hmmmmm

How can we combine these elements and make it less cute and more of a 'cakewreck' a la Jason. What a fun project!

Food for thought (well, cake actually)

Pics of the Rug

The size of rug above is about 10X14.

I also have another rug rolled up. I haven't taken pics of it yet, but it looks identical to this one on ebay, except mine is 6X9.  

Each rug is $500. 

Prost!

Can you guys meet us at 6 pm this Friday night at Cheuy's in DALLAS?

I LOVE this idea.....

The blog cropped my picture, in the corner is a 6x8 foot copy of a shipping scene from the National Maritime Museum in the right corner. I linked above to Surface View, the company that produces these. They have lots of art choices since they have the rights to reproduce artwork from the Victoria and Albert Museum and other British art institutions. I stumbled upon this idea from a great article in the LA Times ( http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-0530-kristan-pictures,0,3750842.photogallery?index=5 ) and I am now wondering if a HUGE mural might not be fun somewhere in my house. Check out the link ! The have old cartoons too that I bet your family would love. You could get the canvas and then have it stretched onto a simple frame. This might be your living room solution......

Holiday

We just got back from Rovinj Friday. We had a great time doing nothing but playing by the sea and eating great seafood. I did not even know how much I was wound up until I started to unwind. Last night the girls all spent the night with girlfriends, leaving Jason & I to have our first date night in months. Shopping, sushi, a nice walk, a Cuban cigar - the making of a perfect night.

Less than two weeks until we come home!

oxox

Ode to joy!!!!

YEA!!! You are coming home! I'm so glad everything fit in your container. It will all be over soon. Can't wait!!! xoxoxoxox skt

p.s. Love the teepee. I've always wished for a sewing machine just so I could patch together girlie fabrics to make this. I can't wait to see it.

they delivered the wrong size shipping container

It's much bigger than they had told me it would be. Everything will fit no problem and I am so relieved & thankful.

thoughts of the moment

So last night was the first in the hotel and the girls were so excited. They took forever getting to sleep and only did so after I threatened to make their hotel buffet breakfast myself and only pick the very most health choices! That did the trick. I can't say I slept well as my mind was & is swimming with all the thoughts of what if, this or that. I'm typing this on the floor of an all but empty room while the movers pack the boxes and ask me questions. They say they are not sure it will all fit. I suppose it would not be the worst thing if I had to leave my bike here or some other things that can't fit, but I'd sure like it all to. It's not in my control at this point. I'm also praying several packages arrive today so I don't have to try to fit them in my luggage. Again, not in my control. I've said my prayers and now must be patient.

I dropped Clarice off at school this morning for the last time. I cried as I hugged her teacher good bye. She will go home with her best friend after school since our house is all boxes and packing men. The big girls will go to school tomorrow for the last time and tonight Gillian's best friend from Denmark is going to ride the bus home with her and then sleep in the hotel with us. Again, probably not the best idea for a good night sleep, but it may be the last time Gillian & her best friend are together. I hope not.

Anyway, I came across this post and thought when I have a quiet moment I want to reflect on these thoughts. I really look forward to creating a home for our family that is: Welcoming, where we can enjoy friends and good food celebrating life. And easy,easy to keep orderly, easy to clean, easy to entertain, easy to live. I do not want a 'dry clean only' life. And comfortable, where everyone in our family wants to be and where the girls want to bring their friends and their friends want to come!

With this thought in mind, yesterday I was returning something at our version of Lowes and I saw (and purchased) a fabulous cream outdoor fabric tepee tent. Maybe all three girls could sleep in it, but it might be small for that. I envision snacks and reading books and playing imagination.

I cannot wait to go home and make a home.

oxox

Blue and white

My textiles obsession is taking over again.

I'm loving the pale blue sheets with this white room.

Simply Breakfast

Check out this great site:

http://www.simplybreakfast.blogspot.com/

I love this! Could you do that in your house?

Home Messy Home

I loved this article in the times and I think it will make you smile too. I've had such the day but it's coming to an end. I will sleep well.

