keeping it real | Holly Mathis Interiors

keeping it real

Feb21
23 Comments
Confession is good
Posted in: fabric, keeping it real, kitchen
I need to confess. I actually did not make my desk skirt. You need to know I am NOT a diy queen, at all!..When you first saw the desk, it was simply draped over the rod which looked pretty unless you have an 18 month old maniac in your house. It was constantly on the floor…which is not good considering the underside is not that appealing..plastic storage tubs etc..
But I tried, i worked one entire Sunday afternoon hemming and pressing and sewing and when i was done, the line of stitching and rod pocket just looked cheesy and uneven..it needed to be put on a piece of wood and gathered and stapled directly not a rod pocket, at least for my satisfaction. In step my hero, Michelle of MAKE Slipcovers & More, she always gets me out of messes with fabric. She KNOWS how to handle linen, which stretches and “grow”, I obviously do not know how to work with the linen..I just know how to LOVE it. I won’t even show you how uneven i had it. At least I did not cut into it too much. I had a feeling it might not “work out” so I left plenty of hem and extra fabric. Unfortunately for Michelle, I used small stitches. SORRY MICHELLE!
You can see here how I tried to use a closet rod for the rod pocket of the drape..it was okay but not what i had in mind…notice the heavy duty brackets my husband screwed to our solid wood walls for support..six of these and a middle post are holding up the MDF desktop! He did a great job installing the desk, it just needed a proper “working” skirt!
So Michelle gathered the fabric and attached to a lathe strip,noticed how she pre-drilled holes so it was easier to install..hopefully she will pipe in via comments and tell you more exact how she did it because I am not sure, I just know it looks good!
Don’t be too jealous…believe me I know how great she is..we sent her home with special gifts!
Perfection…and she even attached it. What a professional!
And there you go…Michelle, thank you so much for bailing me out! I love how it looks and Henry can not pull it down though he tries! He did splatter some prunes on it but it will be a while before i take it down to wash..that is another post for sure!
Just didn’t want y’all to think I just whipped that desk skirt one day during naptime because that would be FAR from the truth. I tried but had to rely on a professional in the end and I am glad I did because I love the outcome.
By the way, Michelle is going to have some amazing new items in her online store so watch for a post about that coming soon!
Jan4
6 Comments
Fresh start + random misc.
Posted in: favorite things, keeping it real, perspective
Whewww… feeling much better today. The sun is not shining but big brother had a good morning at school, I did the big grocery run and put it away, bought some tulips, shipped some things to clients (amanda your lights are on the way) and I am suddenly feeling excited about 2011!
{ Violet & Pansy board from Snippet and Ink}
Speaking of fresh, i love this image above, that car and water cooler just make me happy! Weddings have gotten so unique and fun!
I found these images when searching for green and gray combinations when working on my dining room…i think i am in loves with the pairing! I so wanted this green color in my wedding (the collage above has me thinking of weddings) but the chapel carpeting was TEAL..anyway i still love this acidy chartreusy green..so pretty.
{from Eddie Ross}
So I hope you are feeling fab too or will soon about the new year..fresh starts are so nice. I must be getting old because I even love monday mornings these days. Dare I say i am even excited about Valentines Day.
{image from Country Living..you can buy these arm patches mjtrim.com . . . i hope they have stars for the boys jean-knees!}
What are you inspired by today?? How are you feeling about the new year??
If you could go back in time and change silly details in your wedding decor what would you change? If i could go back in time i would not change the man but i would give my girls these necklaces and i might trade the monograms & mornings suits look for more of a fried chicken and country church tabernacle vibe. How did we ever plan weddings without etsy? Oh and I would go sleeveless, my arms were not near as bad as I thought..I will have to dig out pictures and show yall (the wedding not my arms!) for Valentines Day…
Have a great day!
Jan3
9 Comments
Reflective.
Posted in: favorite things, keeping it real
I don’t even know where to start. I will say I am not hustling into the New Year. We’ve had sick kids off and on all Christmas, the decorations are still up, big brother doesn’t go back to school until tomorrow, so we are still lounging and in holiday mode. It will be another week or so before I start the diet, think about changes and organization and resolutions. So forgive the slow pace but sometimes I think I don’t really enjoy BEING and enjoy Christmas until after its over. Anyone else feel that way?
