Bread Winner shout out.

I know, you're gagging but I have to do this.  The Bread Winner had another busy weekend with Jane while I was working and neither seemed any worse for the wear.  TBW and Jane found the budget theater this weekend which was a hit. Megamind is evidently a winner for parent and child alike.  Popcorn and coco (cherry coke) are usually a sure bet too.

He even got her to church this morning on time, looking adorable and hair beautifully coiffed.  Sunday mornings are becoming a little different since I'm now at church working.  This means I'm leaving Jane and TBW at home and they come in a little later and meet me for the 11am service. Two Sundays down and they're doing a great job.



As for me, I'm getting to know this great group of ladies and realizing more all the time, how great this gig     is.  We spent Friday night and all day Saturday hosting K-5 grades at the bowling alley. Long hours but a huge success.  Seems anytime you dim the lights for "cosmic bowling", a high pitched scream is inevitable. They loved it.

Have a great Monday, all.

C.S. Lewis and Edie

January Sunrise

Edie at Life In Grace is the woman some of you read about that had lost her home to a fire about a month ago.  You want to know what someone grounded in their faith  and their Heavenly Father looks like?  Well, this is it.

She has an excerpt from C.S. Lewis that I had to share with you. My mother in law, Nettie, is a C.S. Lewis scholar and I knew she would enjoy seeing this as much as I enjoyed reading it. It's the type of writing that if you choose to read it once, you've really only skimmed the surface. So much good stuff in only two paragraphs.

Hope you all have a good Sunday.

I'm so doing this...

I mean, not any time in the immediate future but at some point. I LOVE the conversation grouping vs the standard sofa/chair ensemble.  In our house we have two rooms that adjoin and both have sofas.  What I'd love to do is remove the old, replace with the "newer" and then create a conversational grouping of seriously comfortable chairs to go in front of the fire place.  Great, right?

Sarah Richardson has her version below. I'd replace the table with an ottoman but you get the idea. Just love this:

sarahrichardsondesign.com

Rug Search update

Remember my friend, Maura, who needed a family friendly, low maintenance (the one she has sheds ALL the time) but fun rug for her family room?  I know, it's been a while but this did happen.

Well, this was one of her inspiration rugs from Anthropologie:

anthropologie.com

Another rug with a modern look but soft features was the "Wallflower" by Amy Butler.

Great rugs but unfriendly to the budget especially considering she needed an 8x10.  They were helpful though in helping identify her style and then being able to hunt for something that would be a better fit in all regards.

As you know, I always give the natural rug a good college try because I so love the look of it but this just wasn't for Maura.  So I hit all the usual haunts like Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel and IKEA without any luck.

Then we went a little deeper: USA Rugs and Overstock.com.  Hello, Overstock.com with your $2.95 shipping. I found a few ideas here and sent them to Maura. Our mutual favorite was the Hand tufted Ivory Floral Rug with highlights of orange, gold and blue.

overstock.com

I think her mushroom colored sofa will be a grounding force with the playfulness of the rug and the coral and ivory Braemore fabric on her occasional chair should be a nice compliment. Not only will this rug lighten things up in her family room but it will also introduce a supporting cast of colors that she can then play off of when bringing in accent pillows and accessories.

As excited as I am about the potential, you never really know how it's going to look with everything until you SEE it with everything.  We did confirm the return policy so that when and if Maura decides she's ready to move on this purchase, she knows that for about $25 she can return it if it just doesn't work. I'd say that's pretty good.

Have a good Wednesday, all.

Multiple Choice

These are pictures of:

A) The newest and coincidentally the cutest, Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader.
B) The latest twist in crossing guard fashion.
C) The future of day glow duct tape.
D) The most budget friendly tiger costume known to man. Give it another look.  It's a tiger.

It's circus week at Jane's school and today they are all headed to the "big top" dressed as a circus character. Jane wanted to be a horse but I just didn't have it in me. Once we put the whiskers on, she started warming up to the big cat idea. 

