{ Snowy Day Craft }

One of the biggest surprise hits of my designer room at the Philadelphia Home Show
was the monogrammed cork "M" I made for a desk accessory.
I was totally surprised at how many comments it got.
It was a last minute project I came up with when I realized I needed a few accessories for the desk.

Since it was such a hit, I thought I'd show you how to make your own.
Step one: gather all you girlfriends and drink a few bottles of wine.

Step two: print our a large letter on the printer.

 Step: Three: Use the paper letter as a guide and hot glue all your corks together.
(I mapped mine out on top of the print out first before I started gluing to make sure I had enough corks.)

I know you really didn't need a tutorial to figure this out, but I gave you another reason to have another glass of wine tonight.

HGTV’s Elbow Room

Wow, has it really been almost two months since I’ve written a blog?!?!?!  I guess it has.  There has been so much going on and it’s been so hard keeping up with my blog. 

The main thing that is taking up all of my time is the new HGTV show that I am working on!!  We started filming at the beginning of December and have been going non-stop.  HGTV finally put out a press release this week so I can actually talk about it.  The new show is called Elbow Room and is set to premier on HGTV in May.  Chip Wade, previously a contractor on Curb Appeal: The Block, is the new Host and Designer on the show.  I’m assisting Chip as Design Coordinator.  My main responsibility is styling the renovated homes.  A lot of my work is behind the scenes but I get some camera time too.  It’s all very exciting. 

Here’s a description of the show from an article on Bizjournals.com...

We have filmed 5 episodes so far and have 8 more to go.  It has been so much fun getting a behind the scenes look into how an HGTV show is created.  My mom came down to visit and described it so perfectly.  She said “it’s like a Nascar race…when you watch a race on tv you know that the cars are going fast and you know it’s really loud.  But, watching it on TV is nothing compared to being at the real race and seeing the cars in action.”  At any moment there could be 30 people on the set going a million miles an hour and each doing a different task.  When the cameras start rolling though, the only ones in the scene are Chip and the homeowners.  It’s really fascinating.  I’m so lucky to be a part of it all.

I’ll make sure to post updates about the show as I have them.  I’m looking forward to the show’s premier in May of this year.  Thanks to all my readers for sticking around during my lack of blogging.  You guys are the best!  xoxo, Cristi

LiveJournal Tags: HGTV,Elbow Room,Chip Wade

{ Giveaway and a Recipe }

I rarely post recipes, but, it's a rainy Friday, and these new glasses seem to be screaming for a mixed drink.

Recently I was luck enough to receive a set of 6 Tortoiseshell gorgeous glasses from a company called
Novica. The glasses are so beautiful, I had to put them straight to work!
So, here's my recipe...it's the perfect drink for a rainy Friday Happy Hour with your girlfriends.
1 shot vodka  

1 cup tomato juice/V8
1/4 cup clamato juice
2 splashes of hot sauce
1 splash worcestershire sauce
1 squeeze of lemon
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
1 stalk celery
Like them? What a set for yourself?

If you'd like to shop the NOVICA website I have a $50. gift card to giveaway.
Simply leave a comment here and I'll pick a winner at the end of the weekend.

*Novica, in association with National Geographic, works directly with thousands of master artisans in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, helping bring their beautiful creations, and their stories, to collectors worldwide.


The glasses are hand blown with a tortoiseshell appearance.  Designed by Javier and Efren in Mexico. Each glass is hand shaped, resulting in each being slightly different from the other.
Novica also carries a great selection of handmade fabrics, accessories, and jewelry.

{ Sunshine Sign in the Girls' Room }

One of my favorite songs.

I've always loved this signed made by The Handmade Home.

I even included it when I created a design board for my girls room.

and another little project I'm working on in the girls's room. more to come on this...

{ Powder Room Update }

It's a misleading title, I know.
It sounds like something has actually been accomplished in my powder room.
Something that only a plumber, electrician, or carpenter can do.
Alas, it's just me. Me, my ponytail holder, hot glue gun, drill, mini van...you get the idea.

In a dream world, this house would have been hopin' with all kinds of talented workers while I was away at the Philadelphia Home Show for what seemed like an eternity.  But, I don't live on a set of Extreme Home Makeover. So I came home to the house just the way I left it (umm, sort of, as in it was still standing).

There is a beautiful new floor in the powder room and laundry room.  But there's still no quarter round on the baseboard.

Did I ever tell you why this glorious event occurred? (I'm talking about the floor)

A pipe under our laundry floor was cracked. So few a few weeks, the floor looked like this.

