Monkey See Boutique ~ A Giveaway!

I love to do business with real people. So when I started talking with Michelle from Monkey See Boutique, I was thrilled to discover that she is, in fact, a real person. Michelle is a married mama of three adorable kidlets. How she finds time to run this wonderful online boutique is beyond me. But she does. And I'm glad!

In Michelle's own words..."As a girl from the deep south, my love for boutique items and unique {preppy} finds have turned into a passion. I love finding things that inspire and make me happy when I look at them. I love rooms that {POP}, gifts that make people say {WOW}, monograms on {EVERYTHING}, and accessories that make someone ask {WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?}."

It may sound silly, but I LOVE when someone asks me "WHERE did you get that?" And I've gotten that question at least 15 times while carrying my Monogrammed Straw Beach Bag. It's a perfect summer purse.

I am loving all of her personalized and monogrammed jewelry, but especially this Monogrammed Round Charm Necklace.

Monkey See Boutique is jam-packed with beautiful gifts. These monogrammed cake toppers may have initially been intended for weddings, but wouldn't they be fantastic for anyone's birthday cake? At less than $25, I'm in LOVE with the Swarovski Crystal Cake Toppers!

Monkey See Boutique is giving away a $40 gift certificate to one lucky reader. If you're ready to do some shopping, you can also receive 10% off your entire order if you use the code thankyou10.

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There are 3 ways to win

1. Visit Monkey See Boutique. Then come back and leave me a comment telling me something that you love from the shop.
2. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter or write about it on your blog. Then come back and leave me another comment telling me what you did.
3. Subscribe to my RSS feed by clicking on my cute little Subscribe button or by clicking here. Leave me a comment letting me know that you're subscribed.
   

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If you want to see how much I spent furnishing my family room, click here. I'm participating in Price My Space on Nesting Place today.

Price My Space

That Nester. Always coming up with brilliant ideas! I love seeing what everyone has spent on the things in their homes. I guess I'm just nosey. If you're visiting from Nesting Place, be sure to enter my giveaway from Monkey See Boutique.

I was hesitant to share my family room because I'm still in the process of implementing a beautiful redesign done by Layla from The Lettered Cottage. If you want to see her plans, click here. But, as The Nester says, "It doesn't have to perfect to be beautiful."

I'll start out with something that I love.

1. We purchased this green sofa off the showroom floor at Ethan Allen about 6 years ago. We paid about $1,200 for it. Best furniture money we ever spent. It has held up so well to boys and butts. I don't regret investing in a good sofa for one second.
2. The Ikea ottoman for $69. Blah. It has served it's purpose but will soon be replaced with a beautiful coffee table made from an old door. I can't wait to show you!!!!
   

For contrast, here's my blue sofa. I call it big, blue ugly. I bought this sofa about 10 years ago as a part of a set that included a chair-and-a-half that's now in my son's room. The set cost about $1,000. I am so done with this sofa but we're not in the position to replace it now. Those goofy flared arms take up so much space and it just doesn't work with the other pieces we have.

It was definitely a lesson in sticking to neutral colors and classic lines for your major pieces of furniture. Lesson learned. I'm working on a slipcover for it now. If you want to see why the back cushions are green, click here.

1. The leather recliners were about $950 each 7 years ago. We bought them from a North Carolina furniture retailer (Rose Furniture) that has since gone out of business. I'm basically happy with them but, again, I wish I had gone for a slightly more classic shape like rolled-arms.
2. Goodwill side table - $5.00. It will get a coat of paint in the next few weeks.
3. Goodwill dresser - $25.00. It was really beat up and I spent at least 15 hours repairing and painting it. If you want to see "before" pictures and the whole process, click here.

1. Painted black side table - $10.00 at the fleatique store. Click here to see the "before" pics.
2. Wicker chair - $15.00 at the fleatique. It used to be a yucky green. Before pics here.
3. No sew pillow - $2.00 in supplies.
   

The area rug is one of my favorite things in the room. It's a large, custom sized rug (about 11'x13'). I simply bought a piece of carpet from a carpet store and had them bind the edge for me. Most carpet stores will do the binding for you for $2-$3 a linear foot. The whole thing cost me less than $300 and it's still going strong after 8 years.

1. These were my first window mistreatments. The fabric that I used was about $3.00/yard on clearance and the wood and brackets were about $10. Total cost? About $15.
2. The mantle decorations were both thrift and splurgy. The boat was a splurge (for me) at about $65. It came from Whiteflower Farmhouse and they have smaller, less expensive versions. Love it!!! The frame came from someone's garbage. Cost? $0. The candlesticks were on clearance at Kohls a few years ago. $4.00 each.
   
   

   This little corner table is one of my favorite pieces. $25 at the fleatique. Do you notice anything odd? I didn't paint it!
   
   Total cost for this room? Around $4,200 plus some misc costs over the years for accessories that have come and gone and come and gone.
   

Sunday Morning

And you Gentiles,
who were branches from
a wild olive tree,
have been grafted in.
So now you also
receive the blessing
God has promised Abraham
and his children,
sharing in the rich nourishment
from the root of
God’s special olive tree.

Romans 11:17 (NLT)