I am so excited to share this with you all!   

 I will be hosting a Christmas themed link party along with 7 other bloggers!  We are so excited to see inside your home and life this holiday season. 

Each party theme will be hosted by the corresponding blogger on the date you see above on the graphic.

All you have to do is click on the host's blog name above on the correct date (up to a few days after), check out all the inspiration they are providing for that topic, then link your project up with the host so everyone can see! 

It’s simple to link up - just put in the link to your project.  It can be on a blog, on Facebook or even an image hosting site. 

I can't wait to share Christmas Trees here at RHI on Decmeber 13th! SO fun! 

We'd love to have your help spreading the word if you have a blog by grabbing the smaller button below 

Feel free to put it on your sidebar, in your posts, or whatever you'd like.

See you for our first party on November 27th with Miss Flibbertigibbet. Who's planning to join in? I seriously can't wait to see what you all have to share! 

Are you ready to link up all of your milk paint and MORE today! I was so excited to see your amazing redos last week! Please be sure to link back from your blog post to the party here on the RHI blog!

Not going to make you wait any longer...here we go! 

Loved this minty redo from This, That & Life! 

And this tray turned, well, better tray! Love the color she chose. And do you spy that awesome paint technique UNDER the tray. Yum. Head over to Shades of Amber to see more! 

And this wonderful regal redo from Weathered Pieces. 

So, just in case you're wondering...here are the not so fun but oh so necessary rules:

1. You don't have to have a milk paint project to link up, pretty much any paint or DIY project will do but we DO love to see what you all can do with your milk paint. Feel free to link up any of your projects and tutorials but NO FOOD, please. 
2. Please LINK BACK to your actual post and not just your blog addy. Please be sure to include a link back to Milk Paint and More Mondays in your post.
3. LIKE Restoration House on Facebook and share the button below. 
4. Surf through other bloggers' entries and visit them on their respective blogs to spread the love. 
5. PLEASE,PLEASE, PLEASE remember to take the button below and post in your blog post or mention Milk Paint and More Mondays in your post! 

                                    

This weekend I was afforded the opportunity to set up shop at a venue hosted by a Realtor friend of ours at a local farm called 21 Acres. 

Aside from the fact that I would get to share what I love about what I do with those attending, I was ecstatic about finally being able to tour this property. I'd passed by it a couple of times here and there and always wondered what it was and when I received the invitation from our friend, I knew that I would carve time out in our schedule to be there.

Their market sign had been hand painted by one of the employees. Isn't is great?

And the color on these was stunning. 

And these ornamental cabbages would be great in a garden bouquet. I just love the way these add so much texture, depth and style to arrangements.

After visiting the market downstairs I headed to the upper level of the building to setup my area. 

For the vignette, I decided to keep it simple and, quite honestly, I really didn't have enough space in my truck nor enough time to bring any of my larger furniture pieces. 

So, I decided to bring "Lovely" (that's what I am calling my new find) and center her as my focal point. 

I really love how it turned out. I lgrabbed a few small things as I walked out the door including my handy dandy dried hydrangeas from last season that were picked at just the right time and dried perfectly. I thought they were the perfect touch for the space. 

She really was the star of this setup. Don't you think?

During the tour, I was able to speak to attendees about Restoration House and what I do and even met a few new clients to boot! 

Through this experience I also realized that my business is evolving. (I've actually known that for a while)While there are many things that I CAN do...I CANNOT do it all. Restoration House really should reflect and encompass my strengths in creativity and design. 

There are many different avenues through which  I can share my talents, gifts and expertise...this blog is one of them. 

Over the next few months, RHI will be going through some changes. All good. Cleaning house, if you will, and really putting a "stamp" on this blog, my work and the business as a whole. 

I am so excited to have you join me on this journey.

That, however, is NOT the announcement as exciting as it is. 

Are you ready? 

Here goes...

<a href="http://liljahelmi.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img></div>alt="restoration house interiors"src="IMAGE DIRECT LINK"/></a>

You see that? Yes! RHI will be hosting a party for the month of November through the first week of December so for you and all of your friends to show off all of your milk paint projects. Haven't tried milk paint? That's okay! You can link up any paint, DIY, craft or home decor project you'd like! Food posts won't be allowed this time around. 

We'll start the party next Monday, November 12 and end on the first Monday in December since we're striking this one up so late. So, go ahead and grab the button and start spreading the word, friends! 

Are you ready to post those projects? I'm ready to see them! 

More details about the party guidelines this week.

Happy Milk Paint and More Monday!

Well, at least ONE of them! For those of you waiting, I am still working on the dresser and a few other furniture projects around the house. 

I've also decided that I am done with our dining area and how absolutely boring it is so I want to start the process of putting the "RHI stamp" on it.

With so many things on my to do list, I have GOT to start prioritizing things around here so that I can actually get some projects around our own home completed. 