This is our last week at Roswell Presbyterian and I just have to mention how thankful I've been for the opportunity for Jane to attend.  Her teachers and the school's administration have been top notch and as a parent I always knew she was in good hands. Moving into a new school will be an adjustment but I know she will be in equally capable hands and will quickly take to it as she's done with Roswell Pres. 

Here's to life's evolution! Have a good Tuesday, all.

Deep Thoughts while viewing The Bachelor...sort of.

I created this post a while back and just couldn't let this Bachelor season pass without letting it fly.  To all my Bachelor lovers, this one's for you!

image via examiner.com


Thought #1: Michelle: when they scripted the villian, no one else held a candle.
Thought #2:  Who's decorating this set? Seriously, take a look at the background next time.
Thought #3:  Are dresses really this short in real life?
Thought #4:  Is crying on departure a requirement?
Thought #5:  Thank you, Lord, I didn't have to go on national television to find my husband.
Thought #6:  Thank you, Lord, some are willing to.
Thought #7:  Am I losing brain cells with every viewing? Bread Winner, don't answer that.
Thought #8:  Brad = Bachelor 2 times? Brad = Big ratings.
Thought #9:   If I smile uncomfortably the whole time I watch it, do I stop watching?
Thought #10: Who's in for next Monday night?  Gieg? Sarah? Ruth? Amanda?

3 Euros and a Flange

Crate and Barrel has some bedding I love.  It's Marimekko bedding and they are always updating the patterns while keeping the simplicity in check.  This is an example of one of the products they're offering now:

crateandbarrel.com

And these king shams are part of the ensemble I bought a loooong time ago when we first purchased our king size bed.  I've probably had it 7 or 8 years.



Well, I found another pattern at Crate and Barrel several months ago that I liked a lot but just weren't in the budget, especially since I didn't really hate what we had.  Anyone see where this is going?  They had a huge online sale and the shams I liked were half off.  Done.  So, this is the pattern:

Marimekko Tamara Linen
crateandbarrel.com

I bought 3 euro shams for $19.95/each and then spent another $17.95 on the feather 27x27 insert.  Have to admit, wasn't sure at first because the flange edging doesn't allow for a crisp look but after playing with it for a while, I'm happy with the change. 

As Amanda reminded me, all these little adjustments are just my way of "keeping it fresh."  Here's to a fresh inspiration at your house, too.  Have a good one, all.

you know the drill...

Another great sermon from Andy.  For those interested, tune in here at 6pm eastern for a re-run of today's 11am service.  Be BOLD!

As the World Turns....

Things are always changing whether you like it or not.  Your world is evolving.  Sometimes the evolution is quite easy to see and sometimes, not so much.  Well the evolution at play in our lives is the fact that I've been offered a part time job at North Point Community Church.  If you thought I was a little fanatical about it before...just wait.

Seriously, it's an opportunity that is almost too good to be true. 20 hrs a week, pre-school provided for Jane, 8:30-1:30/ 3 days a week but best of all, working for an organization I'm so proud of.  I know, I ended a sentence with a preposition but it just felt right.  I really believe in this church and their mission and I'm so psyched to think now I get to have a hand in making it happen every Sunday.

So, maybe you can have it all. This blog provides me an outlet for my love of watching a house become a home, my job will provide me an opportunity to work in an environment so close to my heart and my faith and all while still being wife and mom....the two titles I cherish the most. Life is good. Somebody should make that a shirt, bumper sticker, water bottle, etc.

Photo taken by Maura Roberts at
maurarobertsphotography.com.

As for the flowers, those are courtesy of the Bread Winner. My excitement is his excitement and he's always so thoughtful in recognizing the successes, big and small. For the record, Jane got flowers too.  That's just how he rolls.

Good night, all.  Have a great weekend.



This little piggy went to market....

when normally, she'd be home.  I spent the last few days at the America's Mart downtown, temping for a showroom specializing in home products: linens, throws, lighting...you get the idea.

