Bless Your Heart

frog
Originally uploaded by Macky’s hat.

I could make them hats like this to wear around the house. Link via Dooce.

I posted this over at Fancy Schmancy but it is worth repeating over here. I’m so mad at Bombay Company. You may have seen their kid’s site- Bombay Kids, but now they’ve come out with Bombay Baby. And while I’m all for more shopping options, I’m mad because I had already decided on a design plan for Ling Ling’s nursery, and now there are way too many fabulous options! Bugs! Bohemian Chic! Gigi! And the furniture, my word, the furniture! I will have to rob a bank or win the lottery, but it would so be worth it just to furnish LL’s room with the antique black collection. The changing table, the petite dresser, holy cow, I’ve got to wipe the drool off my computer screen. It’s all too much!
I’ve seriously been thinking about LL’s room ever since I saw the new stuff at Bombay Baby on Sunday. I love to decorate anyway, and this is really throwing me into high gear. But I won’t allow myself to start decorating the nursery til we’re LID and that won’t be for a while (we’re on hold until our finances allow for further action). So I just have to drool and dream from afar.

This week we’ll be exploring BONUS ROOMS. This means any room we haven’t previously covered. So if you’re just joining the parade, this is a great time to get caught up. Or if you have an office, craft room, studio, meditation room, dungeon, etc. this is your chance to showcase that room. Take photos of the room and post them on Friday on your blog along with a comment here that your photos are up so we may view them.

This is one of the best short video tributes I’ve seen. Made me look at everything in a little different way. I don’t have the words to write a sufficient tribute to those lost five years ago. I can’t imagine the hurt, the loss, the pain. I thank God that my cousin who was working just a couple of blocks away from the World Trade Center made it home safely. I think because I was geographically and physically removed from the situation, safe at work that day miles and states away from NYC, that it didn’t seem real at the time. It still sort of doesn’t seem real. To know that kind of horror is just unimaginable. I pray my children will never experience anything like this in their lifetimes. One day I will tell them what happened, so they, like I, will never forget.

-Yesterday Susan, Miss O, and I went to the Greek Festival. My uncle is Greek and growing up around him gave me a great appreciation for Greek culture, music, and of course- food. Sure, there are some Greek restaurants around here, but nothing is as good as the real thing, cooked by real Greeks. When I was 10 I went to Greece for 10 days to meet my Uncle’s extended family. We attended a wedding, visited Athens, Sparta, and his birthplace, the tiny island of Agistri. It was amazing and I’d love to go back. I can still speak a little Greek- good morning (cali mera- forgive my spelling), good night (cali nichta), I love you (sagapo), thank you (afaristo). I used to know the word for watermelon but forgot it. Not like that’s a must word to know for travel anyway! Anyway, back to the festival. I’d been once a few years ago and I’d heard the festival had really grown since then. CSP scored me 2 free tickets so Susan and I went. The food was great, and so was the music. But once you’ve eaten and looked around at the booths, you’re kind of over it. But hey, we were able to hang out and have a fabulous lunch. I took home a box of amazing desserts for CSP and I to sample later in the evening. Our favorite thing, besides the baklava, was this delicious almond cookie. I have got to find the recipe. Anyone know what I’m talking about? Not the powdered sugar one, but the crescent shaped one covered in slivered almonds. I’ll have to call my uncle.
-In other news, Molly loves to eat bathroom tissue. The smarty pants girl has even figured how to remove the rolls from the holders. She pranced right by me last night with a full roll in her mouth!
-CSP has some major goings on at work right now. He’s a grocery store assistant manager and lately he’s had to work a lot of really late nights and some over-nights as well. It’s really throwing off his schedule, and mine too. The pugs won’t calm down and sleep til we’re both home, and as soon as they hear the garage door all hell breaks loose. Kea was howling like a coyote last night when she heard him come in. Luickily he starts a mini vacation in a few days.
-I recently found out from my dermatologist that I ahve to stop using scented lotions and shower gels. The humanity! She wants me to do all my washing with Cetaphil. Boo. I may have to defy orders and try the new amber scent at BBW. Anyone out there tried this yet?