I want to keep my word with you all so I'm working hard to get the faux finish tutorial up for you. I promise it'll be worth the wait! But, in the meantime, I kinda need your help.

Most of you know after reading this, that we are in a rental home. It took almost an entire year for me to settle with that and decide to begin making this house of ours, no matter how temporary, a home.

The next couple of months or so I would like to focus my energy on this space...

That would be our cute little sweet pea doing her homework as I snapped away!

It's our dining area. And, well, it's a little sad. I want it to be "happy" and to really express who we are as a family. The challenge, of course, is that it's technically not our home. I've thought of so many amazing ideas to make this a better place for all of us none of which exclude moving a wall or knocking something out of the way.

I also have issues when it comes to decorating my own home. Seems I can never commit. Ask me to help someone else design or decorate a space, I'm on it. Ideas flow freely. My space? Cricket, cricket.

So, as you can see, it's pretty much a blank canvas and the wall colors are neutral which I feel is a good thing but I'd love to make that wall (that one right there) a focal wall and perhaps even do a decorative paint technique, stencil or just paint it a different color altogether.

Our living space, which is directly behind this area is quite neutral with brown, tans, hues of blues and grays. (I know, exciting) Honestly, I love that space. You can see it here. But, in our dining area I want it to be cohesive with the living space but I'd love to pull in a different color.

I love this print from fabric.com. I thought I could use this for new panels on the windows and start there. 

But, I also love this one...

But I know that this one blends in with the wall color way too much. 

Then, there's this one...

I kinda actually REALLY love this one. It's ALMOST perfect. 

Can you see my problem now? Commitment. I just can't seem to commit to any one idea for this space. Ultimately, within the next couple of weeks I will decide on a fabric for the panels, choose to paint or not and decide on what will go on that focal wall. 

All of those decisions would be easier if you could help me! Pretty, please? With a cherry on top? 

Which fabric choice do you think would look best in the space and what are your ideas for THAT wall? That big, blank wall. 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! 

As you know, my little brother and his longtime girlfriend, Lindsay, are getting married. I'm ridiculously excited. Obviously I've been pinning away inspirational items along with the Bride (see her pin board here). As I save inspirational images I find that a lot of the wedding decor I'm liking these days could easily be used at home in a more casual atmosphere.

The top table setting (via) could easily be translated for a dinner party at home. Get cedar from Home Depot and cut to various heights. Put on the top dollar store candles and, small vases ... voila! Below, the old wood tree stumps - which you can find in cottage country at different heights act as a great spot for candles. Wouldn't this be gorgeous if you were having a winter party, to have on your porch? The last piece I loved were these wood slices painted with chalk, that you can buy here. For a wedding this would be cute to have by food/drink station, but at home, these could be place cards for your guests.

Anyhow,just a wee bit obsessed with wedding decor. :)

Images: Top Table Decor, Tree Stump Image, Chalk on Wood,

What's 16 days you ask? THAT, my friends, is how many days it's been since my last post. Really? Well, at least my crazy schedule is only PARTLY to blame. On top of our amazingly fully lives, I have also had Blogger issues that past few days. Ugh! And a second, ugh! 

Needless to say, all of that is behind me now...thankfully. I can now update you all on all of the fun things happening over here at RHI and with my life! I don't, however, want to steal the spotlight from another awesome blogger girlfriend who I am getting to know and have followed for a while now. She's pretty amazing. Her name? Michele. The PRIMP Queen herself. I just love this lady and all that she does and she knows how to throw a mean virtual "party" each week too! 

You may recognize this...

How many of you have joined Michele on Wednesdays? Even if you don't have pieces to share, it's fun to see her picks for the week and see all of the fun things others have to share. 

How did your love of design turn into a passion?

I've been decorating ever since my husband and I bought our first home 15 years ago. I became addicted to home decorating type blogs a few years ago and just decided that it would be fun to start one too, to record my own obsession with decorating.

What inspires you the most? 

Blogs, some magazines and my new obsession: Pinterest.

What's the one thing you wish people knew about you that most don't?

I have no professional training in decorating, painting, etc. People are always asking questions (which I love) on technique, rules, etc. Truth is, I just do what I love, buy what I love, don't follow decorating or painting rules, don't prime, etc., etc., and it still seems to work out just fine. 

Is there a piece that you've finished that you're still kicking yourself for selling?

There isn't a piece of furniture I regret selling, there's always new ones to replace the ones I sold, but there are a few pieces that I've passed up at the thrift that haunt me--in particular, there was one dresser that would have made a great buffet that I passed up because of some missing pieces--I still keep thinking about that one!

How would you describe your design style?

I'd say my style is a mix of some of my favorites: farmhouse, shabby chic, industrial and country.

So, hopefully you feel like you've gotten to know Michele a little better and will head over to her place and show some love, follow, leave a comment. She'll be happy to hear from you! 

Happy Mother's Day to you all! Love, love. love you!