Oh What a Surprise!

My mom always one for giving pretty thoughtful gifts for Christmas and Birthdays really out did herself this year. This year she read my post from the beginning of December about http://www.etsy.com/ and got me the Corcisco Ring that I raved about. It is just the coolest thing ever and I love it! My mother-in-law gave my husband and I monogrammed sheets that she hand stitched herself. They look just lovely on our bed.

I hope everyone got what they wanted for Christmas whether it was something like a ring or just a quiet moment with your family.

Blessings!

Rene'

3/50 Project

Now this is a New Year's resolution worth keeping. The 3/50 Project is the brain-child of Cinda Baxter. If you go to her website, www.the350project.net, you can read how one person made a change and a big one at that. Here are the basic steps:

3 Pick 3 independent, locally-owned businesses that you would hate to see go away and visit them. Your purchases keep their doors open.

50 Spend $50 a month at those stores. Again I'm not going into the details, check those out for yourself.

68 For every $100 you spend, the locally owned retailer puts $68 back into their community. National retailers only put back $43. And online stores put nothing back into your local economy.

1 It only takes one person to make a difference.

All The Pretty Paper

Checkout these great gift wrapping ideas. I think my favorite is the lump of coal boxes.

Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living

Dropping like Flies

I enjoy getting home decor magazines and subscribe to three (Veranda, Traditional Home and Cookie). I wish I could subscribe to more but I can't finish one before getting next month's. Cookie replaced Domino oh about a year ago and two days ago I got a post card from Cookie stating "sorry but we signing off from publication and giving you Lucky." It's not that I loved Domino or Cookie but I'm just so sad to see that some magazines are dropping like flies. Think about all the people employed by these publishing house who will now be without a job.

I was skipping around Blog-Land and stumbled on Designtherapy.com and he too was discussing the disappearance of Cookie magazine and other "shelter" magazines. It looks like the publishing industry isn't going down without a fight and another, hip, right now magazine has come on the scene, lonnymag.com. I've looked at it on-line and its not bad. I tried to post a picture on here but it wouldn't save. Let's hope they survive.

Tour of Homes

The Nesting Place is hosting the Christmas Tour of Homes 2009! This year my goal was not to buy anything NEW. I was going to shop the house and use what I already had.

I did receive some snow people from my Great Aunt. These little carolers are just too cute. It was difficult to pass the rows of ornaments at Hobby Lobby but I know that Christmas isn't about buying another sparkly ornament. I let my girls choose the theme and decorate the tree. I got the job of stringing up the lights (thanks Hubby for keeping the spiked eggnog flowing). On a sad note, my oldest said "no birds or feathers." What! That's my staple but I did manage to sneak a few on the tree in the kitchen. My favorite decoration and best after Christmas score ($3 at Joann's), the big snowman chef. He makes me smile everytime I look at him.

The Advent Tree decorated by my youngest. As you can see the bottom of the tree is getting the most attention.

Merry Christmas!

Turquoise Pretties

I love etsy.com! Check it out and support handmade items not from China but from your own backyard.

We could all use a little hope.

Look at the sweet little bird on the handle of this coffee mug.

New Year's Resolution to self, "Learn to Knit"

The ring is by far my favorite. It's called the Corcisco Ring.

A Give Away Mon Cherie'

The Brocantess is having a Give Away and it's exactly what I expected when I clicked over there... French, old, crusty and down right beautiful. I hope that you get a chance to check out her site and sign up for your chance to win.

Prize One: Vintage French Rosary

Prize Two: French Books (with or without covers)

Prize Three: French Linens (based on what she finds)

Give away entries will be accepted until Midnight EST on Sunday, November 22, 2009. Winners will be announced on Monday. Good Luck!

Rene'

Pumpkin People

Check out these cuties! I saw the project on Martha Stewart Living's website. I made twelve to send to friends and family. The hardest part was pulling the pipe cleaners through the body to make the arms and legs. Make sure you have a rather strong upholstery needle. The directions called for velvet leaves but I could not find them at Michael's or Joann Fabrics so I just improvised with a Fall flower arrangement that I had.

Wrong in so many ways...

Photo source: Cakewrecks.blogspot.com

This morning I was reading the website of a local talk radio show host. On Fridays its usually light with bits of humor. There was a link about a cake that just didn't look right. Having a cake decorating background I was curious to see what kind of themed cake he was referring to on the site. One should never be drinking something while "web surfing" because coffee stings when it comes out your nose. Parental Advisory: Make sure the kiddos are not standing over your shoulder when you take a glance.

