You Asked.......

Bonnie from the UK wanted to know where to get this fabulous octopus....I snapped this picture at Hewitt in Wilmington, N.C. You can call them at 910-202-4657
It is funny that Bonnie just e-mailed me about this, because last night a friend and I went to a Spring Fashion Show at Hewitt and I had a ball. If you stop by the store, tell Abe & Beth I said hello. Also there was Kelly from Beanie & Cecil a fabulous clothing store next door. I finally got up my courage and bought a pair of skinny jeans. Really they are leggings with pockets. If I am brave enough to actually wear them I will warn you in advance.

For those of you who asked, this fabric is Apsley Vine from Greeff. I bought mine from a wonderful seller on Ebay. Brick House Fabrics. If you are interested, I believe she may have a few more yards. (There is a tiny chance the colors may not work in the room I bought the fabric for, so if my Ebay seller is all out, e-mail me and I'll let you know if it doesn't work)

I know you have been holding your breath about the jacket debate. I spent yesterday trying on different jackets. Several of you asked, so here's the deal. The one pictured above that most of you liked from American Eagle? In person it was dreadful. Horrible. Cheap and thin and not at all what I expected from this photo. Oh, the power of a good photographer. Next stop the Gap. It was just O.K. The J.Crew store here in the big city of Wilmington did not have the jacket. Surprise. It is a very small store. The one I liked the best? Old Navy. They had a great jacket that looked so much like the J. Crew jacket that my hands got sweaty. And it was on sale. And, they didn't have my size. SO typical. It is no longer online, but my sister is looking in Atlanta. Cross your fingers. If she can't find it, I might bite the bullet and order the J Crew jacket now that I am obsessed and feel like this one jacket could change my life. It's like the time I knew life would be perfect if I got the Guess jeans with the buttons. And I was right. All was good in my world. I still have those jeans in my attic in case I want to relive the 80's. Do you ever get like that? Am I the only crazy one?

Good Day - Bad Day

Yesterday didn't start out great. The painters I was expecting at 8 showed up at 7:20. Which is good and bad. Gotta love that they were early, but have you ever seen me at 7:20? I was still in my P.J.'s trying to get the kids out the door for school. Not a great way to greet a van full of painters. Then I had to take Peanut to the dentist. No problem. Entertaining Butterball in the waiting room for 1 1/2 hours? Problem. Not to mention he pooped as soon as we walked in the door. I had reached my patience limit for the day by 9:45.

Recovery remedy? Valium, meditation, Vodka?

Nope. I like to go back to basics and eat my way to sanity. It worked. While I was snacking, my favorite person stopped by my house.

The mailman. He was kind enough to bring my new Reader's Digest Books.

Don't you just love them? Not only that he also brought ....

My new fabric. Peacocks = Happiness. And that is how a bad day turned into a good day. Hope your day was a good one without stress, doctor's offices and unexpected poops!

Am I the Only One?

I know. I know. These pictures of Jennifer Aniston's newly remodeled home have been all over the Internet.

Everyone seems to love it.

And I have to admit it is pretty cool.

If you are a man. Does this house not look totally masculine to you?

If you asked me to guess who lived here, I would say a single man who travels a lot. Definitely a lady's man. More John Meyer than Jennifer Aniston. (By the way, what did she ever see in him?) And there are no personal touches. It is a little weird.

Would I like to spend a week here by the pool? Maybe drink a cocktail by the fire? You bet!!! Live here? I don't think so. What about you? What do you think?

pictures from Architectural Digest, Shelter

Debating...

Want vs Need
And truly do I even need another jacket?

This one is definitely a classic I would wear for years. With jeans, black pants, skirts....

I would get it in this olive color. You like?
J Crew Boyfriend Fatigue Jacket $148

Don't you think it looks an awful lot like this jacket?
American Eagle Moto Jacket $59.50

So... lots of decisions.
1. Buy a new jacket?
2. Go for the J. Crew or fight the teenagers at AE for the knock-off?

Life is full of difficult decisions.....

Penguin vs Reader's Digest

I know Penguin Classics are big right now and I do love them. But I recently stumbled on the old Reader's Digest Condensed Books. Remember them? My grandmother had 3 shelves of them in her house. Did I save any? Hell no!

Admittedly the spines aren't very pretty but the covers more than make up for it.

Love all the blues.

And there are so many different patterns to choose from.

I think one or two for display would be perfect.

Did I say 1 or 2? Actually I ordered three. Can't wait to show them to you once they arrive. They are blue....I am so predictable. I ordered my books from here.