Since the packers come Tuesday, today Saturday, was the day everyone came to pick up the things they had won on eBay or bought any of the way's I've tried to sell this stuff. Thank the Lord, but it's all sold. It's really amazing, a miracle I feel. Not only are all the dressers & wardrobes gone or going soon, but also the refrigerator (there is a dorm size one still here in the kitchen) the W/D, all but one lamp (in the whole house), the house phone, an entire box of miscellaneous cords, etc. DO NOT WORRY! The espresso maker is sold, but will not be mailed until Tuesday!

And also today there was my last flea market in a town near us. I went for two hours with some girlfriends and got lots of treasure including a fabulous small painted Bavarian trunk. So fun.

Gillian had a sleepover with her best friend last night and is more than a bit sad that they'll not see each other for a long time. We're telling her maybe she can visit Sofie in Denmark when she's older. This is going to be hard for the girls who have so many friends and memories here.

OK - best get to making dinner. I'm still trying to work through the pantry items I can't take home. Tonight I'm going to invent a dish with the can of mussels I have (in some kind of mystery sauce written in French) and a can of artichokes and can of sun dried tomatoes and some pasta. At least I know the wine will be good!

oxox

I want this lamp

I love this lamp--I am dying to know where the shade came from.

The room is great too.....

I had been looking at this bedding to add a kick to my all white bedding. I love the way they styled it here. It would look great with that lamp on my bedside table.

Idea for your living room

Whatever happened with your living room redo? I came across this article in the W. Post and thought of you. It reminded me of these great book cases from PB.

Paper Ideas for You

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to you! Hope your day is warm and sweet.

"If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you." Winnie the Pooh /A.A. Milne

I love pom poms

Ohhh, I want to do curtains just like this but maybe with black pom poms. Not that the yellow is not brilliant.

oxox

Love this from Kate Spade

Nawlins

When you get home we have to go to New Orleans-art, architecture and antiquing galore! Oh! And did I mention the food?

Time Warp

Maybe it's because I'm getting older or maybe it's my 20th high school reunion coming up, but I'm starting to get sentimental for things from my teenage years. When I was in high school I had so much plaid. Doesn't this purse take you back? I bought it on ebay and I just love it. 

I am also on quest for the blue/black/green plaid version of this purse. Do you remember those?

Great Minds : )

I love your new daybed! We bought a new mattress for Griffin this weekend and I found this 1940's daybed frame in an antique store. It was in horrible shape. I spend 4 hours sanding it today (all SIX layers of paint) and I'm not even done with one side. There is an amazing wood underneath--maybe walnut--but I'm not sure. 

I'm not sure if I'm going to stain it or paint it yet. I'll keep you posted.

Inspiration piece

I love this sophisticated pink with black trim sofa. I wish upholstery was not so expensive! I have a great boudoir chair from my grandmother that would look amazing in my master bathroom redone in hot pink & black trim.

Blessed at the flea market

Look what I found at the flea market this morning. I think it was a present from God. : ) The seller said it is a child's bed from France and it is so so heavy. It has the matching metal rails and slats too. I carried it to my car in three trips, but it was so worth it! I think it could be a great set up like a daybed for my front porch with lots of fabulous pillows. I have that wooden bench I got a few weeks ago but maybe this would be better? I'll bring them both & we'll see. It would also be amazing as a seating in a garden.

Or they could be headboards for two twin beds. Probably I'll start with the porch idea as right now I plan to bring home all three twin beds so the girls can all sleep together in the same room like they do now. Not sure how long that will last, but it's special while it does. Leonora will still have her own room and theoretically the other with the three twin beds will be for G & C.

Remember you're thinking about pulling some red into my front porch color scheme? Well here we go!

Master Bathroom Ideas

So I found a really pretty roll of black & off white toile wall paper at the flea market today. 5 euros - love it. I think it might be enough to do my master bath room. It's not the pattern above, but very similar. A very small sophisticated, not too cheesy pattern.

So with this as my muse I'm thinking about my pink & grey tile bathroom. I wonder, I have this 3x5 deep red & navy & salmon & black Oriental rug. Maybe in front of the sink vanity area this might take away some of that overdone French country feel of toile?



Further, since I am removing the door that connects this bathroom with the hall and replacing it with a floor length mirror, I think I'll have room for a piece of furniture. Do you remember that shoe hutch that I used to have in Vanderbilt right behind my front door? It's pretty thin and would be very functional & pretty there. I love furniture in a bathroom.