I will say its been a great year and we are looking forward to the next. My husband was sworn in on Saturday for his second term at a job he loves and is so good at, very proud of him and the important work he does..the kids are growing and healthy (except for bad tonsils and ears but i am very aware that sick at Christmas is much better than in the hospital at Christmas, again thankful it wasnt worse). We are tired a lot but happy…ha! I am very thankful to be able to be home with the boys and write this blog and work with clients online. What a blessing..I never could have imagined this kind of job… So thank you for reading and thank you for your patience with my grammar, bad humor, and other mediocrity. Thank you for getting excited about little things like the perfect pillow and photos of my kids.
Here is a recap of my fave projects completed in 2010.
Henry’s birthday thank you for indulging me in this mama neurosis..it was so fun!
And our master bedroom redo…this was a much needed change that I am enjoying everyday…so glad i tackled this project in 2010.
Finally numbering my stairs..i hope i can embrace this LIVE WHAT YOU LOVE philosophy more in the new year.

And last but not least thank you for watching DESIGN TEAM HYACINTH over at that little blog called PIONEER WOMAN..fun and crazy project!
So Happy New Year, thanks for reading, would love to hear what everyone is up to today and how you are transitioning into the New Year! and please stay tuned…i have some fun stuff to share soon!
Jan1
3 Comments
Happy Happy
Posted in: keeping it real
Dec12
23 Comments
time is flyin
Posted in: keeping it real
WOW…Christmas is soon. I think I better head to the target today.
I would love to hear what you giving your children this Christmas. I mean what do you get a 16month old baby?…I am thinking a big red ball, diapers?? ha! In the past i was obsessed with wood toys, now i am looking for the blinkiest thing that will hold his attention the longest. Mother of the year right!? Seriously, I would love to hear your suggestions for little boys!
{My boys showing off for y’all…Drew has started saying “mom put this on your blog!}
I had hoped to do a gift guide this year but as usual it is probably too late. I also would love to show you my favorite gifts I am giving other people but dont want to ruin the surprise if they read my blog. Maybe I will do a post game recap.
TELL ME WHAT GIFTS YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT GIVING….i love giving a great gift!
Nov30
20 Comments
Inspiration + reality
Posted in: keeping it real
I need to post some pretty pictures this morning to help motivate me to get organized around the house.
{Image via decorpad}
I am determined to not get out too much Christmas until we get the new stove and finish up some projects including cleaning and organization. To be honest, with a toddler on the loose I am not rushing to get the tree out, we did put up the nativity at least. It has a toy soldier in it, because not all soldiers get to come home for Christmas according to Drew.
This time last year I was in stress mode because I had a 6 month old baby and still expected full on decorating and more of myself. At the time it seemed logical, now it seems crazy. PLEASE if you have had a baby in the last year, heck two years, dont put pressure on yourself to be Martha Stewart this Christmas. You know what I did, I ordered off of etsy some of the projects I knew there was no way I would have time to make. There I said it. I am also learning to not try to totally revamp my Christmas decorating style too late in the game. This year I got new stockings in OCTOBER. It takes the pressure off. And after all, they are only stockings. Also, remember you dont have to do every decorating idea THIS year, you can save one for next year or the next…Christmas will be back and soon…When i was in my 20s i wanted to do everything NOW..it was exhausting, actually it wasnt because I didnt have kids but I do now and it would be exhausting!;; OK enough housewife philosophy…another pretty photo..
{Amy Meier Design}
WOW..that green and those birds..love it!
OK I am off to finally do the dinner dishes..its only 9 am the next morning. Yall be easy on your crafty selves and remember Baby Jesus!
Oct29
19 Comments
Live what you love
Posted in: blogs, favorite things, keeping it real, living with kids
I am guest posting over at The Inspired Room today about our new look for the stairs and decorating the way you truly want in your home..check it out.
And check out my new stairs!
I think the boys like it!
Have a great weekend!
Aug12
33 Comments
Dirty laundry
Posted in: favorite things, keeping it real, living with kids
Here it is y’all. Dirty. white. slipcovers.
Don’t you just get sick of hearing “i love having white slipcovers with my 14 children, they work wonderful for our family” ha!….I both agree and have issues with this statement. Melissa at the Inspired Room was the first I know of to be really honest about the issue. Read what she has to say here about white slips! The truth is white slipcovers look great, when clean. But they DO GET DIRTY.
See below. Those aren’t shadows. In fact, I think you can almost see where two little feet rest between the cushions!
I mean really, its just dirty….not even a cute pillow (yellow flower pillow from DWELL @ Target;) can divert attention from this mess. And sure they can be bleached and washed but it is work to take them off and do this periodically (really needs to be done every 3-4 weeks) and if NOT prewashed like I did not do nearly 12 years ago, well they SHRINK too.
