Little Stone Cottage Sneak Peek

Cabinets are painted!  Floors are in! Hardware is on the cabinets!  Walls have vanished!

I keep gazing around in wonder at my new house.

I can't wait to do a house tour and show y'all the before and after when everything is ready.

Miss Priss is ready to return to her happy little red crib.

I can't wait to get everything dusted and sparkly, furniture arranged, and pictures hung.  I was OBSESSED with my dollhouse as a child, spending hours making new furniture and accessories out of matchboxes and fimo clay.  My little stone cottage is my adult version.  Although I will never be done tweaking- I joked with my contractor that after this latest project it will be time to move. The arranging and changing is the fun part!

Mama and I were talking about spoiling kids the other day.  I mentioned that it will be hard for me to not buy Dell Harper everything dollhouse related if she is interested (I have to restrain myself from buying dollhouse furniture already for her- the tiny pots and pans get me every time!).  Mama said that i will enjoy watching her and helping Dell Harper use her creativity building her own things far more than buying them.  This is probably true, because as much as I would like to be decorating with an unlimited budget (or even a loose one!), I love re-purposing old things, working on a tight budget, and finding good deals even more.  It probably stems from all that time painstaking fashioning rugs out of potholders and bunk beds out of giant boxes of matches for that dollhouse, instead of having a massive amount of tiny little perfect furniture.

I much confess however, I still am perusing lots of dollhouse furniture on Ebay. . . maybe the repainting and fixing will someday make Miss Priss a flea market aficionado?

Mad Men Mod World

Mad Men is back!  I am so thrilled to be watching Sunday night after 17 months of its absence.  Too bad Peggy isn't terrible into fashion- wouldn't you love to see her go Mod?

Mary Quant and Twiggy- I'm feeling quite inspired to go a little mod myself.  I think this look would be perfection, and the swingy style would hide any remaining post-baby lumps and bumps-

Source: vintagethreadsuk.blogspot.com via Samma on Pinterest

Who else is excited for their does of Don Draper?

New Project- (dreams of grandeur and laundry)

So Hubs and I have decided to really redo our laundry-mudroom area.  Earlier we had discussed knocking out the laundry closet, adding some built-ins and leaving the basic room intact.  Well, in what seems to be the normal route of thing, we are now planning on knocking out walls, reorienting the powder room, adding a utility sink, and new floors.

So I present my pictures to Hubs and our contractor. (most are from Southern Living or  My Home Ideas).  They spluttered and laughed- apparently my mudroom ideas will result in the laundry room being the nicest area in the house. 

Well, why not?  Men!

These are what I'm really aiming for- I love the green, and think it could really make stock cabinets look interesting.  The piece on the right is where I would build in my desk organization area (a place to put my mail- what more could a girl ask for??)

Well, maybe a laundry organization island.

I think I would actually like to do laundry if I had this thing. I could iron on top!

Oh, who I am I kidding?  With my propensity for clutter, especially clutter of a clothes related nature, I wouldn't see the top of this thing much.

I still want one though.

And a utility sink.  So I can cut flowers from my (currently dead) garden.

The biggest proponent of this new mudroom?  Buddy Bear, of course!  He thinks that his room should most definitely be the nicest in our house!  After all, he is the dictator in training (I joke with Hubs that when we procreate and have a bunch of blonde kiddos running around, we will stage a blonde coup d'etat, overthrow Hubs as our leader, and Buddy will become our benevolent blonde dictator.  Obviously, Hubs thinks I am insane).

So we are waiting on the estimates, which I am sure will likely nip this in the bud.  Until then I will consult with Buddy and add more things to our mudroom wish list- Viva la Revolution!



My Shower Favors Be Popping

I believe I've mentioned that practically everyone I know is currently knocked up or has recently given birth.  This means that baby showers abound- including one this Saturday which I am delighted to help host.  Leighann and I went to town last night working on the favors- blue and pink chocolate drizzled popcorn, since our honoree is about to pop.  Which is a little gross if you think about it too much. . .

Anyway, this was super easy and fun to do.  It would also be great little Christmas gifts, or children's birthday party favors.  Start out with some bags of colored chocolate/candy melts.  You can get these at AC Moore, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, etc.

As you can see, mine were already prepped due to their tenure of sitting in my trunk.  However, throw them in a bowl and nuke 'em for about 30 seconds.  Maybe longer if they are not halfway melted already.

Pop some popcorn (we started out on the stove, then realized that would take forever, so we did Newman's Own Light Butter bags in the microwave).  Spread out the popcorn on wax paper on a cookie sheet.

Dip a fork in the melted chocolate and drizzle it over the popcorn.  Leighann and I had our drizzling dance down.  After 12 bags of popcorn, our system is very fine tuned, and we are ready to hire (for an exorbitant price, obviously).   After all- look at this adorable unknown sex of the baby shower corn!

So, stick your tray in the fridge for about 10 minutes.  Just so the chocolate firms up on the your popcorn.  Break it up, throw in some cellophane bags, tie a bow, and voilà!