Photo source: cakewrecks.blogspot.com

Can you imagine a store patron's reaction to this masterpiece? A mother gasping in horror as little Tommy says, "I want this ONE for my Halloween party!" I wonder if anyone bought it or did it make its way to the QUICK SALE baked goods? So if you have a minute, put your drink down (liquid through your nose can be painful) and click on this link to Cake Wrecks. I was laughing so hard I was crying. My favorite blog posts on their site: Hey Bebeh, Brides with no budget or taste (Bridezilla), and Seasonal Non Sequiturs.

Sedona! What to do?

I've been invited to go to Sedona, Arizona for a girls' weekend. Heck yeah I'm there! So if anyone sees this blog and has any recommendations on where to eat and shop, please send me a comment.

Baby it's cold outside...to me

Before I venture outside in the mornings I check the clock to see what the weather will be like. Hubby has a clock in our bathroom that displays the time, weather, etc. My eyes did a double take at the temperature outside...51 degrees! Summer is gone! Say it ain't so Joe. Knowing what a whimp I am about cold weather I brush aside my summer footwear staple (bye bye flip flops) and dust off my UGG slippers. They may not be pretty but they keep my feet toasty. Feeling kinda excited about Fall clothes I scan Anthropologie's website where I find these two pretties.


Fireflower Wrap








Floral Patch Wrap

Remember....

Remember this day and were you were

Remember this day and we are are

For if we forget this day and our sorrow wanes

then everyone that has died was all in vain

God bless you all and God bless America

Halloween Labels ~ UPDATE!

I found the Halloween labels at Michael's. I cannot find them on their website but they are definately in the store near Martha Stewart's line. So for those of you who don't feel like printing out your own and have a Michael's near you go check them out. Only $5.99! Yep, $5.99.

Watching Paint Dry

In our master bedroom there is an alcove. We have an armoire there with the television in it. It's pretty but it sticks out into the room and the only place you can view the television is from the bed. I don't know about you but I am not a fan of watching television in the bed unless I am getting ready to go to sleep or having coffee first thing. So my husband (more skilled with a nail gun and a saw than me) created an entertainment center. I'll post pictures when the job is complete. In order for it to be durable I am painting it with an oil base paint. Letting the paint dry has got to be the most boring part of the project. So I'm sitting here having breakfast and flipping through the latest Grandinroad catalog. Martha Stewart is featured for the Halloween season. Some may remember that I have love-hate feelings for 'Ms. Its a Good Thing.' Anyway, she has the cutest Halloween labels that you can put on bottles...very creative. Here is a picture of some of the labels. Aren't they cute?




Maybe I'll make my own while I watch the second coat dry.

Feeling Fallish in Georgia

Maybe I'm jinxing it but it's nice and cool outside today. I think the high is 67! I love Fall. Over at Glitter and Bliss, Leslie posted a few of her fav Fall things. That got me thinking of a few of my own. I love cute jackets and long sleeves. I love high heeled boots with jeans. I love the way the crisp air makes your nose tingle in the morning. I love wearing my UGG slippers to the bus stop. I love walking the dogs on a crisp morning and seeing the deer forage in the woods behind my neighborhood. It's as if God touches the earth and says "sleep" and the earth responds by getting ready for bed.

What are your favorites?

Pumpkin Bread (courtesy of http://www.allrecipes.com/)

INGREDIENTS

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Pillows dirt cheap

I wanted to play around with an iron on transfer so I found a nest on the internet. I transfered it on to some muslin and made a pillow out of it for my dining room chairs. The eggs in the nest did not transfer so well so I found some buttons and sewed them on in place of the eggs. I'm pretty pleased with them. The muslin was $1.99/yard. I have tons of cording so that was free and the buttons were free as well since I keep all of the buttons that come with new clothes.

Procrastinators Unite~ Tomorrow

I haven't written a word in over seven months! I look at my blog everyday and think, TODAY IS THE DAY that my brain will function and something very thought provoking will emerge from inside. After 11 years of being a stay home mom I've become such a procrastinator. I have no deadlines, no boss (well I have kids) just the never ending feeling of "I'll get to it tomorrow."