Yep in all its glory, not only dirty and worn but it shrunk. Alot. Look at the back all hiked up! Notice my oldest looks very concerned..he’s “relaxin” watching cartoons and twirling his hair!
The good news, I hauled the sofa and chair off today for new slips, after TEN YEARS, finally new slips..and what color?? WHITE! That’s right, I am doing it again because they may get dirty and gross but you CAN bleach and borax if you have white. In fact, this time I bought white white duck from fabric.com. The current slips are off white denim. That’s right I have TWO boys and I am going even lighter! And yes it is work but I love the look and the light color brightens up my older, smaller home. The chair will be a ticking stripe but the sofa will remain white, at least until the boys lay on it awhile! I have the best slipcover person in the world and I can’t wait to tell y’all more about her so stay tuned.
Jul27
25 Comments
Crazy misc…
Posted in: keeping it real, living with kids
Excuse the phone photos but it’s all I am up for right now. Isn’t it annoying when bloggers take photos of their “cute clutter” in an attempt to try to be real?!;; Or when they say ”I just don’t have time to blog or take decent photos.” Sorry. this is one of those days. And it’s real. very real. I have so much I want to blog about and share but too busy keeping people from drowning in toilets and choking on legos. So here is the reality.
I sort of feel like the monkey..”get me away from the legos!” Its chaos keeping the legos away from Henry when that is all Drew wants to do…we are about to move all legos upstairs!
Oh and Drew hates this monkey..he hates all monkeys..can’t believe he put him on the lamp like this… I am sure he was creating a “scene”..like the other night when he asked me to be a saloon girl because we are a western town now (too many Boomerang cartoons, not exactly PC) or the other night when I asked him if he was ready for his bath and he said “No but I would love a cigar!” GO pick up legos Butch Cassidy! Don’t you love the “cuddle blankets” situated near the TANK! (and yes it makes firing sounds!) mercy.
Seriously, it’s like a war zone around here some days, I am sure many of you can relate. Between the high chair “bombs” and turned over play tables..and the legos… Henry is about to walk..he has FOUR new teeth, Drew is LOSING teeth left and right…it’s nuts..no time to research pretty uses of bamboo blinds like on my blog to do list;; If I have to say “stop shooting at the baby” one more time! It’s just not right.
Yesterday I did attempt to do something “design wise” while Henry napped and Drew ran wild. It didn’t turn out. Precious time wasted. See.
Too crowded..they all need to be landscapes I think. This is the upstairs bath that will be “boy zone” soon..I may collect a few retro “paint by numbers” to hang here eventually…I will just chalk this up as a test run, and go back to scouring for legos!
On a similar note, Jenny at Little Green Notebook has an interesting post up about children and “nice things” on her blog..check it out..will be fun to see the viewpoints…My opinion depends on the day!;;
And of course at the end of the day, people are more important than things. And a home full of life is more beautiful than one full of treasures..my home was “straight” but without the sound of little people way too long so I get the what’s important thing BUT I also get the “mess is driving me crazy” viewpoint now too..and I used to think those moms were so whiny and ungrateful. ha!
Jul2
21 Comments
Switching gears..trying to keep up!
Posted in: baby boy, family, keeping it real, living with kids
So much has been going on this summer..hard to believe it is already July! (How many people did you hear say that yesterday?!) We have so much we want to do around our home (more on that later)..it is definitely a time of transition around here as Henry is crawling and about to walk. He is in to brother’s legos and army men, or he wants to be…it is constant toy mess. SO we have plans to rearrange a bit so we can function better, maybe have play room upstairs, regain my dining room..but again, the summer is FLYING and I haven’t even gone through their clothes to see what is too small..Ijust keep pushing aside the same tiny onesies looking for something to fit this BIG BOY!
SEE! Time truly does FLY! He is going to be ONE YEAR in two weeks! ONE YEAR y’all…hard to believe..seems like I was just posting fabric ideas on here for his nursery and now I am thinking about how to change it! Crazy mama!
Oh and yes that is a bit of the new master bedroom drapes you see in the background and no its not finished yet..I have two of the four panels up, haven’t put up the new rod, never even finished “glazing” the blue dresser..
But that’s okay..we are having fun and just trying to keep up! Next adventure, Henry’s first birthday party..stay tune for sneak peaks and little details next week..it is going to be so fun! My little Fourth of July baby is getting so big! So I am switching gears and trying to keep up!
Hope y’all have a safe and fun weekend..I adore July 4th..homemade ice cream, watermelon and flags!!!!