I love all your little squeals and cute faces.  After three weeks of working together, we finally have the breastfeeding down (although I wish your suction was a little less) and I enjoy seeing you so content while eating.

You love that little pacifier the nurses gave you in the hospital.   I bought one that is supposed to be shaped more like a "mothers nipple" but you have no interest in it.  I was fearful that it would interfere with your learning to breastfeed, but you have proved to be a very smart baby.   Even with your papi feeding you bottles [of my breastmilk] you are happily eating from the breast.   I guess you know where that milk is coming from!

We took you with us to the doctor to show you off to all the ladies who helped us when I was pregnant.  I never got to say thank you to Dr. Lemon for doing such a great job with my c-section.  She delivered you safely and quickly.  We will be eternally grateful.  Even though your were sound asleep, she wanted to hold you for a bit.

She looked at my cut and said it was healing wonderfully.  I agree!  You can barely see it.  (It is still a tiny bit swollen, but Im told this will go away.) Your mama looks almost back to normal, but I know there is still some internal healing that needs to happen, so I will still be taking it easy.  I will continue taking you on walks though, don't worry!

Friday morning when your mama went out to give a lighting estimate, your papi called me and said that you guys had a surprise for me when I got home.  What was it?

Your umbilical cord fell off when your papi was changing your diaper.  So exciting! You can take a bath now. We saved it and will put it in your baby book for you to marvel over when you are older:)

Friday night, your tio Brrrian came from Asheville with his girlfriend Kyia.  He was very excited to meet you and even wore you around the house in the moby wrap. *by the way, all pictures were taken with my phone, so they are not great.

Sunday morning, in what I think will become a weekend tradition for us, we walked over to Grant Park for the local farmers market.  Its so cute!  There are great vendors and so many little kids are there, you are going to make lots of friends in this neighborhood Mateo.

We also walked over to Historic Oakland Cemetery.  This was the first time we had been there and I was pleasantly surprised at how gorgeous it was.   The hills and beautiful landscaping make it feel like a stroll in the park.

You slept the whole time while your papi carried you in the Ergo Carrier, you love that thing! I love how cute your papi looks carrying you too!

You are going to love your tio, he is so much fun, he'll definitely make you laugh a lot.  Here your tio Brrrian walks in the cemetery like a zombie. 

These three weeks have flown by...you consume our day and we love it!  We love YOU Mateo! 
mama y papi

{morning lounging}

{morning cuddles with papi}

Old Chairs Get New Life

Remember this pair of vintage chairs I got from my mom's basement? 

 

Well, yesterday we got them back from the upholsterer (Fast and Great Upholstery) and I am loving how they turned out!   They did a wonderful job. I just can't believe how different they look.  What a transformation, right?

They took the skirt off and also squared off the arms.  I would still like to switch out the square legs to tapered but overall they are exactly the mid-century look I was going for.  Here is a close up of the fabric:

I can't wait to see how they look once we paint the walls (grey) and get a colorful rug and new couch! I fear I will not have much time to start decorating before we get crazy with the Christmas Light Pros (we are already getting calls for estimates) but little by little I know it will get there.

Mateo: Week Two

Querido Mateo,

We can't believe you are two weeks old already.  You astonish us with your cuteness every day.  We can't stop kissing you.  What a sleeper you are too!  More nights than not, you only wake up twice to feed and get your diaper changed, something your papi loves to do:)  Breastfeeding is getting a lot easier and after eating you will usually drift off to sleep some again.

We are all moved into our new house (although not quite settled) and loving our narrow, low traffic street.  It is so quiet here.  At night we can hear  the crickets when Im feeding you, it's so relaxing. We have met four of our neighbors and they are all great.  Black, white, Asian, Hispanic and gay...love the diversity...and love that you will be raised in the middle of a diverse environment.

Your tio Bill flew in for 24 hours just to meet you.  Isn't that sweet?  

He and your tia Barbie are having a baby in a few weeks so you will not be the youngest cousin for long!  We took advantage of the beautiful day and walked around our new neighborhood.  The stroller puts you right to sleep.

We stopped at a cute place for lunch called Dakota Blue and ate outside....We are so happy this is our neighborhood!  You are going to love it here too! 

Im sorry to keep going on about this.....but could you get any cuter?

After your first sponge bath, your papi wrapped you tight.  OMG that face!  I think we are going to keep you forever!

We love you very much,
mama y papi