I loved it. This is the 3rd time I've been able to do this and it's just awesome. It's like a little slice of heaven for me. Everything smells lovely, the beds are made up in a way that just screams "Nap Time" and it's a first hand look at what shops and boutiques from all over the country are considering to persuade you to come in and spend some money. It's just good clean fun.

So, I'm going to share a few of the looks that caught my eye while I was there and then you can decide if your money will be spent in acquiring or imitating any of them.

Look #1:  The 30"bed spread.  It's romantic and soft and a little dreamy. Pine Cone Hill has a lovely one however I didn't have any luck finding it on their website. It may be so new it's not posted yet. Either way, just imagine a bed skirt starting at the edge of the mattress and dropping 30 inches to the floor. Very dramatic, very pretty.

Look #2:  Bleached wood.  A good example can be seen here via Four Hands.  A woman I was working with raved about this showroom. No, I didn't get to make it up to see it in person. After looking at their website, that may have been a mistake.

Look #3: Lamps with inspiration from architectural pieces.  Know who's doing a good job with this and they sell to the public?  Pottery Barn.  Look at these:

image via potterybarn.com

These retail between $100 and $200 which is pretty good. Honestly, it's taken a while for me to really appreciate a statement like that. When we moved to Atlanta, I had never spent more than $30 on a lamp.  It wasn't until a good friend of mine made a comment about the care she takes any time she moved when it came to her lamps. Turns out she wasn't spending $30 for a lamp. She wasn't even spending $30 on a shade. Awareness, it's a funny thing.

Look #4:  The    W   I    D   E     stripe. It does make me happy.  Barrier Island Rug Collection is a great one as seen here.  The only catch is something like this in an 8x10 is gonna cost you around $1300.

image via 79thstreetrugshop.com

Another striped option is available from Dash and Albert and a bit more budget friendly.  Yacht stripe in green and white is just so stinking cute and an 8x10's gonna run you $364.  To note, they also have this wide stripe in indoor/outdoor rugs too.  If you have a screened in porch, you should just order this now. Love.

So, see what inspires you and keep a look out for the above coming to a store near you. Have a good night, all.

Vote #9

Mrs. Adam McIntosh


My sister, Lindsey, got married to a great guy, Adam, last May in Florida.  Well, their photographer is asking people to vote on their favorite wedding picture fron 2010 and Lindsey and Adam made the list....#9.

Well, I've already voted but I voted for #10. What? Just because she's my sister I'm supposed to overlook the competition?  Of course I should...that vote was an accident!  I meant to say #9, #9!!!

So, if someone would go here and leave a comment voting for #9 it would at least void my incorrect vote. She's taking votes until Friday, 1/21 and she's asking you only vote once. If they win, they get a free 20x24 which I'm sure the newlyweds would greatly appreciate.

Thanks, all.  Go Lindsey and Adam!

Bueller.....Bueller......

So one of the great things about having a blog is finding out that someone out there is actually reading it. I sit at my computer and talk to the handful of people I know are my regulars but don't really expect that anyone else is really paying attention.

Well, tonight I went to my "stats" tab on my blog and it told my not only were there OTHER people in the US reading but that some dear people in Slovenia, Ireland, Germany, Canada, Peru and the United Kingdom had stopped by too.  Do you think this is accurate?  I'm LOVING it, if it's really true. (if it's not true, wait and tell me in a couple of days that i've terribly misunderstood this statistic.)

Regardless of where you're from, I'm so happy you've taken a peak into our little world.  I would love to hear from you but if leaving a "comment" is not your bag, no worries, either way....glad you're here.

                                            
Have a good weekend, all, from my continent to yours.

You guys remember Noah...

and the flooding of the earth from the Bible?  Well, I just couldn't stop myself.

Genesis 8:8-12
"Noah wanted to find out if the water had gone down, and he sent out a dove.  Deep water was still everywhere and the dove could not find a place to land.  So it flew back to the boat. Noah held out his hand and helped it back in.  Seven days later Noah sent the dove out again.  It returned in the evening holding in its beak a green leaf from an olive tree. Noah knew that the water was finally going down.  He waited seven more days before sending the dove out again and this time it did not return."

