Bits and Pieces ... :)

    Remember these? :)

Here's what three days of work have wrought :)

F says I've 'girlified' the nightstand he gave me :P I think that's a compliment in manspeak ;)

My Granddaddy's WW2 footlocker is still my favorite coffee table/extra blanket holder

The candles make a wonderful, cozy glow when lit

Current mantle decor is a result of random objects that were thrown up while unpacking... we'll see if it passes the test of methodical decorating that comes after settling in 

I always love interjecting random little bits of humor in decor =)

Thrift found vintage suitcase doubles perfectly....

as storage for DVD's and old VHS's :D So much better than a shelf  :P

My Scottie has been recommissioned to a doorstop post 

Jacque takes his job very seriously :)

More pics coming as soon as the cardboard boxes have finished throwing up all over the place :P

Have a lovely Monday!!! :)

First home decor purchase for the new place :D

Is it possible to love a cast iron animal? :) Yes, yes it is.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Apartment findings! Chair edition :)

I ran in to the local Goodwill between jobs yesterday and there were two small matching armchairs for $16 apiece! 

Even with the slipcovers I've priced at $23-$30 these are a steal :D

Going to secure the chairs this afternoon after taking the evening to think about it, and run the idea by my boyfriend for a sanity check :)

Yay!!! :D

Anniversary!!! :)

This morning I managed to get out of bed an hour early to make something special. :)

The biggest doughnut ever, for my sweetheart.

Today marks 18 months of dating :) Today marks the first kiss I gave him; on his shoulder :)

He showed up with a surprise of his own this morning, when he got off work.(he works overnight)

My very first tool sets! They are going with the drill and will make small power tool babies :D 

This is perfect because I don't even own a hammer and I lost my one screwdriver, so now I am prepared for any small repair or moving/decorating incident :)

Here are the two backup doughnuts I made in case the first one broke. Wonder how long they will survive in the house with my brother.... :P

Doughnuts are super easy to make though! I'm scheming up a party or some shindig to make mini doughnuts for ... :) Here is the recipe I used. I almost panicked this morning when I saw the chill time, but did some quick research and went ahead without doing that, and they turned out fine :)

Happy Thursday!

Déjeuner

A quickly thrown together, but yummy and healthy dinner that I hope inspires you :)

I mixed a can of tomato paste with half a jar of alfredo sauce, added pesto and garlic, and spread it on the whole wheat crust.

Topped with mushrooms, herbed chicken, spinach, and italian blend skim cheese.

Bake at 400F for 10-12 min :)

Power Tools At Last

Maybe no one believed me when I put a drill on my Christmas wish list, two years in a row...  :P

But at long last I have my own cordless drill :D

I finally bought one out of necessity with the impending move and subsequent picture hanging, etc that will take place :)

Now that I have my first power tool, I might just build a small fort in the attic :) Or a doghouse for the puppy I will someday possess...or a breadbox...even though I dislike superfluous objects :) CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!!!! Eureka! You're all getting pencil holders ;D

Progress

This painting has been sitting untouched for almost two years :\ *eek

But last week when I started another painting project I decided to try and add a few touches to this canvas as well. Working with acrylic has been an adjustment, but the ease of layering color is sublime :) (watercolor does not afford this luxury) So, the progress on this picture has been surprisingly rapid. The inspiration is from a snapshot I took in Paris a few years ago. I was trying to not look 'touristy' and take gobs of photos of iconic angles and places but it really was to beautiful to pass up :) I hope anyone who wants to visit Paris, gets to go AT LEAST once in their life

Again, this is taken with my phone and not the best lighting, but hope you enjoy 

Mail!

I LOVE getting things in the mail!!! After all these years since I was big enough to be allowed walk to the street and check the mailbox, the excitement of something waiting for me hasn't disappeared :)

THAT said, you can imagine how impatient I am to get THESE in the mail! :D

'I Love Paris' :D I ordered them last week from Forever21 :D At $0.95 they were a perfect way to round out my order so I could get free shipping :)

Hope there are happy packages headed your way this week! :D

moving cont'd

 The $5 mirror :) I am thinking about painting it black...

A work in progress that I'm finally working on again :P Might finish in time to hang in the new apt :)

Moving

So! I'm getting a new address in two weeks and can't imagine being more excited :) 

Here are a few quick phone shots of the new place when I walked through last week.

I can't wait to get in and decorate!!!! The high I get from making spaces pretty almost makes me want to move more often ;P :)

I LOVE the living room ceiling and fireplace (even though the fireplace is not functional, I will group various sizes of pillar candles on the hearth :) )

Cute vintage kitchen is SO retro fun

Bedroom with bathroom attached. 

These look slightly dreary due to the lighting but I'm planning to rock the neutral color palette and punch it with some gorgeous rich colors and pretty accents :)
Bed should go between the two windows, with long white curtains on cafe style rods and rings on each.

I have been pillaging Craigslist and found a like new full length mirror for $5, microwave for $20, large ottoman to recover for $20 and a small for $10. 

(Planning to recover the large ottoman in cream with big, floppy, black satin bows tying the corners and small cream tassel fringe. Then it will be stationed in a 'dressing corner' with full length mirror and cream rug...probably :) )

Last night I started painting .... the rush from slathering a canvas with paint made me wonder why it has been so long...

This will go over my bed with a few other objects :)

I'm plotting to re-purpose my desk top into a headboard...stay tuned :)

Snatched this up at Target on Saturday :) When I asked F whether to get the round or square shade, he said the square was more 'me' since it was unique. Props to the bf for knowing my decor style.

Thanks to a tip from my friend, Kendra, at http://artandother.blogspot.com/  I have been getting a lot of inspiration from  http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ (the 'love is' canvas) . Along with the trusty http://www.readymade.com/ of course :)




I'm contemplating ways to make a spinoff of this lamp...

from Apartment Therapy. So hilarious to look over from the couch and see Buzz Lightyear fighting a pirate :)

Wanted to use this mirror from Craigslist on the mantle (sans gold dome) but it's an hour and half away :\

The adventure continues....

Good blog readage

I'm rather picky about what blogs I follow because I hate the pressure of keeping up with them. If I follow them it's because I really want to see every post they make, so I can't follow so many that I get overwhelmed and burst into a puddle at my desk. My boss would be most displeased.

That said, here is one that I follow religiously. Really. Like a monk observing a fast, I will read this blog at the earliest possible contrivance, I mean, convenience. ;-)

THAT said, I hope you enjoy this amusing log of mother-in-law tales. If I didn't know the writer, I would think these were fiction. Some are too horrendous to fathom. Which reminds me, I need to go say a prayer for that daughter-in-law again.

Happy reading! :)

http://chroniclesofamonster-in-law.blogspot.com/

(This character was childsplay compared to the one you are about to read about)