Office/Den Update Pictures

So recently I posted a picture on Facebook of our new kitchen chalkboard wall and I couldn't believe the positive response. ;)  It reminded me that not many of my friends have seen our office/den since we finished the framed chalkboard wall we did IN THERE back in October.  For SHAME!  Looking back on my October blog post about it, I saw that the office area was definitely a work in progres....so last night I grabbed my camera for a few updated snaps of that room as it stands today.  (hence the night-time photos with obvious flash use)  It lets everyone see how the house has evolved since October...well at least how THIS ROOM has evolved since October... ;) Enjoy!

I'm really quite proud of this particular piece of art above the sofa. It cost almost NADA. :) Thanks to my wonderful employers (AGUIRRE RODEN).. I scored (and SAVED from the trash bin)...the 12"x12" foam core boards used for the pictures. They were hours away from being trashed..and even though at the time I had no idea what I was going to do with them, I gathered the nearly 40 perfectly cut boards, and started to plan my project. I then photoshoped some of our honeymoon pictures with borders and such (The KELLEY lettered pictures on the top took a bit more photoshop tweaking than the bottom) and printed them out on 11x17 good quality paper. For that glossy look that most pictures have but even good quality paper doesn't give you... I laminated them. Instant ART! :)

Another way we personalized our wedding. 

I had this 2'x2' foam core picture set out for our guests to sign.  It didn't get around to everyone who celebrated with us but between this and the Shutterfly Guest Photo Book I made for people to sign in...we were overwhelmed with lots of love from everyone at our wedding!  :)

Our "work" desk which houses my amazing MAC computer that Chad got me for my birthday this year.  :) 

Bottom Left Corner:  Yet another 2'x2' picture of us taken the day we got engaged which we also set out on an easel at our wedding...this time near the cake!  Mmmmmmm....  :) 

Top Left Corner:  Remnant from the apartment I shared with Lola Cat in Barcelona, circa 2001.  :)  I still remember the day we bought this beehive lampshade (that always makes me smile) in a little hardware shop down the street from where we lived.  It hung over our teeny, tiny, fold-down-from-the-wall, dining table for the entire semester.  Soon after, it hung over the dining table in our apartment in College Station and finally came to live with me.. permanently.  :)  No worries Lorraine, it's in good hands.  ;) 

Middle:  Another work find/save.  About a year and a half ago, Aguirre Roden moved office locations.  In the hustle and bustle of trying to clean out the old stuff to make our transition easier, I came across this blown-up water color print someone had done of a project waaaaayyyy before my time.  I didn't think it was trash so I asked if I could have it.  :)  That simple.  It now has a new home ;)

For one of our first holidays as husband and wife (I'm not sure if it was Valentine's or Christmas..) I got Chad this print from an Etsy shop that was giving away a free print of your choice.  One of the verses offered in this free deal just so happened to be one of the readings from our wedding, all I had to tell her was our NAMES!  How cool is that?!  :) The frame is from IKEA (which I already had just waiting for something fabulous to be put inside it!)

Here's a shot of our first chalkboard wall.  :)  We were both so proud that the frame was actually centered and level! We use this as an inspiration wall, jotting down words and phrases to inspire our own restaurant concept one day.  It's ever-changing and always evolving so some words mean something now..some were just fleeting thoughts...some, just plain silliness.  :)

I couldn't decide which picture of our IKEA console I liked better, so I thought it best not to choose and go with them BOTH!  I still want to actually put UP those pictures...maybe on a ledge perhaps, but since I will most certainly need two sets of hands to do it, I'll have to wait for a Sunday when Chad doesn't mind working on the house to help me.  ;)  Until then, they are fine where they are.  (Don't you just love the candy cane colored striped candles that have been left on there since CHRISTMAS?!) Don't judge, just pretend they are solid red or something.. ;)  Oh and the HU-MON-GOUS pine cone isn't holiday related either by the way... it's a year round accessory that I brought back (read: somewhat illegal contraband ;) from Yosemite.  ;)

The newest additions to the Kelley house.  :)  A super fabulous, I've-been-looking-for-you-everywhere, where-have-you-been-hiding, Fork and Spoon find from Garden Ridge for a whoppin' $12 bucks!!  I'm a HUUUGEE SUCKER for a great deal so you should've seen the look on my face when we stumbled upon these guys...talk about stupid silly!  :)  They're oversized, wooden, stained in a dark chocolate/espresso finish and unfortunately don't photograph as fabulous as they really are in person...but you get the idea.  We were even lucky enough to find another pair that we are keeping for future use in our future house.  (No plans to move yet, just thinking ahead ;) 

Awww... and this little flying piggy friend that I stumbled upon at Ross.  I couldn't NOT bring him home with me, he was just too darn CUTE!  Oh and he's a bona-fide piggy bank too!  Cute and functional?...SOLD!  :)  He weighs about a ton too, well not literally, but this chunk of solid iron would do some serious damage if it fell on a toe or something.  OUCH! 

Oh and that super adorable, don't-you-just-want-to-squeeze-those-fatty-cheeks, baby on the far left.. is... ME!  :)  I know, I was super cute, wasn't I?!  No idea what the hell happened after that... ;) 

The facebook photo I posted which inspired this blog post.  :) 

We had originally intended to hang the fork and spoon in the area where the menu is written, but when I realized we still had chalkboard paint left over and we could get a space for writing menu items and such, I took matters into my own hands and painted the wall while I waited for Chad to get home from work.  Luckily he liked my idea better and loved that the wall finally had a purpose.  :)  I also like that the black paint creates a nice transition from the kitchen cabinets to the living area.