I love to write and have done it for years for myself. I used to write poetry and stories and then throw them away before anybody could find them. I thought blogging would be so easy but its really, really hard to express yourself and hope that what you put out there will be of any worth. How do you get past writer's block?

Hi, my name is Rene' and that is my dining room.

I guess I'll make today, Fess Up Friday. The dining room that I posted a week ago is actually mine. Gasp...it is pretty plain but you see there is a story behind this sad little photo. It is a story of great joy.

I’ve been working on my husband now for five years for a dining room. I know…the horror! No dining room in the South! Well it all goes back to when we moved in the house and we didn’t have dining room furniture but we had office furniture. So my practical husband suggested we use the room as an office. Sure no big deal, I got the new big house and he got a study. Well I’ve hated that “study” for five years! Everyday when I came in the house I would see this 15’x13’ room staring at me. Those four walls were yearning for decadent fabrics, sophistication, and shine. It wasn’t so bad because I could see my neighbors walk by. Oh and my darling angels and their friends thought the floor was for their book bags and lunch boxes. We added another desk for the kids and that was a mistake! A sea of paper, pencils, empty juice boxes and what not strewn across the desk leaving a trail of trash as they made their way to the next room like a tornado. Anyhoo, my husband (thanks honey) and I a few months back moved all the office furniture upstairs and created a study. Now we have a warm and cozy study. The dogs love it because now they can sleep on the couch while I play on my blog (I’m working too).

So now I have my dining room but it's blah and boring. I want shine and glam in that room and darn it I'm going to get it one little yard sale, flea market or curb find at a time. Stay tuned for the progress.

Island of the Lost Chotchka

Have you ever been somewhere and could kick yourself for not having a camera? My friend and I were in Chamblee, Georgia the other day and we stopped in to My Favorite Place. If you live in Georgia and like a good "treasure" shop then you'll know the place. This isn't Scott Antiques this is the Island of the Lost Chotchka. As a child I remember going to the donut shop next door before the My Favorite Place moved in. There must be at least 10,000 sq ft of wall to wall (I'm not kidding folks) of junk, treasures, fab finds and deals. I did spot 6 dining chairs ($70 for all 6) with cane backs and pop out seats that would look fabulous with a little paint and some new fabric seats. Also, spotted a 4' round table, again just a little paint, for $80! So you can find a diamond in the rough. I've been looking for some crusty old columns and they had a pair BUT they were sold already.

If you want a good adventure and don't mind a little dust then this is the place is for you.

Six Steps to Decorating

Step One: Have a Plan
A pilot does not fly a plane without a flight plan; a chef does not cook without a menu planned so why try to decorate/design a room without a plan. I like to go through each room and make notes about what needs to change (paint/fabric), what needs to go and what needs to be added. If you have a camera, take a picture of the room. A photo can really help you see the space and give you a few ideas of what may be missing (accessories, new bedding or fabrics, furniture placement).


A blank canvas just ripe for transformation. Turn brown and blah into ooh and aah.

Decorate in Phases
Most people think they need to decorate the master bedroom first or their child’s bathroom. These are actually the last places one should worry about decorating because they are considered private spaces. We usually do not entertain our guests in the master bedroom or let guests use the kids’ bathroom (unless it is the primary bathroom in the house). So why stress over areas that a majority of our guests do not see. I like to break down our homes into three categories:

Public: Front door, Foyer/Entrance Hall
Semi-Public: Living Room, Dining Room, Powder Room, and Kitchen
Private: Den/Family Room, Basement/Terrace Level, Bedrooms, Laundry and Bathrooms

Step Two: Choose the Mood
Think about how you want the room to feel. For instance, painting a dining room red increases the appetite and encourages people to gather. If you want your bedroom to feel tranquil and relaxing refrain from painting the walls royal blue or bright yellow, instead choose relaxing colors like creams, greens, light blues, even gray.

Step Three: Find Inspiration
Design is all about what makes you happy. What makes your heart sing? Is it a fabulous room you saw in a magazine? A lamp you spotted at HomeGoods or a vignette in a quaint little shop while on vacation. How about a rug you saw at Macy’s? Note: Never pick out the paint color first and then try to match it to fabrics. You’ll never get the right color and you will never be satisfied with the results.


Picture courtesy of http://www.ratemyspace.com/

Create a Folder
Go through magazines and rip out pictures that you like. Then sort them in folders by room, accessories, bedding, paint colors, etc. Put it aside for about a week and go back through the folders. You will start to see a pattern of what you like (traditional, modern, eclectic, French, Asian to name a few). Another great source is www.ratemyspace.com. There are tons of great ideas.