I'm happy to have the floor back and my prized trash find back home again home again, jiggity jig.

Still working on the sink. I'm thinking of this one from Philadelphia Salvage.

I love the grass green I recently painted the walls.

but mostly happy to have my distressed blue dresser back home!

{ Finding your style }

It's not always easy to find your style.

Especially when you first move in to your home.

It takes time & tweeking.  And, even then, you'll probably wind up tweeking some more.

This is what my fireplace in my dining room looks like today.

I'm happy with it.  But it took a while to get here.

When we first saw the house, the room looked like this.

I knew right away I wanted to room to be a dining room instead of a living room.

And, I  L O V E  it as a dining room.

At first, I just thought the fireplace needed a tiny bit of color, so I painted it sea salt by sherwin williams.

Snore.

Something still was just not right. So, I Darkened the back wall and added horizontal stripes.

The stripes worked out great, but I knew the mantel needed to be heftier. 

So, we had a mantel made from old barn wood by John Duffy, from Stable Tables.

getting there...

Then, finally a little before Christmas, I painted the fireplace black.

Donk.  That was it.

Now, the fireplace works well with the rest of the room , and the rest of the house for that matter.

So, it takes a while, but keep tweeking.  i know I always will.

{ A swing for the girl's room }

Still haven't "completed" the girl's room.
But, little by little things are getting done.
Here's the latest additions...
A reading swing, complete with it's own library.

The louvered door was found on the side of the road.

I painted it, added chalkboard paint to the bottom, and use it to hold the girl's books.

p.s. I love the color of the door.

I don't even want to hang the shoe rack back up!

See the switch plate cover?

I LOVE these.

They are about 67 cents in the hardware stores.

When my contractor saw them, he insisted they were for electrical boxes only (as if they can go nowhere else).

I love the industrial farmhouse look they give a room.

I also got around to hanging the chevron curtain panels that have been lying around Camille & Lucy's room for about 2 weeks now. Sorry girls.

I love the color and they match the euro pillows on the bed.

Okay, so I'll get around to giving you a full tour of my newest favorite room soon, promise.

{ Dork Alert }

Okay, for those of you who requested a replay of the FYI Philly Show from the other night, here's  a snippet.
My speakers don't even work on my computer, so, truthfully, I don't even know what I'm saying in this video.
But, I do know I am a complete dork on camera.
Enjoy!

{ Globe Light Fixtures }

The globe lights I made last week are finally hung.

They are in place at the celebrity designer room at 

The Philadelphia Home Show.

They are a big hit and I love them!

Linking to

{ Making a Headboard }

I recently found these fabulous vintage doors at a salvage place near me.
(Philadelphia Salvage in Mount Airy, PA)

I love the colors and carvings on them.
Can't wait to see them hung!

{ Sneak Peak Fabrics }

Did you know I'll be designing a room at the Philadelphia Home Show?
I am.
I'll be one of 4 designers featured at the show.  I've designer a room for Comcast SportsNet's Gregg Murphy.
The room is a combination of Guest Room/Home Office.
I'll be giving sneak peaks all week, but I'd love for you to come see the room in person. There are so many nooks and crannys in the room I know you'll love.
If you come to the show, please grab me and introduce yourself.  I'd love to meet you.

Here's a little sneaky peaky at what you'll find in my room.

I'm in love with these fabrics.  Makes you want to do your room all over again!

Thanks to Robert Allen Fabrics for sponsoring this portion of my room. 

I was like a kid in a candy store when I got the chance to pick out all the fabric and bedding I wanted for this room.

They also lent me a great nubby braided fabric chair and ottoman that reminds me of an Irish sweater. 

I used this great chocolate plaid for some Euro pillows.

And, this golden geometric for one side of the duvet and some throw pillows.

The brown pattern was used in the duvet also and a small pillow for the chair.

The hounds-tooth is one of my favs.

I hope to see you at the show!  Click the link on my side bar for discounted tickets.

See you there!

(follow me on facebook for your chance to win tickets to the show)

{ A Mini Bar ~ To Go }

I've been working on this "mini bar" for a guest room.

It's going to hang on the wall above the bedside dresser.
It would be great filled with water bottles and snapple, plus a few munchies.
Who wouldn't love that in their room?

I used a scrap piece of wood from a shipping pallet and notched out 2 spots for the glasses to hang.
Then, I just wedged the wood into place.

Can't wait to see it hung!