And of course, Lady was on hand to help us with any errant kernels which fell her way.

A crucial part of the operation indeed.

Barbie Girl

Feast your eyes upon these gorgeous illustrations from Robert Best.  Are y'all Project Runway fans? Robert was a designer on Season 3 who designed clothes for Mattel for Barbie.  Uh, dream job?

If I was still a single lady, prints of these illustrations would adorn my bachelorette pad for sure.  Somehow, I can't see Hubs letting that fly nowadays.  Humph.

Sum, Sum, Sum, Sum, Summertime! (and questions answered)

Can y'all tell I am an August baby?  I just love summertime!  Even though it means mosquitoes and heat, it also means the lake, the beach and the pool; juicy red maters, blackberries warm from the sun, and watermelon, like my childhood best friend and I are enjoying above.  For the rest of this week spring is allegedly arriving in East Tennessee- about a month late for my taste.  I am ready though- convertible top is anxious to go down, bare legs are ready to be shown, and patios are begging to be sat upon.

I want to thank y'all so much for all of your sweet comments.  To answer some questions I have received this week over the interwebs-

1.  First of all, thank you for sharing your stories about the Ovellas in you and your family's lives.  It's so interesting to hear everyone's experiences.  Ovella was born on April 1, 1916 (I think) and passed away summer after my first year of law school, so (trying to do mental math here- gets harder every year), so 2006? Yes, that's right- her next door neighbor and best friend, Lillian, passed away the day before.  I love picturing them up in heaven together laughing and talking together.
  So funny, I didn't even think about how close yesterday's post was to her birthday.  Every year on April Fools Day, we used to torment Ovella, begging her to tell us how old she was- why we cared so much?  No clue.  One year Mama said , "Okay Vella- birthday bonus happy prize.  One dollar for every year you've been alive!"  With zero hesitation, Ovella proclaimed- "I'm eighty-one!", ensuing in lots of laughter from Brother, Vella, Mama and me.

2.  My orange scarf is from the Limited, and is called the Infinity Scarf.  They don't have them anymore, but there is a jersey version on sale online right now.  The scarf is a big loop, which you double up.  It's really cozy! 

3.  An icepick is tea and vodka mixed together- I normally get unsweet and add splenda, because I'm  trying to watch my waist.  It's delicious- try one on a patio in the sunshine!  I usually get a single in a double glass, so it's not too strong.

4.  I had my curtains made from a fabric called Wonderland Jet.  You can buy it here, for a great price. Yay- discounts! Thanks so much for all the compliments- I must admit, I am rather enthralled with the way they turned out.  Now all I need is a rug I like, and I will be satisfied with my decor (Okay, that's a fib).

5.  The artichoke candle holders are from Tuesday Morning, one of Mama and I's favorite places to frequent for hidden treasures.  They had some Le Creuset in mine the other day- go check it out if one is nearby!

6.  The flowers were super easy- I have no idea how to arrange flowers y'all!  I do the same thing every time- cut stems low, fill my silver julep cups with cold water, and pack 'em in.  Yep- I have no clue what I'm doing.  A flower arranging course is in the works.

7.  Oh, and the china is my everyday- Juliska Berry and Thread- I registered for it on Tron's recommendation (she has a tendency to break things just like me), and I adore it!  My real china, which is my grandmother's  Lenox Imperial, is still sitting at my parents' house and likely will for a number of years.  Sorry, Mama.

I think that's everything?  Feel free to ask away, I'm an open book!  I always have questions when I read people's blogs, but I am embarrassed to ask.  If I don't want to answer something. . .I won't!

So back to the sunshine . . .are y'all summertime ladies?

Hopefully my daddy was in charge of my outfit here. . .

Girls in White Dresses With Blue Satin Sashes

A few of my favorite things-

1) Forsythia

Spring keeps creeping up on me- the warm weather induced me to throw out all my ratty torn-up tights and hose, leaving me barelegged during the inevitable return of winter weather.  However, many of my favorite things are out in abundance.  Like forsythia!

There is tons of forsythia bushes outside the condo.  Unfortunately they are pruned and clipped (but still make me joyous).  When I was little I used to hide in a forsythia bush and read by book, tucked under the blooms.  Such a pretty name too- Forsythia.  Hubs, maybe we can name a daughter Forsythia?  Forsythia Faye?

2) A big stack of cheap fun books! 

Do y'all have a good used bookstore?  We have McKay's and it is heavenly! I've been in a light mood lately, so I finished off "LoveHampton" (cute), and am now reading "Notting Hell".  Buying books I read in a matter of hours is not quite so guilt ridden when they cost a dollar.  Also, I am very excited about Sophie Dahl and Dominick Dunne's "Too Much Money", which was just released.  Some cookbooks and Ruth Reichl round out the mix, along with some historical fiction in Emma Donoghue's "The Sealed Letter".  I read her novel "Slammerkin" which was engrossing yet a bit depressing.

3) Folk Art

My lion by Crystal King.