Step Four: Create a Budget
That nasty little detail that no one wants to follow but unless the sky’s the limit or you’ve just won the lottery everyone needs a budget. A budget allows you to see exactly what you have to spend and what you can afford. There is no sense in going to Home Expo and looking at $20,000 kitchens when you really only have $5,000 to spend. You can still achieve the look of a $20,000 kitchen if you choose wisely.

Step Five: Rethink, Reuse, And Recycle
Okay everyone talks about going green and believe me I am getting tired of hearing it; however, if you decorate a room that is timeless then you are already designing green. Buying all new furniture every few years will not help our landfills and your wallet. Spend a little more on a nice piece and it will be with you for a very long time. Rethink about a piece of furniture or accessory. Reuse it by moving it into another room. I have a chest that has been in five different rooms and in each room it takes on another life. I’ve made it into a buffet/silver chest, a stationary and book storage chest, a hall chest with linens, and now it stores crafts for the my children. When you have moved it to every room and it no longer makes your heart sing then consider recycling it. Offer it to a friend, a family member; consign shop, and or charity. Give that piece a second life in someone else’s home.

Before and After


Step Six: Consultation with a Decorator/Designer
A decorator can come in and start you in the right direction. They can help speed up the decision-making process and get you one step closer to the room you have always wanted.

Birthday Wishes For My Youngest One

My youngest daughter had her birthday yesterday. I have been baking the girls' birthday cakes for the past nine years. Each year I ask the girls what they want on their cake. This year Rebecca asked for the cover of a book called, Ten Ways to Make Your Sister Disappear. Ugh, no! With a twinkle in her eye (I think she was trying to stump me) she said she wanted a Tye-dye cake. Well by the time she got back from her dance class, Mommy had whipped up a pretty cute Tye-dyed cake:

Here are some past "projects" wished by my children:

Jimmy Newtron

Pink Converse Tennis Shoes

A Frog...

Curious George

From the book, Unlovable (Alfred the Pug)

Oh Martha! My love, hate relationship with the Queen of Good Things

I've always had a love, hate relationship with Martha Stewart. I have a few of her decorating books. At one time I even subscribed to her magazine. I always got frustrated because she made everything look so darn easy and perfect. I on the other hand struggle with picture placement in my own home. The curse of a decorator is never being satisfied with your own home. Maybe I should take The Nester's advise, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful." I've never considered myself in the same league as Martha. I do come up with some pretty cool ideas sometimes which gives me that tingling feeling like when you were in school and you knew the answer to the science question. I never "see" what others "see" in me though. My mother calls me Martha Stewart and it drives me crazy (sorry Mom). I don't have O.C.D., 50 "idea people" on hand, or tons of cash (she still has a few dollars in her account). Anyhoo...

I guess I like to pour salt in my wounds because I signed up to receive her Enewsletter. Every week I receive the Martha Stewart Newsletter via email. Some of the time I see the same old thing (color coded bins, apothecary jars in the bathroom, etc.) until today. Eureka! I was perusing the organizing category and found this little marvel. It is a home office made out of a storage trunk. Those hope chests and unused toy boxes now have a purpose instead of sitting in the basement collecting dust. These mini-offices are perfect for a teen bedroom or dorm, small apartment or home. Placing a box cushion on top would also give you extra seating.

I have attached a picture and directions directly from the Martha Stewart Website. If you have any great storage tips and would like to share them, please leave them in the comments section and I'll post a few.


The directions from the website are as follows:

• To make the bulletin board: Cut a piece of 1/2-inch-thick cork (available at office-supply stores) to fit the underside of the lid; affix it with craft glue.
• To make the sliding supply organizer: Cut two strips of molding to fit inside the long sides of the chest; use small nails to attach a strip along each side, several inches below the lip, to support a tray (as pictured).
• To make the tray: Cut a piece of kraft paper the length and width you'd like the tray to be (make sure it will be wide enough to rest on the strips of molding), and mark the depth needed on the template. Bring the paper to a home-supply store that sells wooden drawer organizers, and arrange enough organizers on top of the paper to cover the surface. At home, paint the organizers to match the chest, and let dry. Use wood glue to attach to one another.
• To create a filing system: Insert adjustable hanging file-folder frames inside the chest.

Happy Organizing!