This book seller, Wonder Books, lets you buy them by the foot. Of course you won't know what you are getting until they show up but sometimes a little surprise is fun.

What do you think? You like?

pictures from: Design Sponge, Free Hollow Books, Finders Keepers, Amazon, Ace Jet 170, Wonder Book

Do You See What I See?

All these rooms have something in common.

Can you spot the trend? (This is my favorite)

It makes me think of spring.

I need some Spring.

I need to come out of my cocoon...

Or at least out of my Uggs.

So what do you think of all the .....

Butterflies.
Is it just me, or do they seem to be popping up everywhere? Are you a fan?

pictures from: Compulsively Compiled, House Beautiful, House & Home, Compulsively Compiled, House Beautiful, The City Sage, Elle Decor

Fabric update

You may remember this Kathryn Ireland fabric.

I blogged about it here. I was going to use for it pillows in my living room. I chickened out. It was crazy expensive.

Then, back in Septemebr, I saw this fabric when I was looking around on Etsy. Loved the fabric, but couldn't find any info on it. And yes, I blogged about it. Here. Well, this weekend while looking on Ebay for something totally different, what should I spy but this exact peacock fabric. It has my blues and greens and yellows. It is traditional, but whimsical. I bought it. Two and half yards. Enough for 3 pillows, if I am careful. I am so excited. Please cross your fingers that the colors work. Do you like it? Does it make you happy?
picture from: Mims

Let it Snow

Warning..this post may be terribly boring to anyone that is not related to me. Read at your own risk!

We had snow Friday night!! Can you believe it? We NEVER have snow. This picture almost looks like a black and white doesn't it?

I woke up @2:00 am and peeked outside and was amazed. I said "Bill, are you awake?" In a loud, clear voice he said "No!" O.K. If you were really asleep, how could you answer my question? Needless to say he was not as excited as I was about the snow and did not get out of bed to see it.

Butterball, on the other hand, loved the snow!!

So did Peanut (in the fur hat) and his friend Finch.

Doodle and I built a snowman. I think this might be the first snowman I have ever built. In my whole cotton picking life.

For some reason the cold did not seem to bother Butterball. He could have stayed outside all day. Mama, not so much. I think I like the idea of snow more than the actual thing.

I had to include this picture. Do you see the sawhorses in the background? We are having some work done on our fireplace wall (yes, after 2 years we have finally decided to complete the project) and our carpenter came to work on Saturday. In the snow!!!! I was one happy girl!! I can't wait to show you once it is finished....so far I am loving it!!!

Hope you had as much fun this weekend as we did!!

Hansel & Gretel

When life gets crazy, I crave small and cozy. I want to simplify. In fact, I was just talking to a friend about downsizing. Just in theory. Not reality. This blog is all about the daydream. I have always wanted to live in a cottage.

Maybe join Hansel and Gretel's supper club. (I knew I would regret cutting off my braids)

Learn to bake bread.

And grow flowers. Have a garden with roses...

Want to join me? This adorable cottage is one street over from me and it's for sale. Here.

Small and cozy is good, but so is big and fabulous. I would take this big mama cottage any day.

Do you ever dream of simplifying. Or living in a cottage?

pictures from: Greayer, Ecosalon, Revival Home & Garden, Blue Hydrangea, CMLS.

Big for Spring

Did you know braids are big for Spring? And not just for Heidi.

They have become high fashion.

I have worn my hair in a braid for about the last year.

But after seeing some recent pictures, I was afraid I was starting to look like an aging hippie or the crazy lady who lives with 27 cats. For the record I don't have any cats. They make my eyes itchy and watery and my throat close up.

Braids just didn't look high fashion on me.

Do you know what this is? It is my old pony tail. I had 4 inches cut off today. I forgot how curly my hair is when it is shorter..it looks like a poof ball. If I decide I want some high fashion, I will just have to buy a clip on braid. I keep telling myself it will grow back...right?

Blue Chairs - Blue Walls?

Maybe instead of blue chairs, I will paint my living room blue.

Like this. Now this room has personality.

Sometimes I think my decorating gets too safe.

Decorating should be fun and show your personality.

I am not really a neutral type of person, so why should my living room be neutral?

I need to take more chances? What is the worst thing that can happen?

I could spend all my money getting everything recovered, walls painted, pillows made and then end up hating it. And I would be stuck with it for years...other than that what is there to worry about?

What do you think? Play it safe or go bold?

pictures from: Domino, Jamie Drake, Cookie, Domino, Where the Sidewalk Ends,VT Interiors, Chic Coles