The Bread Winner just headed out for scuppee, aka: Starbucks.  If he returns with the proverbial chai tea latte.... I think you see where I'm going.  Drive safely, my little dove.

I think God appreciates those that don't take themselves too seriously. And for the record, this picture is from 2 days ago. Road conditions are much better thanks to the sun and rising temperatures.

We were talking and she said.....

Janet and I were talking about the items I found at Southern Comforts and I was saying that I was thinking about purchasing these:

and eventually getting them reupholstered and letting them replace the parsons chairs in our living room.  Well, in the course of the conversation, she mentioned how good she thought the room would look with a shift of furniture. Sofa facing the fireplace, etc. Huh?  I'm sure in the moving in process we had tried this but I'm not sure now why it didn't work.  The wheels began to turn.....

Well, they turned and turned and after discussing it with the Bread Winner, who loved the idea as long as it would be a project requiring as little of his involvement as possible, Jane and I came up with the following:

Before:

After:

Of note: the rug is new, a Christmas gift from the Bread Winner. Okay, okay...I picked it out and he paid for it but aren't we splitting hairs?  Also, the great leggy table in front of the fireplace is from Nettie and Big Daddy as well as the basket on the pew in front of our bay windows.  I knew the basket needed to be handled carefully since it's an antique (no, i didn't know that but Big Daddy says so and if anyone knows, it's him) so what better place to put my two orchids?! One pot was my first attempt to see if I could keep them alive, the second was a beautiful addition from Patti. Just fill around them with some moss, beuno! Last but not least, the lumbar pillows on the chairs are from HomeGoods and they were $16 for the pair. I couldn't talk myself out of the purchase.

To do: pillows, a house plant or two (fig tree, maybe), a basket to soften some of the bare spots and what about drapes????? I feel a project coming on.....

Have a good one, all.

A little request....

yes, she's holding his hand which she showed me proudly
and then said, "him's my best friend" and kissed it.
Think we missed G?

Dear Lord,

If it's in the cards, please allow this friendship to go unscathed in the growing up process.  We've heard the horror stories that accompany growing up, going to school, finding your niche, etc.  But if possible, please see that these two remain kind,
considerate and appreciative of each other.  I mean, you are the miracle worker so while I'm asking, I'd like to request that they never do anything that would hurt the other's feelings.  I know, Jane's a girl which means she'll likely have hurt feelings on a daily basis but as long as it's not at the hands of G, that would be great.  And vice versa, of course, if you could prevent Jane from ever being responsible for any unkind word at G's expense....awesome.

I realize this is a lot to ask but I totally subscribe to "ask not, want not."  Thanks for the consideration.

Amen.

Math, even I can do.

One night of steady snow:

this was the accumulation after an hour....

plus one box of Veranda, Country Living, Redbook, Better Homes and Gardens and Ladies Home Journal:

my friend Julie came across these and thought I would enjoy.
don't you love friends that REALLY get you?

Add an occasional dash of the Bread Winner working from home:

Equals what could end up being the best snow day of all time! Happy snow day, I mean Monday, all!

Sometimes it's about more than pillows...

I'm doing a little blog browsing tonight and came across this story. Well, it's not a story, it's this woman's life. She lost her home to a fire just before Christmas and in reading her account and the outpouring of others,  I've been on the couch sniffling with the Bread Winner asking the occasional, "everything okay?"

Her pain is real and her faith is strong. Consider yourself warned.  She's a testimony to the back and forth that exists for those living in this world and believing in the heavenly. My heart breaks for her and her family.

Edie, you and your family are in my prayers.

Don't you just love a deal?!

Southern Comforts, not to be confused with Southern Comfort, is a jewel!  This is a local chain of consignment stores that has just added another branch a stone's throw from our house. This paired with a new car that allows for easy transport of large pieces of furniture may be my demise in 2011.