The Red Fox by Cornbread Anderson

Kids Flying Kites by Woodie Long- we bought this on our honeymoon, and Woodie passed away this fall.  Hubs at first was very unsure about art choices (he's more of a print of your college stadium on game-day type of guy), especially my love of folk art, and my plans to fill our home with all sorts of folk art.  I think he's come around though.  He is a fan of our newest piece, which I dreamed about for a week this cold, long winter. . .

Day Lilies by me.  Maybe I could begin a new career-  painting in the tear down house sitting on our property, wearing big old shirts of Hubs', and puttering about a vegetable garden?   I need a folk artist name though.  . .

Forsythia Faye? Done and done!

Hair and Dress Questions

Ugh, scanner is broken, so y'all will have to wait to see pics of MOH doing important stuff together like prom and going to Sonic.  Also, she wanted me to clarify that the first picture in yesterday's post is from an eighties party.  We were not that old in the eighties and victims of mass amount of botox and surgeries.

Thanks for all the dress compliments ladies!  I wish I had taken a pre-alterations picture, because is was cute but veering dangerously close to MOB territory.  The dress is from Dillards, and the brand is Cachet.  It's not online, and the brand's dresses that are on the website are frighteningly middle-aged.

The dress was taken up about an inch, a fussy belt was removed, and more crinoline was added for extra poof and Betty Draper-ness.  I kept the rest simple with pearls (including the coveted South Sea pearl ring of my grandmother's mother's soon to be mine), and sleek (but big) hair.

Yes, I teased the hell out of my hair (much like I used to do to all the boys, hee- uh, Hubs if you're reading, just kidding!). With the use of a massive amount of hair spray, I was about an inch taller and ready to dance!

Soooooooo, A Needle Pulling Thread!

"Ha, ha, why this old thing?  Oh, it's just something I whipped up the other night."

Since I apparently desperately need another hobby (reading, cooking, exercise, running, painting, and blogging aren't enough), I have gotten the sudden yen to learn how to sew.  I took home ec and learned the basics (ahem, fourteen years ago), but can't remember a thing.  However, if I could sew I could whip up all  the little shifts and sun-dresses I wear all summer, as well as basic sheaths for work! So often, I become incredibly frustrated because I have a specific simple dress in my mind, yet can't find anywhere to buy it.  Post-sewing classes, I will simple create it- voilà!

Then I started perusing dress patterns, specifically Vogue Patterns.   Well, that sealed the deal- check out these dresses, especially the vintage ones like above.  I am in love.

I could have MADE my Nine O'Clock dress.

How cute are these aprons?  Imagine as gifts in cute Amy Butler-ish or vintage fabric?

Yes, please!

Perfect lady lawyer attire, no?

Then there are the Vogue Easy patterns- surely I can do these with a little instruction?  Please ignore the fabric/styling on these and focus on the garment.

I could make these as short as I like (I'm petite and like to at least show a little knee).  The first two above would be great for work, and I would never have to spend money on dreaded work clothes again!  Just add a blazer and I am ready to roll.

So readers, who out there knows how to sew?  How did you learn?  Could a beginner produce any of these with a little teaching and practice?

Dreaming Away

So, apparently I have been living in the clouds this week- dreaming of basking in the sun, of classic enduring style, and just general living in my head.  Am I alone here?  As a child and teen, I loved to "read" catalogs (random pet peeve sidebar- I HATE when people refer to catalogs as magazines, ugh).  I would imagine myself in that world, with a house filled with that bedroom, and me lounging about here and there looking as polished and camera ready as the models.

In between my vitamin D-deficit induced beach lust, I have also had HOUSES on the brain in a bad way the last couple of weeks.  I've mentioned before that Hubs and I would love to build on a lot we are in possession of, but construction is expensive.  Which means patience, waiting while we save.  Patience is NOT one of  my virtues.  I want a house, I want a dog, someday in the (far) future I want babies, instead of being content in the wonderful place I am now (Erin wrote a wonderful  post about this recently- please read).

Anyway, here's one of the houses I want to build (all via Southern Living house plans).

Of course being as picky particular as I am, there are major modifications I would make.  For instance, I would turn the "open to below" area upstairs into some sort of playroom, because I do not like cathedral ceilings in small home.  Please do not be offended if you have one and e-mail me.  Personal preference, and I'm really weirdly particular as stated previously.  I would like to add a couple more shed dormers to the roof, and maybe change the side screened porch to a reading nook/office area. 

I love to spend time looking at house plans, and at local real estate listings.  It's partially because I just love houses and design, but also I am playing a grown up version of my catalog game.  How would I renovate that 60's style rancher?  Ooh, could I add shingles and paint that yucky brick and that house would be cute?  Maybe I could paint that old pine dark pine panelling?  What would I do to that down-on-its-luck cottage?  If I built this house, what would my kitchen look like? How would I decorate?  Could I plant a garden that I could look out on while I washed dishes?  Would there be a place for my wall of bookcases that I need?  Where would I put my furniture?  Where would Hubs Junior sleep? 

Yeah, sometimes I need to get out of my head just a little bit.