Font Binge Result: Dr. Seuss Quote

Every now and then I font binge and download so many fonts I just can't wait to use. I was playing around with some of my new ones and came up with this simple printable (using clip art from here) with a back to school theme.

I love Dr. Seuss. Plus, although I am not starting school this year, I have been reading for fun a lot more lately and am super excited for my first book club meeting next weekend. A new group of gals and myself will be discussing The Help by Kathryn Stockett and enjoying some caramel cake, of course.

Speechless Sunday: Powell's City of Books

I've become fairly good at the concept of Speechless Sunday and not posted much, if any, commentary along with my pictures, but I've got to gush about this one, just smidge. I went here today. And it never fails to leave me speechless.

Copyright Stephen Leflar

If you have never been to Portland, Oregon, this can be the first thing on your "Why to Visit Portland" list: Powell's City of Books. It is one of the biggest bookstores in the world, independently owned and operated in the Pearl District. It's incredible - more than a million new, used and rare books fill an entire city block, 3 stories high. I get lost. And love every minute of it.

Bookshelf Beautification on a Budget

Since Addison's new bed is chocolate brown in color, my sister and I wanted her bookcase to match. Having next to no budget to buy her a new one, we used her old one and spray painted it! Spray paint is such a great solution to give something a new look! (If you want to see some of my recent love for spray paint, look here and here.)

We were so excited to use American Accents Espresso spray paint, we forgot to take a Before picture. So, here is the Almost Before picture.

And the After picture.

 

Not too shabby of a "new" bookshelf for a whopping $3.99.

Reading Nooks for Every Bookworm

I glue clippings of inspiration for a future home from magazines and such into a little black book. In addition, I have a handful of ideas in my noggin that I need to write down. I've been doing this since high school. I'm such a dreamer.

Today, I stumbled upon too many super awesome reading spots/nooks I never could have dreamed up as a kid. However, I was such a little nerd and loved to read so much, I was never, ever concerned with where I read. (Not that I would have opposed any of the following spaces, of course.) Hopefully some day I will be blessed enough to be able to create a space like one of these for my own kiddos.

Just awesomely adorable, complete with curtains for a supreme sense of privacy.

I love the over-sized pillow complemented by simple lettering above. Are those books hanging from the ceiling? (Sidenote: I find the gnome table on the left holding Batman, hilarious.)

What little kid wouldn't want to hang out in the circus-esque tent? This seems like a doable project to try and make myself!

Precious little benches with a table, lamp and shelves within reach (the first couple rows anyway).

Fairy tale like reading spot, comfortably on a pretty pillow.

A hammock under the sun and by a tree. Too cute!

Waaaaay cool bunk bed with a stellar space below, complete with a bean bag and pillows for curling up with a book.

I just love the functionality of this one: space into the wall, sweet steps to climb to get there and big plus for mom - drawers under every step maximizing storage! Very well thought out.

Making the best out of a small space with pretty colors and wall mural, not to mention easy to reach books where sunlight will surely warm you up.

The tapestry in the back is a little dark for me, but I love the bookshelves on both sides of this built-in couch with plenty of pillows. Plus, this gives another idea of having a pull out trundle bed for guests instead of storage drawers.

Becoming a little bit more grown up, I love the circles and flower theme, mirrors, pinks/oranges/yellows and cool triangular tipped bookcases. Plus storage under the bench! (Wish the picture went around the wall on the right to see the full bench.)

I love the shape of this coral, elevated, over sized cubby space with a disco ball to create a unique feel.

Everyone loves the space under the stairs and opening it up to make it a reading nook is genius!

Probably not super easily done, but just way cool looking! (I'm guessing maybe this was from an ad somewhere before it was posted here.)

And, the ULTIMATE reading nook (or maybe every child's fantasy) an amoire entrance into a play room! How C.S. Lewis!

As cool as some of these spaces are, many of them just aren't realistic to make happen right now. We can all be dreamers but for an easy to accomplish with what you may already have solution to your book nook needs, check out Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick and her tutorial on making a reading nook. It is awesome. As are so many of her other projects for home. See?

The tutorial has all the info you need and how much it cost her (next to nothing!) to make this sweet spot out of a closet!

With books on the mind, I'll leave you with the following photo of what must be a bookworm's heaven.