Just a reminder….Have Blog, Will Travel is still alive and kicking. Go check it out. It’s a G00gle group that allows us bloggy people to meet up when we travel around.

Also, be sure to check out my new shoppy blog Fancy Schmancy. Cute stuff people, cute stuff!

One last thing. My end of summer sale at Bellatini was very successful. Thank you so much! I’m down to 5 inventory items. I’ll be on a bit of hiatus for a while when it comes to designing more jewelry. Turns out I have carpal tunnel. I saw a neurologist Thursday. He was a nice doctor with an errant eyebrow hair that was coming dangerously close to poking him in the eye. I was so distracted by that hair and spent most of the visit trying to come up with a way to accidentally fall and pluck that bad boy on the way down. I did hear him tell me the painful numbness I’ve been experiencing in my right arm is due to carpal tunnel. I go get my brace today. In a couple of weeks I go for a nerve test to confirm it. I pray he’s taken care of that hair by then or I’ll have to sneek some tweezers in and launch a covert attack!

For those of you who are just joining us, we are touring our readers through our homes, room by room. This week we are peeping into bedrooms. If you’d like to play along please leave a comment that you’ve posted your pics, along with a link to your site and your email address so I can sign you up for reminders and updates. All those who are already participating are leaving comments that their pictures are posted. Go check out their homes!

Check out the paraders below:
~ Elaine
~ Aimee
~ Lisa S.
~ Mrs. Gumby
~ Jacquie
~ Rachel
~ Julie
~ Michele
~ Judy
~ Jessica
~ Julie W.
~ Alfred’s Mom
~ Sandy
~ Kendra
~ Gabs
~ Jesser
~ Ani
~Melissa
~ Heather
~ Sara
~ Lisa
~ Leah
~ Alyson
~ Connie
~ Priscilla
~Krista
~Giao
~Tiffany
~Jamie

Now, on to my house. (click to enlarge pictures)
This is one of the guest rooms. Here is the before picture (mainly a blank slate) I painted it pink in anticipation of little girls coming home! Although since painting it I’ve come up with a whole other decorating scheme. Good thing I like to paint!

This is the main guest room that gets the most use. Before:
After: All of the decals the previous owner had on the wall (they left them for us to remove!) left big spots in the drywall. So I painted stripes to help cover them up.
I love the paint color in the guest room. I wish I could remember the name of it!

Here is the master! Before: Another blank slate. I decided on a harlequin pattern for the focus wall. I wanted something interesting as we don’t have a headboard. This wall is my favorite decorative thing about the room. The wall behind my bed is paint. I painted the diamond pattern using the 2 shades of lilac I used in the rest of the room. Then I painted a sheer blue glaze over it and topped it with a silver metallic glaze. Jon made me a diamond template out of cardboard. We learned a lesson though, we should have started in the middle! The diamonds on the far right are a little smushed into the corner. Oh well! My favorite thing thing in the room is our bed. So comfy.

This is the sitting area. We have a futon in the bay window. Good for reading.
The view from the corner toward the hall.
The view from the corner toward the bathroom. I love the double doors- the big set going to the hall, and the mini ones going to the bath.

Fancy Schmancy is a phrase I’ll utter (or exclaim loudly if appropriate) when I find something cute while shopping. I tend to stumble upon tons of fabulous things that I just love, so I thought I’d create a little shopping blog to share my fun finds with you guys. Go check it out!

I spent Labor Day weeked up at the mountain house with the family. For those of you who are new here my step-dad (Hot as Hale Papa) has a house up in the NC mountains. His grandfather built it in 1903 and Papa inherited it. We go up as much as we can in the spring, summer, and fall seasons. The house isn’t winterized so it is way too cold to go up in the winter. CSP & my BIL had to work this weekend so it was me, Papa, Mama, Sara, Morgan, and my nephews Jake & Joey. We had fun hanging out and relaxing. Pictures here.

This week’s theme for the Bloggy Parade of Homes is Bedrooms. You can post about all of your bedrooms, or just your master, or your favorite, whatever floats your boat. Be sure to post your photos on your blog on Friday and leave a comment on my blog Friday so we’ll know you’re up!