Stopped by today, looking for Maura's rug.  Didn't have much luck on the rug front but had to share some of the finds that are just begging to be taken home, reupholstered, re-purposed.  Here we go:

sanded, painted, in just the right space....best $49.50 you ever spent.

great arms, great legs...179.50 and they have 2!
(red head sold separately)

Horrible upholstery, yes but for $145.50, start over!

$49.50, I think... perfect at the side of a chair for your book and glass!

They have two of these as well, $39.50.  I can see something like this
in a bathroom with rolled towels sitting on it...love.

camel back sofa....wait for it....$299.50 and knock another 10% off
because it's been there a month!

miniature wing back and ottoman....$99.50. Reupholstered in white with
pink piping, perfect for Jane's room!

Thanks, Southern Comforts for coming to our neck of the woods. Sorry, Bread Winner...this might end up costing us.

".......and be respected to my mom."

As the world turns and 3.5 year olds across the planet continue to test their limits and expand their independence, I've found that things like: "Is that how we talk to momma?" or "that's not how we act" tends to be coming out of my mouth a lot.  Another phrase that has evidently caught on with Jane is:  "That's not being very respectful to momma." I know this has made an impression based on the pretend conversation she was having with her "daughter" this morning. I didn't get the full story but she was giving "Sweetie" an earful and finished it off with ".....and be respected to my mom." I'm pretty sure she was encouraging Sweetie to be respectful to her mom but sometimes what we mean and what we say doesn't always match up. I'd say she's on the right track though.  Looking good, Janey.

I'm just throwing stuff out there....

My friend, Maura, is looking for a rug and once again, I've found a way to insert myself into the project. Look, it's a win-win because I get to shop without spending a dime which makes the Bread Winner happy and then I can throw some ideas at Maura that she can choose to act on, not act on, or just use as a jumping off point for her own ideas.  See? Win-win.

Now most of your are saying, "Maura, that name sounds familiar." You are correct. She's the same Maura from the wreath party. She's also known as the "naturally beautiful" Maura and her design taste continues to support a natural and organic look like she created with her wreath.

Right now the pre-existing elements are her sofa and love seat in a mushroom color. She calls them brown but I was thinking they had a little more gray. Either way, they are totally workable and I think she's going to be pleasantly surprised how easily they can be reinvented with a little rug/pillow update. Actually, that's exactly what the black hole (MY den) is in need of and I just need to commit. That will no doubt be another post.

She also has a great chair that's upholstered in a great reddish orange fabric that has a cream floral print running through it. She loves it and so do I. I came across this picture on the Pottery Barn website that made me think of her chair and of course, I enjoy the rug too.

image via potterybarn.com

Are people over the natural rugs? I know it's not everyone's taste but it's soooo mine. They are more affordable than most rugs, they are basic enough to go with almost anything and they add great texture to a room that otherwise might seem a little bland.  (note to self: order one for black hole when finished with this post)  Now, I know most of these are not the softest but we have a runner in my hallway that is VERY soft and I'm assuming the one above is similar. I should probably work on getting the correct term for this type of rug, considering I love it so.

I've provided you a little buffet of rooms with natural rugs. Love 'em, what can I say?






Images provided by www.myhomeideas.com.

Been seeing a lot of this and I'm thinking......

Do I dare take the plunge into something a little more "modern". Audible gasp...I heard it. But before you think I'm turning my back on the traditional and classic, just look at this.

maybe some modern/utilitarian type chairs for an office

well balanced room of a little modern, a little traditional.....

So, as the first of the year lingers and I become a little obsessed with the state of disorganization in my home, maybe it's time to give this part of my home/life some attention:

what? not inspired? did you SEE my calendar?

Put the chair above back in my dining room where it belongs and add the  round chair below:



image provided by http://www.allmodern.com/

I'm starting to feel a little inspired. The chair comes in red, too. No, no, you're right, white or warm grey. I was getting a little ahead of myself. Baby steps.

Here's wishing you all an inspired, organized 2011!

A Beautiful Start to 2011

This was day one of 2011 for Nettie and Big Daddy. They live in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in Afton, Va. and they get some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets. What comes to mind when I see this?  "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Happy 2011, all!