Also, I have this great chandelier! This is so so pretty in real life and I think that along with a lamp on the vanity, that might be just enough lighting. I'll take down the floral little chandelier I had hanging over the vanity.

What about taking down the big original, oddly shaped mirror and replacing it with something smaller and framed? Since I'm wall papering, any damage to the wall would be hidden.

And I'm thinking I could maybe use some white linen duvet covers for the shower curtain? They already have the button holes that could be repurposed for the shower curtain rings. What do you think??? If there were say four of them it might look quite full & pretty.

I am getting so excited about all of this. I think I'll pack the roll of wall paper in my luggage so I can get started on this right away. Can you wall paper? I talked to my carpenter and he starts work cutting the door way to the second floor the Monday after we arrive. : )



to refresh your memory : )

Sheer Curtains

I saw an article in the W. Post the other day that basically said replacing windows is rarely a good move. You spend a fortune and alternative can improve existing windows by caulking and even put on a film of something , greatly improving energy efficiency.

This idea fits nicely in my new cost efficient mode!

So now I'm thinking lots & lots of very full sheer off white curtains. Muslin fabric? I have some great curtain panels for the living room I got at a flea market (pale gold polyester that looks like raw silk) but even there I'm thinking sheers in between the panels. Maybe the panels could be set so that the window looks even bigger.

I'm thinking the whole wall of windows in the sun room could have sheers top to bottom. Envision them gently rustling in a breeze....and covering the hideous windows behind them!




Maybe for the girls rooms I could do white blackout rollers and full sheer curtains over them? I love black out curtains, especially for the kids. It is bight as day at 8:30 pm here!

This is going to be so fun!

One more thing

I think I forgot to show you this little lovely. Ok - really I am done shopping on eBay! Or at least shopping for big things. The fun thing about this is that if you notice it has these great key holes with mother of pearl on the bottom three drawers. They are beautiful, but one is missing in the picture. The guy I bought it from was a real jerk and when I asked him if he had the missing one he was pretty snappy telling me "Nein!" This also might explain why I got it at such a bargain. Well guess what I found in one of the little drawers? Yes, the three are complete now and it is really a pretty piece. I'll probably take the top drawer to someone in Dallas to have the veneer repaired, but a little brown paint made it hardly noticeable unless it's in the right light. I'm thinking this will go in my living room flanking the fireplace. : )

Mission Accomplished

So yesterday the moving assessment people came and thank the Lord, she things it will all just barely fit into the 40 foot container. I am relieved. Since we're not redoing our master bathroom in the foreseeable future I decided I had to find a large wardrobe that could fit our clothes. There are two tiny closets in the master bedroom, but they were cram packed when we moved out. And then I won this gorgeous bedroom suite. Mission accomplished! See link above. I can hardly wait to put this room together. It even has the original receipt from it's sale in 1915 and all of it, the wardrobe, two night stands and two dressers for 221 euros. I have been blessed.

And I picked up the painted wardrobe pictured above just this week. You can envision me driving illegally slow on the autobauhn with this thing hanging out of the back of my minivan. Don't worry, it was only a few exits away from my house, but the whole time I was praying that the sketchy little rope I tied to secure it would not break. I was also saying thank you prayers for the two construction workers who helped me load the thing in my van! I think this will go in my sun room which I'm thinking will be kind of an indoor potting shed room. I'd like to try my hand at growing citrus trees in big pots. I hear if you bring them in in the winter you can grow them.

I'm working on lots of little crafty projects today and will post on my progress soon. Hope you have a great weekend! Is this the kids last week of school?

What about roses?

I wonder if there are any climbing roses that are ok with partial sun? Remember Julie Dreher? She has a friend that works at some great nursery in Dallas. She was just quoted in the NYT about some mulching issue. Maybe I can pay her for an on site consultation.

Front door fave

All this talk about front doors reminds me I should show you my favorite front door of all time (and one I aspire to have in my lifetime).

Isn't she lovely?

Color Ideas for front-Yellow/khaki/white & black accents

Check out the post below. Everything applies, but the color scheme would be with black instead of red.

o o o! Almost forgot, you could add black slate tile over the concrete on the porch with this option.